FISHEWEAR THERMAL ¼-ZIP TOP

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

Most of the items I feature in this column are products I have personally used so I can evaluate them from my “fisherman’s” point of view. I needed some help with this one, so I enlisted my wife – both to choose the particular item from Fishewear’s line-up of designer outdoor women’s wear and for her to use and offer her impressions.

She chose the Thermal ¼ Zip top in the Rainbow Ridge pattern. Like all of Fishewear’s patterns, it’s a spectacular mix of colors, this one with a continuum of blue hues from light to dark so vivid the trout, wind, water and waves create a vibrant, eye-catching shirt.

At first glance the quarter-zip seems to be a summer-weight performance fabric pull-over, worn as much for sun protection as style. However, there’s a brushed jersey thermal layer inside that provides just enough warmth for crisp mornings in spring or fall, or as a base layer on colder days. The quarter-zip adds extra functionality by having the option of zipping up to provide a windproof collar for extra warmth and wind-blocking comfort when needed; or zip it down to add extra ventilation when hiking, fishing or some other activity that gets one’s blood pumping. Whether worn under another top or jacket, or as an outer shirt, the fabric is breathable so there’s never a clammy feel next to the skin.

Fishewear was founded a decade ago when Linda Leary stepped away from her partnership in a trucking business in Anchorage, Alaska – think Ice Road Truckers – to produce a line of fishing apparel for women. Her goal was products tailored for women, functioned perfectly and featured bold, art-inspired patterns and designs. I think she was successful in every aspect.

Check out the ¼ Zip Thermal top and all the other Fishewear gear and garments, styles and color patterns at www.fishewear.com or at their retail outlets in Anchorage and select locations in the Great Lakes region.

SHIMANO TECHNIUM TROLLING ROD

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

Leave it to Shimano to come up with a new line of fishing rods designed specifically for the salmon/steelhead/sturgeon anglers. Why? Thousands of Great Lake anglers rely on (and swear by) their Talora trolling rods and wouldn’t trade them for anything.

When I picked up the new Technium Trolling Rod at the recent ICAST show I checked twice to see if the rod was in the wrong slot. It felt more like one of the latest carbon fiber rods than one of the Talora rods I’m used to handling. Actually, according to the Shimano rep I grabbed to explain the difference, there is a good “dose” of carbon fiber in these new rods as well as a Talora “legacy.” I don’t like to dive too deep in engineering in my reviews so let’s just leave it at the various models of Technium Rods are made from a fusion of the TC4 fiberglass (featured in the Talora line) and carbon fiber to make the rods lighter and slimmer than any salmon trolling rod I’d ever held – even the 9-footer moderate action rod I put to use as a braided-line diver rod.

Even if you mix your rod choices, the Technium will be a standout. Instead of the basic black rod blank, they’ve managed to imbue each rod with a holographic sort of blue sparkle reminiscent of waves or perhaps lightning. Pretty darned cool looking!

I used my 9-footer with a #1 (Medium) size Dipsey both with and without the ring. The bend in the rod at salmon trolling speeds was perfect. Most of the bend was concentrated in the top third of the rod when trolling, leaving plenty of backbone in the middle section to make the diver snap open at the strike of a fish and hold up to a tight drag when a big king or steelhead is latched on down below. That mid-rod strength also helped when the fish were pulled close to the stern, giving enough muscle to both steer the fish (as much as is possible) and keep the head of the fish up while it was pulled those last few feet in range of the landing net.

I wasn’t sure about the carbon fiber handle on the trolling model Techniums, but in use, I learned to love them. I didn’t have to “assist” many of my customers, helping them pull the rods out of the holders when a big fish was on the end of the line. The handle is hard and slick and will slip out of the rod holder with a minimum amount of effort. The reel seat tightens on the reel nicely and it has a second tightening “nut” on it that keeps the reel seat from loosening. Cool!

Speaking of reels, I paired the rod with a Shimano 600 Tekota A, line-counter reel to make a sweet combo able to handle the biggest fish in the lake with the sensitivity to have fun when pulling up cohos and “prince” salmon, those feeder-kings still a year or more from their potential size. I use 30-pound test Power Pro on my braid diver reels and the rod’s sensitivity shows when something is “goofy” down below – like having a shaker on the line or if the dodger or flasher isn’t rotating properly.

I don’t expect charter captains or avid recreational Great Lakes anglers to toss their Taloras overboard and switch to the Technium sticks, but when it comes time to get a new rod for one reason or another, take a look at the Technium Rods at https://fish.shimano.com/landing and buy them where ever Shimano rods and reels are sold.

SILVERTIP BOAT SHOE BY STRIKE

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

I have fishing clothes that I only wear when I’m fishing and I have some fishing clothes that I also wear when I’m not fishing. Does that sound stupid? It is, to a degree, but when I’m fishing, I don’t much worry about how I look or what’s going to happen if what I’m wearing gets wet or slimed by a fish as much as I want those clothes to be warm when it’s cold, cool when it’s warm and always functions as it should. When it comes to shoes, they need to be non-slip on wet surfaces and feel comfortable for those days when I’m on my feet at the back of the boat almost all of the time.

When I’m wearing “fishy” clothes when I’m not fishing, it’s a personal fashion statement. I am a fisherman, I’m proud to be a fisherman and I don’t mind it when others recognize me as an angler, as long as it’s not just because I’m spattered with fish gore.

The two “wardrobes” are not mutually exclusive and when I was looking for a pair of boat shoes, I wanted a pair that would easily go from “work shoes” on my boat and “go anywhere shoes” when I’m off the job.

The Strike Silvertip Boat Shoe is one of those crossover products. And why not? Stephan Palmer, owner of Strike, is both a shoe designer and an ardent angler. Many of his shoes and boots are more boating and fishing than fashion, but the Silvertip is a solid performer in both categories. It has a proprietary tread on the bottom that ensures a firm grip, stylish leather uppers – highly water resistant – and unique outsole with “gills” – holes that channel water away from the shoe as you move around the deck that also give the shoes a racy look.

The shoes have an “inner sock” made from a recycled polyester knitted yarn that feels good on my feet when I choose to wear the shoes without socks, but isn’t so bulky than I can’t wear the shoes when I want to wear stockings. One doesn’t often think much about a shoe’s lacings and fastenings, but I noticed and appreciated how the shoestrings pulled snuggly without having to pull them to my preferred tightness, up and down the tongue.

All of Strike’s line up of footwear uses recycled plastic and bio-based new components throughout their construction.

Check them all out at:www.strike-footwear.com.

INFINITY HOODIE BY GILL FISHING

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

I haven’t slathered any sunscreen on my arms, neck or torso for several years. There’s lots of reasons for this, some good, some questionable – but mostly because there’s no need. When I’m on my boat on a sunny summer day, I’m wearing a long sleeve, hooded shirt made of “performance fabric.”

This is a light weight, tight-weave fabric that wicks perspiration off my skin as quickly as it forms, sucks the moisture into the spaces between the threads in the cloth by capillary action and when it evaporates it makes the shirt feel cool on my skin since the evaporation process is nature’s air conditioning. The shirt offers as much sun protection as an SPF 50 sunscreen lotion and you never have to reapply it periodically as is needed with lotions.

Much of the summer, I’ve been sliding into my Infinity Hoodie made by Gill Fishing. It’s not the only long sleeve hoodie I own, but I’ve been using it more than the others just because I like it. The cloth doesn’t have the slick, almost nylon or satin-like feel that others in my collection have. It’s comfortable and has a cottony feel to it.

I chose the hooded version of this shirt for additional sun protection on my ears and the side of my face. Again, it has nothing to do with keeping warm. The accompanying photo was taken on a 90-degree day. When the hood isn’t up, it still covers more of my neck than the crew-neck version this shirt would offer.

The fabric is made of 90% recycled polyester fibers and 10% Spandex to give it enough stretch that it will never bind. There’s no special laundering required. I just toss it in with my other stinky fishing clothes for a regular wash and dry cycle.

I’m wearing the Mid Blue Melange color but you can see the other options and other Gill Fishing products at www.gillfishing.com. It’s available at many retailers both online and off including Amazon. If you purchase at the Gill Fishing website use the coupon code, CAPTMIKE10 at checkout for a 10% discount.

MAD SCIENTIST TACKLE

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

When the guys at RLVNT Sunglasses sent me a pair of sunglasses to try, they slipped in a couple of spoons they thought I’d like to use. This line of tackle is ever-expanding but what they’ve done (and are doing ) is use the light-bending properties of the films and coatings they use in their lenses and apply them to their lures.

Depending on how much and at what angle the light strikes the finish on these lures, the color of the reflected light changes. You see it and the fish see it. So instead of seeing a traditional paint job which only varies whether the lure is in direct sunlight or shade, or a metallic finish that just reflects when sunbeams hit it, the lure changes color continuously.

The one I used shimmered from dark purple to pink to bright blue and regularly caught the attention of passing cohos. I loaned it to a friend to take to Lake Nipigon and he crushed the lake trout using it. Other films produce other hues and excel in conditions from stained or off-colored water to crystal clear. (And don’t think their casting spoon is only for casting. It trolls perfectly with a loose wobble.)

The Mad Scientist lives in Minnesota – often called Walleye-sota – and firmly in the winter ice-belt. They produce a bevy of lures (all with their proprietary finishes) suitable for panfish or pike (salmon or trout) wherever they swim. Made in America, sold online at www.madscientist.technology, in retail stores and other online outlets.

NORTHLAKE TAILGATE BOARD

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

There are very few heated fish cleaning stations at marinas or access sites around the Great Lakes. Many marinas and access sites don’t even have a dedicated facility to clean fish.

My fishing season starts long before the cleaning station is open and I’ve seen and used plenty of innovative ways to clean the fish I catch before heading home. Over the winter I got a new one – a tailgate sized cutting board.

I’ve used the tailgate of my pick-up as a work bench many times and as a fish cleaning station a few times. It’s the perfect height, but the downside of using it as a fish cleaning location is the clean-up. Even when laying the largest sized cutting board I owned on the tailgate, there was always some blood or other, slimy fishy-stuff that drips off the board onto the tailgate.

Sure, that can be cleaned up, but doing so without spraying or sloshing water into the truck bed or onto the gear stowed in the bed is tedious. That’s why, when I saw the tailgate sized cutting board from North Lake Outdoors, I realized this two-foot by four-foot cutting board was the perfect answer.

When my fishing partner and I were back at the dock with our limit of cohos (including a bonus brown trout) in early March we lined up our fish on the board for a hero shot and then I went to work. By positioning the board with an inch or so overhanging the open tailgate the blood and slime just dripped off onto the asphalt. When finished, I leaned the board against the open tailgate, dipped a bucket of water from the lake and cleaned the blood, slime and scales off the cutting board, gave it a final rinse with bleach-water I’d brought from home and stowed it in the back of the truck for the next trip.

North Lake makes a slightly smaller 48” X 19” model and a “miniature” 16” X 32” board – all made in America, all made from food-grade polyethylene. Check them out and order one for yourself at www.northlakeoutdoors.com.

ISMART PORTABLE TOILET

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

“**it Happens,” but luckily, most of the time, for most people, with a bit of planning, “it” can happen – more or less on schedule. Most of the time, a quick stop at a restroom before heading out for a day on the lake does the trick or a more or less comfortable delay until the end of the trip makes the time actually on the water **it-free. Then there’s the other times when the fishing schedule didn’t coincide with your body’s schedule. Suddenly, it’s time.

If you are fishing on a sizeable boat that has “indoor plumbing,” problem solved. For most of us on smaller boats hopefully, there has been some advance planning about this. The answer is having some sort of portable potty on board. A stiff-sided bucket is about as simple as it gets – there are also portable toilets costing a couple hundred dollars. Both are somewhat appropriate for various situations.

For most Great Lakes anglers, there are several other options – and luckily, a solution towards the less expensive end of the available types is often suitable. One of these is a portable toilet sold by Lee Fisher Sports. Basically, it’s a toilet seat that fits on a five-gallon bucket. Buy the seat only and hope it fits nicely atop a bucket you already have; but beware, all buckets are not identical. Buy the seat and the five-gallon bucket both from Lee Fisher and you know the top will fit the bottom. If your boat doesn’t have a storage area that will fit a five-gallon bucket LFS has 3.5-gallon buckets (only 11.5 inches high) that the seat will fit and the shorter bucket may store more easily.

I got the ISMART Portable Toilet “combo” to put on my boat – their deluxe model – which features the bucket, closable lid, TP holder and sturdy pair of handles. When **it happens on my boat, the deluxe model is what I want.

You do as you wish, but my ISMART Portable Toilet is not a multi-tasker. I don’t use the bucket assembly for other purposes. I have a storage area in which it fits and I keep the TP, some heavy-duty can liners, a bottle of hand-cleaner and some paper towels stowed inside the bucket for when it’s needed.

This unit is listed as an “Amazon’s Choice” at Amazon.com but I encourage you to visit www.leefishersports.com just to check out the hundreds of other fishing and outdoor products they carry.

AFTCO REAPER CAMO SWEATSHIRT

Reviewed by Capt. Mike Schoonveld

When you think of a camo sweatshirt, I bet you think of a cotton or cotton/poly pullover with the logo of your favorite bow or firearm stitched across the front. Forget that when it comes to AFTCO’s Reaper line of hoodies and pullovers. Most important, the Reaper isn’t a cotton or cotton blend, which violates my ABC (Anything But Cotton) rule when it comes to picking fishing clothes. Cotton is comfy, but when I’m out fishing, something is likely to get wet. The weather is likely to be very warm or very cold and I don’t want to be wearing cotton garments in either extreme..

The Reaper Sweatshirt is made from a poly-microfleece material (whatever that is) – what I do know is it’s soft, warm and comfy. The exterior is a decidedly smooth tight weave finish with an inner fleece. That means it more windproof than a cotton sweatshirt and in my opinion, about 50% warmer but the poly material doesn’t absorb water/sweat like cotton would.

So far, it’s been my “outer” layer worn over a performance cloth shirt as my base layer for chilly fall mornings. Later in the fall and for winter work, it will become one of my middle layers over a heavier poly base layer and a heavier coat or parka on top. I’ve worn it on every trip in the ice-out and early spring fishing for Southern Lake Michigan coho as a mid-layer on cold mornings and as a top layer when the spring sun warmed things up midday.

I’m not a fan of “hunting camo” for fishing, though the Reaper Camos are available in a brown camo “Shadowgrass” pattern, green camo OG pattern and a gray/green, “Bottomland” hunting patterns. I am a fan of “fishing” camo patterns however because I’m a “messy” fisherman and by the end of a busy trip, I’ve got (pick one) mud, blood, grease or other dirt on my exterior clothes and the camos help disguise what would be a prominent dirty spot on a solid color garment. There are three dark, fishing/nautical patterns as well. I chose the Navy digital blue pattern. A side benefit is the poly-material is stain-release, so a regular trip through the washer, has it back to looking like new.

A couple of neat features is the built in face mask which is great when I’m speeding to a fishing hotspot on a cold morning. When it’s not in use, the facemask gives the garment a sort of turtle-neck like collar which makes it warmer all day. Anytime I’m wearing a hoodie, I inevitably end up with “stuff” squirreled away in the pouch-pocket on the belly of the shirt – cell phone, keys, spare change, small tools, etc. The Reaper’s pouch has small “hook and loop” tabs that makes the pouch a bit more secure.

The Reaper’s are available at retailers, at numerous online outlets including Amazon.com and of course at www.AFTCO.com.

RAPALA GOLD MINERS

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

One of my most exciting finds at the 2024 ICAST show was at the Rapala booth when I spotted a new lure they call the Gold Miner. At first I thought it was another variation of the Rapala’s Deep Husky Jerk, Pradco’s deep diving Bandits and others of those types of lures, but then I noticed one thing that set them apart. The lip at the front of these lures are larger than most other deep divers and indeed they do dive deep. Like a miner digging deep to find gold nuggets or veins of ore, the Gold Miner easily dives to 30 feet to get down to walleye gold in Lake Erie and other deep lakes.

I was able to score some of the Gold Miners and put them to work during Lake Erie’s Fall Brawl in early November last year. The marks on our screen showed far more fish deeper than 30 feet than in the 20s. The only way to get our Bandits and other deep divers down to them was to go with the 50 + 2 method and even then we were putting out 100 feet of line after clipping on the Snap Weight.

Gold Miners haven’t yet been added to the Precision Trolling Data app, so we were deploying them the old fashioned way – trial and error. The first thing in the morning the Gold Miners started scoring with only 100 feet of line behind the planers. By mid-morning we were setting them back 120 and our final fish at high noon came on a chrome/blue Gold Miner set back 140 feet.

Check out the array of available colors at www.rapala.com. They will soon be available everywhere Rapala lures are sold (if they can keep them in stock.)

SCOTTY CELL PHONE HOLDER

A cell phone became a reality in my life at the same time I earned my first USCG Captain’s Credentials and I needed a way to contact my customers on the road or on my boat. My first phone models were flip phones or other thin-line models designed to slide into a pocket or just secure in the glove compartment. About the only thing I could do with it was call someone, if I could get a signal. Many of the places I fished had sketchy service once I was more than a mile or so from the marina.

That’s changed. From weather radar, to weather forecasts, to apps to contact the Coast Guard, BoatUS, my boat insurance company and other features, I need to have my phone front and center. A phone stuck in my pocket is no good, especially when I layer on and off outer garments depending on the weather changes during the day. A quick pat down when I need the phone reminds me it’s either buried three layers deep or it’s in the vest or sweatshirt I took off when the sun popped out.

In my car and truck I use cheap phone holders to keep the phone in easy view for general use, more so, when I have the mapping feature activated to guide me to new destinations. It took a couple of tries before I found one that would fit the space on my dashboard, that would stick where I wanted it to stick and one that wouldn’t fall off the next time I hit a bump.

Trying to find a phone holder that would work in my boat was even more taxing. The potential mounting locations were fewer. I have an open cockpit so areas out of the weather or spray are few. The first phone holder I tried on board snapped off as I slammed over a particularly big wave. The best bet was to stick the phone in the cup holder on the dashboard, except when it was holding my morning coffee or a bottle of water.

All’s well now that I have a phone holder kit from Scotty Products. I had a lot of faith in this product before I even got it out of the packaging. Scotty has been a pioneer in making fishing and boating gear (mostly from plastic) for over 70 years – good products that stand up to the use and abuse fishermen dole out both on the West Coast and on the Great Lakes.

The kit (#139) is just as tough and with more traditional suction cup mount or positioning arms that can integrate with their ball mounting system (often used for rod holders or electronics mounts) I found several options of where and how to mount the phone support. The mechanism that actually cradles the phone tightens with a wing-headed screw, not just a weak spring like car-models I tried. I haven’t hit a wave so far that moved the positioning supports or dropped the phone.

I was able to position the phone support between two other screens permanently mounted on my dash in what was previously just wasted space. I cleaned the fiberglass and the suction cup and pushed the little lever that forced down the suction disk creating the vacuum that holds it in place. It’s remained in place through wind, waves, heat and humidity. No duct tape needed.

If you want more info on this or other Scotty Products, go to www.scotty.com. They don’t sell direct from their website, but they do have a nationwide list of retailers shown on the website and Scotty Products are also available from numerous online sellers including Amazon.com