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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | I'm taking my first trip to Canada next June. I'll be going with an old timer who knows the area well. But, being a boat owner myself I'd sure like to have a map of the area for my own perusing between now and then. Which ones are worth owning for the detail and accuracy of features?
Thanks for your opinions. | |
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| I purchased the Hot spots maps and matched up shallow points pretty well with the map, but the Navionics chip and GPS is a must.
Once you have established a route, it makes traveling at higher speeds much easier knowing you are following your own trail.
I realize that there is approximately $180 in the difference (provided you already have a GPS system), but being a boat owner, it will payoff with piece of mind. | |
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Posts: 336
Location: Wheeling, IL. | Depending where you go, the lake is divided into at least 6 sections.
The best ones are the topo maps put out by the govt. They are available at any tackle shop and most resorts as well as the duty-free shops. | |
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Location: Lake Tomahawk, WI | Go with the Government lake charts for sure. We ran our Humminbird gps with map chips this year and were happy with that too. Still made me nervous after dark, but didn't hit anything.
JS | |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | Best maps of the LOTWs are the Canadian hydrographic maps. A larger scale than the fishing hot spot maps. Usually quite accurate, and with enough information on shallows (rocks, reefs, bays, etc.) to give you a good start in finding locations. The map you need for Sabaskong is number 6214. These maps are available from a number of spots, Thorne Bros, Rollie and Hellens, etc. Most resorts in the area will also have them.
The shallow areas on these maps are a blue color. Until you know the area, I have this saying. "If it's blue you don't go through" at least at high speed. There's always a possiblity of some shallow rocks in the blue areas. Once you find these, fish them!
By the way, muskie season doesn't open till June 21st next year.
Doug Johnson | |
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Posts: 1237
Location: South Portsmouth, KY | dougj - 12/18/2007 5:20 PM
Best maps of the LOTWs are the Canadian hydrographic maps. A larger scale than the fishing hot spot maps. Usually quite accurate, and with enough information on shallows (rocks, reefs, bays, etc.) to give you a good start in finding locations. The map you need for Sabaskong is number 6214. These maps are available from a number of spots, Thorne Bros, Rollie and Hellens, etc. Most resorts in the area will also have them.
The shallow areas on these maps are a blue color. Until you know the area, I have this saying. "If it's blue you don't go through" at least at high speed. There's always a possiblity of some shallow rocks in the blue areas. Once you find these, fish them!
By the way, muskie season doesn't open till June 21st next year.
Doug Johnson
I agree. This map was the best map that we found of Sab Bay. We still hit a nice big rock though and got lost, but the numbered marker buoys helped find where we were and helped us get back!  | |
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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | Thanks for he help. I was leaning towards the gov't maps but wasn't sure what else was available. My fishing partner will be the navigator so I'll be enjoying the ride. We are fishing through the last week of June into the week of July 4th. Staying at Sabaskong Bay Lodge. CAN"T WAIT!
Steve (Dawg) | |
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Location: Athens, Ohio | What Doug said!
And, none of this 'enjoying the ride' stuff, navigating those waters is a two person job. With my partner, each time we would stop and fish, then prepare to move on, we would both conslut the map and agree about where we are and where we are going. Sometimes, it all looks the same up there. Once we'd plot a course, Gene would drive and I would keep checking the map.
Once, we made an unplanned turn and BAM! there went the prop shaft and skeg on a rock.
GPS should always be plan B. Plan A is always the hydrographic map and compass. BTW,, if you read the fine print on the Hot Spot map, it will say something like 'not for navigation'. m | |
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Posts: 2024
| Try to stick to the main channel or secondary channels, then drop up/down/left/right to whatever spot you want to hit. If do one of these, "We'll just cut through these islands here, it will be shorter" you'll be playing with fire. And as Mikie said, you definitely don't want to sit back totally complacent. When we are up there (Sab Bay area) before we ever take off, the driver usually takes a peak at the map to get his bearings if he's unfamiliar with the area then the passenger navigates him to the spot. When I'm driving I want to worry about one thing: depth. As a driver, my eyes are GLUED to the depthfinder and if we are running in 15+ feet and suddenly we hit 10 it's THROTTLE DOWN (back not forward, forward = bad... lol)!!!
If anything you should be the navigator. Let your buddy worry about driving and watching your depth. We've been going up for the last 6-7 years and know the area pretty well. Even after several years up there it's STILL a team effort navigating and avoiding hazards (knock on wood, the only rocks we've hit have been at idle speed).
Also, if your buddy has a GPS unit make sure he (or you) knows how to use its tracking capability. This has saved our @$$es on numerous occasions in bad weather or when we've stayed out past dark. | |
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Sabaskong Bay maps (your recommendations and why)