# Help me pick out a downrigger



## sslopok (Aug 24, 2009)

I have a 16.5 foot Lund Angler SS. The gunwales are around 5 inches wide. I normally don't fish the big water besides Sag. Bay, but I get bored easy and like trying new things. I would like to fish the dep water a few times a year. I want to buy 2 manual downriggers. I have kinda narrowed my choices between the Walker Lake ranger and the Big Jon Gadarounds. I want to be able to remove them easily so they won't be in the way for other fishing. Would like to run them right off the back corners of the boat. Hit me with your opinions.

Also if anyone has some slightly used manuals let me know.
Thanks,
sslopok


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## syonker (May 7, 2004)

Mounting the riggers a bit farther forward my be something to consider for ease of operation.

The Gadabout comes with a slim line mounting base (2.5" X3.0") that will mount to your 5" gunnel. With proper backing plates, you shouldn't have a problem using a 8-10# rigger weight. It doesn't have a depth counter it looks like, so you'll be counting revolutions to determine depth.

The Walker's 4"X6" mounting plate will work, but it looks like you will need a swivel base in order to have the rigger perpendicular to the boat. It does have a depth counter though.

Hopefully you won't need to troll deeper tha 80' or you should be prepared for a workout.


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## sslopok (Aug 24, 2009)

I measured the width of my gun and it is exactly 4inches wide. I was thinking of having the boom parallel with the boat and going straight out the back. Sounds like you think I should go perpendicular off the side. Is that what smaller boats normally do? I looked at the swivel bases for walkers and they were 104 apiece. That is a little pricey for me. I also looked at the Cannon lake-troll dr's and they look pretty good. They only have 100 foot of ss wire though. Thanks and keep the responses coming.
sslopok


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## GrtWhtHntr (Dec 2, 2003)

I can promise you that you will end up selling your manuals and upgrading to electrics. I would strongly suggest getting electrics in the first place. I have the Canon mag 5hs on my 16' Lowe and am very happy with them. I got them for $299 each on sale at Cabelas a couple years ago. I have them on Bert's swivel bases in Traxtech tracks. A track system is another great thing to have on your boat. makes taking your gear off at the end of the day much easier.


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## mscliff (May 9, 2009)

Cannons Easy Trolls have worked for me for ten years. If your only gonna use them once in awhile its hard to spring for electric.


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## sslopok (Aug 24, 2009)

Ya as much as I would love electrics it just isn't going to be worth it for me. I can handle cranking after a release. I have been doing a bunch on research the last few days and think I may have found something that will work. The Walker Lake Master combos from Cabelas look like it will be the easiest/cost effective way for me to go. They have longer booms and come with high quality swivel bases and run them off the corners. I found I won't be able to run them off the back due to my kicker motor so I need swivel bases. There are just so many options that it is overwhelming. I am then going to buy the bert/big jon tracks and rod holders for dipseys. It would be nice if my scotty holders would work but I think they would last a few seconds. The walkers also come with free rigger rods that everyone seems to love.
I am going to check out berts swivel bases for their tracks right now though. Might be another option.


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## CrashAxe (Jul 10, 2010)

:yikes::yikes::yikes:TandL products "Eagle feet" will mount a very easily removable board that you can mount your downriggers, extra rod holders and a nice tool holder. Very solid, sturdy and the board is off & in the shed with 5 minutes and 4 thumb screws.


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## 1mainiac (Nov 23, 2008)

Personally mounting a track system was the best investment I ever made as I can slide everything in and out in a few minutes and choose what gear I want or don't want. I lived with Manual riggers for years however I would suggest you buy a nice track system and hunt down some decent used riggers since most of them see very little use before being upgraded to electrics. Heck I have a set of Rivera's I would sell dirt cheap with 4 ft booms and counters they only lock in 90 deg positions but you could drill a couple more holes if you needed them at a differant angle. If you stick with salmon and deep water fishing you will want electrics shortly anyhow and if you don't stick with it you will be putting them in a yard sale so try and find a good used set and see if you even like em.


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## sslopok (Aug 24, 2009)

I love the track idea for riggers, but the dang swivels for the track are priced outrageously. If I bought used riggers I would need to buy the track swivels for them and that would prob put me close to the walker lake master riggers with swivels included which are $184. I think with the swivels that these riggers would be quick and easy to remove when I am not using them.
1mainiac,
Got any pics of the riv's? P.M. me how much. What are the dimensions of the mounts?
Thanks,
Brandon


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## 1mainiac (Nov 23, 2008)

don't have any pics and they are at my Nephews right now I have the bases in the garage I think they are about 4 x 5 in I will measure them when I get up, 60 bucks for the pair. Let me know if you want them the are pretty much the standard old Riv's nothing fancy but they work and caught fish for me till I upgraded.


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## sixft4par (Apr 1, 2008)

Everytime I try to talk my dad ito electric riggers he reminds me that he takes me fishing to crank up the manuals. If you are going to use your dowmriggers more than a couple times a year get electrics.


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## bolt (May 2, 2008)

Listen to soynkers advice! Trust me I have learned from my own mistakes. Everybody who mounts downriggers for the first time does one of 2 things. They either mount them way too far back so they have to lean way out the back to run them. This is dangerous and quite a pain. The other way is mounting on a board across the back - which is also a pain to lean over and land fish. 
Here is my sugestion. Stand in your boat at the back where you can comfortably stand without leaning over back seats etc.... Mount the riggers right at your crotch. It will seem too far forward - but trust me on this!

As far as brands - I have always liked the penn manuals. little harder to find, but crank very easy. The swivel bases swivel 180 degrees though with no stopping points. Also the bases are kinda high profile.


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## 1mainiac (Nov 23, 2008)

I measured the mounts for the Riv's they are 5 x 5 and current bolt pattern on the mounting plate is 4 x 4. I would bet any machine shop could whip up a set of slides to put them in tracks. No matter what you choose for riggers I would go with the track system if nothing else it will cut down on the number of holes you need to drill in your boat. I can't say how many times over the years I have layed out what seemed like a great setup in my yard only to find it don't fish worth a darn. Knowing my current boat was going to undergo several changes I started by installing some Oak boards that I could do what ever I wanted to with and not damage my boat. They are now in the scrap pile and I have a full track system installed. I am still upgrading rod holders as I can afford them and want a rocket launcher and auto pilot to complete the boat maybe next year or perhaps I buy a new boat next year who can tell.


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## fishctchr (Dec 3, 2000)

Penns are hands down the best manuals on the market, and I've used em all. As far as electrics I love the Big Jons. If you want cheap I have a set of Walker Lil Lakers I'll sell for $50 as I got rid of the little boat.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BryPaulD (May 30, 2009)

sixft4par said:


> Everytime I try to talk my dad ito electric riggers he reminds me that he takes me fishing to crank up the manuals.


That's funny  
I was using a pair of big jon manuals for 2 seasons...I just recently found a pair of big jon sportsman electrics spooled with cable, line releases, and swivel bases with mounting plates for $300 ... Oh so happy now... it is sooo nice to grab the rod to fight the fish and just hit the button and pretty much have the ball right there waiting for me to reload when done fighting the fish.....Yay, no more cranking up a 12lb. ball 125' down.. My first time running electrics so I had some questions on installation...then found one rigger had kinky cable at about 90' so I bought a new spool of wire....Big Jon's customer service is AWESOME..Thank you Rick  He walked me through install and spooled the one rigger for me..overall charge, $0


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## sslopok (Aug 24, 2009)

Bought some brand new eagle feet on ebay last night just to have if I choose to go that route. They seem like they would mess the paint up on the boat when you tighten them up. I have pretty much accepted the fact that I am going to have to buy the swivels that will go in the bert tracks. I don't want to put a million holes in my boat. The berts will prob raise the retail value of the boat too.
Fishctchr,
Those lil lakers will not work on my boat. My lund has 4 inch gunnels. 50 is a good deal though.
sslopok


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## fishctchr (Dec 3, 2000)

Yeah I had them for the 14 ft boat. I use Big Jons on my 27 Tiara and love em. As has been said the service is outstanding.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## sslopok (Aug 24, 2009)

Bring this post up from the dead for an update.
I just bought 2 new Walker Lake Rangers. They came with free 8.5 ft downrigger rods. I also bought bert tracks. I got the 17 inchers so I could mount the riggers on them along with 1 dipsey rod on each side. I also bought 2 Cabelas brand vinyl coated 8 lb balls. Is there a website that talks about why the downrigger weight balls have 2 places to attach the wire, and where on the wire you clip the line release and things like that? I would like to do some reading. Also what is a good reel to use with the riggers? I don't want to spend alot as these will only be used a few times a year. Pretty much I will take any advice you guys have. Most of my fishing will be over by Pt. Sanilac, Harbor Beach, and other Lake Huron destinations.
Thanks,
sslopok


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## MrFysch (Feb 9, 2008)

Take the 8 lbers back and get some 12 lbers ....8 lb balls swing back way to far. I2 lb is the min id use. The eye on the top of the ball is where the cable attaches to your downrigger ..... some guys run there release clips off the fin eye, some run inline cable releases just above the ball.


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## sslopok (Aug 24, 2009)

The riggers I bought say 10 lb max. If I keep the 8's I just have run a little deeper than what the counter says to get my wanted depth right?
Thanks for the info!
sslopok


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