Field Notes & Rigging Tips

Great Lakes Trout Trolling Setup: Complete Gear Guide
Great Lakes Trout Trolling Setup: Complete Gear Guide
Learn the trout trolling setup for Great Lakes waters, comparing downrigger and no-downrigger spreads, then find out which gear to buy first. Read more...
Which Rod and Reel Combo Is Best for Lake Ontario Salmon?
Which Rod and Reel Combo Is Best for Lake Ontario Salmon?
Lake Ontario salmon trolling starts with the right rod, reel and drag. Compare length, capacity and drag for downrigger and diver setups. Read more...
How to Tie Effective Salmon Trolling Leaders
How to Tie Effective Salmon Trolling Leaders
Tie salmon trolling leaders that hold up to big kings using the right knots, materials, and lengths. Get a reliable setup you can build yourself. Read more...
Best Downriggers for Lake Ontario Salmon Fishing
Best Downriggers for Lake Ontario Salmon Fishing
Lake Ontario salmon anglers can compare electric and manual downriggers from Cannon and Scotty by weight, mount and boat size. See which setup fits yours. Read more...
Lake Ontario King Salmon Trolling Gear Guide for Anglers
Lake Ontario King Salmon Trolling Gear Guide for Anglers
Lake Ontario king salmon trolling starts with the right rod, reel, line and lure spread. Find out which setups to choose and what to buy. Read more...
Best Planer Boards for Great Lakes Walleye Trolling: Gear Guide
Best Planer Boards for Great Lakes Walleye Trolling: Gear Guide
Planer boards for Great Lakes walleye trolling: compare inline and mast-mounted options, speed and spread tips, and gear from Elliott's Tackle & Rigging. Read more...
Best Fish Finders for Lake Erie Walleye Fishing
Best Fish Finders for Lake Erie Walleye Fishing
Compare Humminbird, Garmin, SI-TEX and Raymarine fish finders for Lake Erie walleye, with sonar, side imaging and down imaging guidance to match your boat. Read more...
Trolling for Coho vs Chinook Salmon: Key Differences
Trolling for Coho vs Chinook Salmon: Key Differences
Coho vs chinook salmon differ in mouth color, spotting, size, and trolling speed. Learn the field marks, depths, and lures that separate these two salmon. Read more...
Which Rod and Reel Combo Works Best for Lake Erie Walleye?
Which Rod and Reel Combo Works Best for Lake Erie Walleye?
Lake Erie walleye rod and reel combos compared for trolling, jigging and budget setups. Find the right combo for your boat and your fishing style. Read more...
7 Salmon Trolling Gear Maintenance Steps for Saltwater
7 Salmon Trolling Gear Maintenance Steps for Saltwater
Rinse saltwater off your salmon trolling gear and follow 7 simple steps to keep reels, flashers, and downriggers working season after season. Read more...
Best Gear for Lake Erie Walleye Trolling: Rods, Reels and Divers
Best Gear for Lake Erie Walleye Trolling: Rods, Reels and Divers
Walleye trolling on Lake Erie starts with the right rods, reels, lures and divers. Learn the setups that catch fish and how to build a spread that works. Read more...
Lake Michigan Salmon Trolling Speed, Depth and Presentation Guide
Lake Michigan Salmon Trolling Speed, Depth and Presentation Guide
Learn salmon trolling speeds, depths and lure presentations that work on Lake Michigan, plus the downrigger setup to run on the water. Read more...
9 Downrigger Weight Mistakes Costing Great Lakes Anglers Fish
9 Downrigger Weight Mistakes Costing Great Lakes Anglers Fish
Downrigger weights decide your trolling depth on the Great Lakes. Learn how to pick the right size, shape and cable setup for salmon and trout. Read more...
How to Troll Multiple Rods for Lake Michigan Salmon?
How to Troll Multiple Rods for Lake Michigan Salmon?
Discover how to troll multiple rods on Lake Michigan with spacing, depth and lure setups that cover more water and put more salmon in the cooler. Read more...
Lake Michigan King Salmon Gear Checklist: The Essentials
Lake Michigan King Salmon Gear Checklist: The Essentials
Use this king salmon gear checklist for Lake Michigan trolling to pack rods, reels, downriggers, flashers, meat rigs and safety gear. Get the full list. Read more...
Are Track Mount Rod Holders Worth It for Great Lakes Trolling?
Are Track Mount Rod Holders Worth It for Great Lakes Trolling?
Track mount rod holders can handle Great Lakes trolling, but only if the holder, track, and mount match. Compare five setups and see which fits your boat. Read more...
7 Steps to Set Up a Boat for Great Lakes Salmon Trolling
7 Steps to Set Up a Boat for Great Lakes Salmon Trolling
Set up your boat for Great Lakes salmon trolling in 7 steps, from downriggers to speed control. Get a safer, more productive spread. Read more...
Can You Read Sonar for Salmon Schools?
Can You Read Sonar for Salmon Schools?
Reading sonar for salmon schools starts with the scroll, arches and bottom return. See the settings and habits that turn marks into fish. Read more...
Lead Core vs Copper vs Downriggers for Great Lakes Trolling
Lead Core vs Copper vs Downriggers for Great Lakes Trolling
Lead core vs copper vs downriggers: compare running depth, setup, and handling to pick the right Great Lakes trolling method for salmon and trout. Read more...
Best Trolling Reels for Lake Michigan Salmon & Trout
Best Trolling Reels for Lake Michigan Salmon & Trout
Compare the best trolling reels for Lake Michigan salmon and trout, with line capacity, drag, and pricing on reels from PENN, Daiwa, and Abu Garcia. Read more...
Setting Up Downrigger Stackers for Salmon Fishing
Setting Up Downrigger Stackers for Salmon Fishing
Learn setting up downrigger stackers for salmon fishing with step-by-step rigging, line spacing tips, and tangle prevention for more hookups on every pass. Read more...
Best Flashers and Flies for Lake Michigan King Salmon
Best Flashers and Flies for Lake Michigan King Salmon
Find the best flashers and flies for Lake Michigan king salmon. We cover sizes, colors, leader lengths and rigging tips to put more fish in the boat. Read more...
How to Choose the Right Salmon Trolling Flasher
How to Choose the Right Salmon Trolling Flasher
Learn how to choose the right salmon trolling flasher by size, color, rigging, and speed. Match your flasher to water and species for more strikes. Read more...
How to Choose Salmon Fishing Line for Rivers
How to Choose Salmon Fishing Line for Rivers
Learn how to choose salmon fishing line for rivers by pound test, braid vs mono, leader length, and float setups that hold up in current and cover. Read more...
Best Fish Finders for Great Lakes Salmon Fishing
Best Fish Finders for Great Lakes Salmon Fishing
The best fish finders for Great Lakes salmon fishing, tested picks for trolling, side imaging, and CHIRP sonar. Compare prices and find your unit. Read more...
How to Store and Transport Salmon Fishing Rods
How to Store and Transport Salmon Fishing Rods
Learn how to store and transport salmon fishing rods safely, from boat rod storage to truck transport and saltwater cleanup after every trip. Read more...
Salmon Fishing Safety Gear Checklist: 7 Essentials
Salmon Fishing Safety Gear Checklist: 7 Essentials
Salmon fishing safety starts with the right gear. Use this checklist to cover life jackets, cold water risks, signals, and more before your next trip. Read more...
Great Lakes Downrigger Setup: Step-by-Step Guide
Great Lakes Downrigger Setup: Step-by-Step Guide
Downrigger setup: Set up downriggers for Great Lakes trolling with this step-by-step guide covering mounting, weights, cables, releases, and rod spreads. Read more...
Best Rod & Reel Combos for Great Lakes Salmon
Best Rod & Reel Combos for Great Lakes Salmon
Find the best rod and reel combos for Great Lakes salmon. Compare specs, prices, and setups for trolling, downriggers, and planer boards. Read more...
Best Salmon Fishing Lures for Murky Water
Best Salmon Fishing Lures for Murky Water
Find the best salmon fishing lures for murky water. Compare flashers, spinner colors, and slow-speed tactics that trigger strikes in stained rivers. Read more...
How to Prevent Corrosion on Boat Rod Holders
How to Prevent Corrosion on Boat Rod Holders
Learn how to prevent corrosion on boat rod holders with saltwater rinsing, stainless steel maintenance, and installation isolation tips that protect Read more...
Using Dodgers and Flashers With Salmon Spoons
Using Dodgers and Flashers With Salmon Spoons
Learn how to rig dodgers and flashers with salmon spoons for effective trolling. Compare setups, leader lengths, and trolling speeds for better catches. Read more...
5 Best Halibut Jigs for Deep Water Fishing
5 Best Halibut Jigs for Deep Water Fishing
Discover the top 5 halibut jigs for deep water fishing. Compare slow-pitch designs, weights, and colors to match your setup and catch more fish. Read more...
How to Rig a Deep Drop Halibut Setup
How to Rig a Deep Drop Halibut Setup
Master deep drop halibut rigging with our step-by-step guide. Learn line setup, weight selection, hooks, and deployment techniques for saltwater success. Read more...
How to Read River Currents for Salmon Fishing
How to Read River Currents for Salmon Fishing
Learn how to read river currents for salmon fishing: identify seams, breaks, and holding water, plus flow-rate tips for strong current and changing water Read more...
Expert-Curated Fishing Gear: Why Captains Choose Quality Over Price
Expert-Curated Fishing Gear: Why Captains Choose Quality Over Price
Learn why expert-curated fishing gear matters. Discover how captain-selected equipment builds confidence and reliability for serious anglers. Read more...
Best Marine Electronics for Halibut Fishing in 2026
Best Marine Electronics for Halibut Fishing in 2026
Find the best marine electronics for halibut, from fish finders and transducers to GPS and VHF radios, with picks, specs and prices for deep-water fishing. Read more...
Understanding Salmon Migration Patterns for Anglers
Understanding Salmon Migration Patterns for Anglers
Learn salmon migration patterns and run timing to plan better fishing trips. Understand how species, river flow, and water temperature affect your catch. Read more...
Minn Kota Talon: Complete Buyer's Guide & Setup Tips
Minn Kota Talon: Complete Buyer's Guide & Setup Tips
Minn Kota Talon buyer's guide covering specs, shallow water anchor installation, maintenance, and how it compares to Power Pole for serious anglers. Read more...
Top-Rated Downriggers for Serious Anglers: Reliability Guide
Top-Rated Downriggers for Serious Anglers: Reliability Guide
Find top-rated downriggers built for serious anglers. Learn which systems avoid mechanical failures and what maintenance keeps them working on the water. Read more...
Best Salmon Fishing Waders for Cold Weather: 2026 Guide
Best Salmon Fishing Waders for Cold Weather: 2026 Guide
Compare the best salmon fishing waders for cold weather in 2026. Learn layering, insulation, and breathable vs neoprene picks for freezing rivers. Read more...
Side Scan vs Down Scan Explained
Side Scan vs Down Scan Explained
Side scan vs down scan: Learn the differences between side scan and down scan sonar imaging. Compare coverage, frequency, and best uses for saltwater. Read more...
How to Connect VHF to Marine GPS: A Setup Guide
How to Connect VHF to Marine GPS: A Setup Guide
Learn how to connect VHF to marine GPS with step-by-step wiring instructions, NMEA standards, and troubleshooting tips for reliable onboard communication. Read more...
Using Downriggers for Halibut: A Complete Setup Guide
Using Downriggers for Halibut: A Complete Setup Guide
Learn how to set up and fish downriggers for halibut effectively. Depth settings, rigging techniques, and equipment tips for saltwater success. Read more...
Downrigger Weight Calculations: A 2026 Guide
Downrigger Weight Calculations: A 2026 Guide
Master downrigger weight calculations for salmon and halibut fishing. Learn depth formulas, blowback effects, and speed relationships to target fish. Read more...
7 Best Marine Electronics Mounting Solutions for Small Boats
7 Best Marine Electronics Mounting Solutions for Small Boats
Find the best marine electronics mounting solutions for small boats. Compare pedestal mounts, flush mounts, and ball-and-socket systems for your setup. Read more...
Bass Fishing Shop: Essential Gear for Serious Anglers
Bass Fishing Shop: Essential Gear for Serious Anglers
Bass fishing shop: Find professional-grade bass fishing gear hand-selected by an experienced captain. Discover trolling motors, reels, rods, and marine. Read more...
100 lb Thrust Trolling Motor: 2026 Buyer's Guide
100 lb Thrust Trolling Motor: 2026 Buyer's Guide
Shopping a 100 lb thrust trolling motor? Compare real specs, shaft lengths, and 24V vs 36V setups, then find the right motor for your boat. Learn more. Read more...
Marine GPS vs Chartplotter for Saltwater Fishing
Marine GPS vs Chartplotter for Saltwater Fishing
Marine GPS vs chartplotter for saltwater fishing: learn the key differences, combo benefits, transducer choices, and which setup fits your boat. Read more...
How to Mark Fishing Hotspots on Marine GPS (2026 Guide)
How to Mark Fishing Hotspots on Marine GPS (2026 Guide)
Learn how to mark fishing hotspots on marine GPS using waypoints, sonar, and cross-hair cursors. Master triangulation, trolling marks, and waypoint. Read more...