Hi all
Hans2
2010-04-21 23:18:25
Just wanted to thank everybody for the great reading over the last year I've been lurking. I don't have much of anything to contribute now, but I sure will when I can - it's just a great resource and I hope to give back.
Thank you all-
Hans2
mswkickdrum
2010-04-22 15:22:40
I know how you feel, I've learned a lot here too. If you'd like to show your
thanks to Jon for making this forum happen, you can donate to the effort
of keeping it going. It's easy to do with paypal etc, go to the topic in
Site suggestions.
Thanks,
Marshall
Hans2
2010-04-23 01:01:33
Or just push the orange button above. Done.
Thank you, Jon- I hope it helps.
yak2you2
2010-04-23 05:17:47
Welcome aboard Hans !!
Salty
2010-04-26 01:26:06
Welcome Hans, and for a donation I will provide an honest to goodness lowliner tip, picture included on the troll lure or topic of your choice.
Hans2
2010-04-27 20:13:45
Now that is a deal, right there. Donation to the site has been made... so, I've noticed you've mentioned several times the importance of having your pit set up for ease of use - how about a good description and pics/drawings of what you'd think a trailerable handtroller cockpit should look like (outboard on a transom-mounted bracket - so no motor box in the middle of the transom floor)? Cleaning station, insulated totes, location of gurdies, leader rack/storage, etc... whatever you have to offer I'll take. Looking to be able to handle getting into a good coho bite and not wear myself out due to poor ergonomics. While tempting, I'm probably about a year away from worrying about lures and such; I hope to be there sooner, though ;)
Thanks-
Hans
yak2you2
2010-04-28 13:54:35
[img="http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u354/yak2you2/DSCF3841.jpg" alt=""]
Here is a look at the stern of my boat. There's a lid that flips shut on my landing bin, and I have a little cleaning trough that I can take in and out of my bin. I land off of either stern corner, and flop the fish into the bin. Get a good washdown pump. Make your leaders long enough to trail far enough back behind your motors where it's not a problem when your going through your gear. After cleaning, the fish go into a slush tote on either side of the boat. The whole secret to little boat fishing is to recognize that that is exactly what you are, a little boat. Keep it simple, and light. The name of your game is fast attack, so stay light by removing all non-essential weight from the boat.
yak2you2
2010-04-28 15:15:20
Most converted cabin cruisers need to have all the leisure stuff removed to get rid of the weight, and make more room for fish. Think of it as a camper, not a live aboard. Get rid of all the cabinets, heavy stoves, sinks, fresh water tanks, non essential tools, boxes of misc. junk,etc. Cot, 3 gal water jug, Coleman stove, and light weight heater is the ticket. If you get an older boat, there will likely be some float tanks in her somewhere, cut a hole in them and put in a inspection port so you can see if they have any water or water logged foam in them, if so, get rid of it. I have a little light weight Dickinson oil stove, weighs about 10-15 lbs., some guys have little Toyo heaters about the same weight. If your going to do cohos, sooner or later fish are going to have to come into the house to balance your load, so the sooner you get your mind around the fact that it's a fishing boat, not a yacht, the better off you'll be. Don't buy things you don't need. You can really hurt yourself if don't practice restraint. Ask yourself, if you have to have it to catch fish, if not, keep your money in your pocket. I know a lot of guys with 50K invested into a 15 thousand dollar boat. ( BOAT = Bring On Another Thousand ) Hope this helps.
Hans2
2010-04-28 16:05:31
Ahh, that's the stuff... :D
We obviously know a lot of the same people! I'm definitely more interested in being the guy with $10K in a $15K boat...
Hans
Salty
2010-05-01 03:47:15
I will think about posting some thoughts but mostly I am thinking that Yak has the better experience and advice on handtroll setups.
sean_h_5
2010-05-05 14:57:00
Yak, the advice is great. My new hand-troller looks just like your picture so I can easily relate everything your saying.
-Do you have poles or extended davits. I am experimenting with extended davits, and I can already see that my spread is going to be the determining factor whether or not it works. When you get a chance, if you have any pictures or could just explain how you drag your lead it would help me out.
Thanks.
Sean,
Ketchikan
Carol W
2010-05-05 15:14:14
Hi Sean
I hand trolled the Ketchikan area for 17 years before I got smart and bought a powertroll permit and I may have seen you around the docks. A fellow that used to hand troll the Ketchikan area for a lot of years when I was a kid used to use one hand gurdy rigged as normal and on the the other side of the boat he had monofiloment on a hand gurdy with a short stout wood pole mounted to the side of the boat and then clamped the top end of a fishing pole to the top tof the wood pole he then ran about a 4 pound lead and one leader off his jigger pole. Between these 2 lines he caught a lot of fish and big fish at that he used to fish Caamano, Vallenar and Mountain point, he was very inspirational in my career as I had to work hard to keep up with him. One of the advantages to this setup was when he pulled gear the boat didn't go around in circles that often happens to guys hand trolling with poles.
Salty
2010-05-05 16:07:18
Tom,
17 years handtrolling? What in the world were you thinking? It only took me about 6 years and the outlawing of four hand gurdies to wise up.
I hear you about the boat turning. My first handtroller was called the "Crisscross" by the previous owner because of it veering one way on the drag when he hauled one line.
yak2you2
2010-05-06 03:13:07
Sean, go check out a thread called OUTFITTING. I have some pics of my rig in there. I am running poles. Usually run 25 or 30 lb. balls, fish down as deep as 30 Fm., but usually a lot shallower. I rarely have a problem with crosscurrents crossing me up. Once in a while if I'm dragging fish I might have to counter with my motor when I bring in a side of gear, but I don't have problems staying on course. Keep your gurdies cleaned and greased. I bought my HT permit in 92', never have regretted it. Handtrolling is perfect for part-timers, retirees, or as a stepping stone for young guys without the means to come up with a PT permit and a bigger boat.
Salty
2010-05-08 15:37:47
I was thinking the other day about handtrolling and what a great opportunity it is to enter the fishery. Yak's post made me realize some of my posts may have not reflected the great appreciation I have for handtrolling.
My father started hand trolling in 1940 for kings in Washington Bay while his herring seiner was being unloaded and "sold" his first kings to the cooks at the plant and on the boats. My grandfather Christian handtrolled out of an open skiff and a tent on the beach in Gedney Harbor in 1963. I started handtrolling in 1974 and fished every summer through 1980 mostly out of a 19 foot Reinell with outboard engines.
In 1978,79,and 80 I represented handtrollers on various fisheries groups from the Sitka F&GAC to the AP to the NPFMC. When I was on the ATA Board in the early 90's I fought hard for handtroll representation on the Board. I have handlined halibut, seined herring and salmon, tended cucumber divers, winter trolled, among other fishing activities. I have never worked harder or fished tougher than when I was cranking four lines out of my 19 footer. I have the greatest respect for those dedicated and tough enough to not only try handtrolling but to persist at it.
Handcranking Alaska salmon in a small boat is truly one of the toughest fisheries in Alaska.
Nevertheless it is my opinion that some of my handtroll friends have continued handtrolling and abusing their bodies and compromised their production long after they could have moved on to power gurdies. Ergonomics and safety have become an increasing part of my focus over the years as I have aged and tried to optimize the production and quality from my relatively small troller. While handtrolling is a relatively inexpensive way to enter the troll fishery and it is a great scratch fishery, it is not either an ergonomic or efficient method of producing large numbers of high quality troll salmon during hot short July or August Chinook and coho openings. And it is absolutely insane, in my opinion, to try and handcrank large volumes of chums.
But, having announced and observed high school and college wrestling matches for many years I also know there are some unbelievably talented and tough Alaskan's out there who can defy logic with their stamina and resolve. I love it that trolling salmon includes this entry opportunity where fishermen can use their initiative, labor, and great ideas to produce.
![http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u354/yak2you2/DSCF3841.jpg](http://i519.photobucket.com/albums/u354/yak2you2/DSCF3841.jpg</LINK_TEXT></URL><e>"){kind=link}