Boat Renovation (pic heavy)

[PDubs/NH]

PDubs,

Plenty of places to chase salmon by your camp in Maine too  

Are you "from" Merrimack?  I grew up there, class of '88.

~Jeff

Thanks for the info Jeff...plan is to combine turkey hunting with bass, and I guess some landlock fishing next May!!!

I didn't grow up in Merrimack, moved there in '94. But Ive met a lot of people through my kids' sports that have lived there all their lives... you know any of these names : Mike Dudash, Andy Holt, Jeff Cushman...??

[PDubs/NH]

Start considering where you are going to put your rod holders for those leadcore setups....whether you are going to permanently mount them or have removable holders (screw on type) or have some sort of "mounting bracket" for all rod holders that can be completely removed from the boat when not chasing salmon. I went with the removable bracket because I didn't want to drill holes in my hull for permanent land didn't have any place to clamp on holders and my lund doesn't come with the sporttrak system. I like all my holders in the rear 3rd of the boat but I have a side console. Having that tiller MAY change your plans.

Starting with leadcore and boards is a great choice though there are times that downriggers can't be beat and it is much more fun to land salmon on a rod with light mono and floro than reeling in 5 colors of lead before you really feel the fish.

Good luck....hope to see you on the Big Lake in the Spring.

Thanks Mike!  I appreciate your input here. Im thinking of having the planer mast way up front, with the base mounted right behind my bow light... then I'll set up removeable rod holders. Im thinking a pair of Big Jon tube types on some sort of quick release brackets/mounts that put them right at the rear corners of the front deck.

Im going to start just with the planers and see about riggers... but I do understand that lead takes some of the fight out of it.  What about flat lines or regular set-ups with a keel or trolling weight instead of the leadcore???

We'll see - Im going to be a novice so I'll be trying to take what Scott D showed me on 1 trip, and add to it.  It'll be fun!!

[Smells Like Fish NH]

Looking Great Paul!!! Keep up the good work!!! Jim is tearing mine apart while im away doing a lot of the same stuff, cant wait to get home and see it!

[Smells Like Fish NH]

Thanks Mike!  I appreciate your input here. Im thinking of having the planer mast way up front, with the base mounted right behind my bow light... then I'll set up removeable rod holders. Im thinking a pair of Big Jon tube types on some sort of quick release brackets/mounts that put them right at the rear corners of the front deck.

Im going to start just with the planers and see about riggers... but I do understand that lead takes some of the fight out of it.  What about flat lines or regular set-ups with a keel or trolling weight instead of the leadcore???

We'll see - Im going to be a novice so I'll be trying to take what Scott D showed me on 1 trip, and add to it.  It'll be fun!!

Paul,
I removed my planer reels and have a set of boards if you need them. Will post what i got in a new thread.

[PDubs/NH]

Paul,
I removed my planer reels and have a set of boards if you need them. Will post what i got in a new thread.

I picked up a pair of boards off ebay for <$120...   how's things in sand-land?  Stay safe over there bud!!!!!!

[Smells Like Fish NH]

Its dirty as hell and the air is very dusty, but overall, im safe, well fed, and get 2 showers a day! The Trip will be over soon enough and I will get back to home where I belong. Much credit to these soldiers, airmen, and Marines...they really are heroes!! They sacrifice more than any of us who havent been here know.

[NHAngler]

Looking good Paul! Simple and clean layout - I like it!

[MikeF-NH]

Thanks Mike!  I appreciate your input here. Im thinking of having the planer mast way up front, with the base mounted right behind my bow light... then I'll set up removeable rod holders. Im thinking a pair of Big Jon tube types on some sort of quick release brackets/mounts that put them right at the rear corners of the front deck.

Im going to start just with the planers and see about riggers... but I do understand that lead takes some of the fight out of it.  What about flat lines or regular set-ups with a keel or trolling weight instead of the leadcore???

We'll see - Im going to be a novice so I'll be trying to take what Scott D showed me on 1 trip, and add to it.  It'll be fun!!

Don't get me wrong...I love my leadcore setups and there are times you can't buy a bite on DRs and leadcore is still firing. In Spring, with 2-4 colors out, leadcore is less work than summer when you run 5-7 colors. Flatlines will work in early spring and I have a buddy who uses keels from time to time but with limited success. He also will run his leadcore on his DRs in the summer so he can get down without putting out 6-7 colors or risking his DR balls by dropping them 30 feet along some shoreliness that come up unexpectedly....he loves that technique.

If I were starting all over again (it took me 3-4 years to accumulate all my gear), I would start with leadcore and planer boards then expand to DRs like you are doing. Make sure you buy plenty of releases for your boards so you don't have to keep bringing the boards in. I think 10+ is a minimum.