# Downrigger Advice



## DougJr.

I have a 14.5 FT. Aluminun boat that I would like to install a set of downriggers on. I am retired and on a small pention so I need to make a wise purchase. I would be fishing in waters of around 100 ft depts. In this area the use of downriggers is not a large method of fishing so it is difficult to get some good advice. So I thought I would go to the pros to get my advice. Thank's in advance.

DougJr.


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## Sam22

Where are you fishing? Curiously. I like my Riviera Deep Troller manual riggers. I picked up a set of two that work perfectly for 60 bucks. I like them better than most of the manuals out there. You are going to have to be mindful of the cannon ball weight. Too little and the blowback makes 100ft a real pain. Too much with wear our the riggers and make picking the balls up a real bitch. I would go with 8 or at the most 10 lb balls.


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## SalmonBum

Brand is all perosnal preference, which mine is Cannon. All of them have their flaws, but I fould less problems with Cannons. And even though my riggers are 7 yrs old, Cannon has warrantied the only problem (power cables). 100 ft deep is a long way, so manuals would blow. You can get some Mag 5HS for about $350 brand new. Retrieve rate is unbelievable for a rigger that cheap. When you are doing your research, check out speed rate (ft per min). All the mfg rate them by different downrigger ball sizes they are rating.


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## DougJr.

Wow what service. Well first of all I live in Mass. and I fish the Quabbin Res. My target fish will be Salmon and Rainbow trout. The Res. also has a good Lake trout population. The maximum dept that the water in which I shall be fishing is 124 Ft. I am only beginning to learn the trolling method and have tried the leadcore and dippsie methods. I see a few other fellas useing power downriggers but they are out of the question for my income. From what I understand for my target fish Salmon and Rainbow even during the warm weather I should not have to go much lower than 45 to 65 Ft. Iff I tried for Lakers that would be a different story I believe. I forgot to mention the average water dept of the area I will be fishing is 80 to 100 Ft. Thanks again for your speed'y replys.

DougJr.


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## Willie Tippit

Doug Do you have a tiller steering vessal??If so I would recomend that you put the riggers in front of the driver so a person in front can work the riggers with you Rather then having to turn around to set riggers if your fishing alone ETC..Why not look for a set of used riggers .. also have you looked into running a clip on weight for your lead core or copper wire that would be much easyier to handle on a smaller boat.... Just some Food for thought...


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## salmon_slayer06

Every rigger has its pros and cons. I like cannons and big jons but I can't say anything else about any other brand. I like the big jons with the extandable booms... I believe these booms create more cannon ball action and I have done good using them on an old starcraft that I used to fish on. Cannons I like too. They are put together nicely so lines and stuff don't get hung up on them. I wish they didn't send out a signal. I don't care for that though. Boats that have these on there if not wired carefully could send a frequency in the water no inviting for fish. When on a boat thats carefully wired these will catch as many fish as other riggers. Just my thoughts. What catches more fish is all that matters.


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## DougJr.

Hi Willie

Yes I do have the tiller model and love it. I think that in a 14 or 15 Ft. boat the tiller affords me more area to move around. Being in the 70's and fish a lot alone I found that I coul handle a boat in this size loading and unloading much better. Willie I do not understand where you meen by up front of the driver. Also could you explain what you meen by a clip on weight.I use braided stainless wire which I find to be easier than leadcore or dipsies to use. Like I said I am only a beginner at this and enjoying it.

DougJr.


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## Sam22

salmon_slayer06 said:


> Every rigger has its pros and cons. I like cannons and big jons but I can't say anything else about any other brand. I like the big jons with the extandable booms... I believe these booms create more cannon ball action and I have done good using them on an old starcraft that I used to fish on. Cannons I like too. They are put together nicely so lines and stuff don't get hung up on them. I wish they didn't send out a signal. I don't care for that though. Boats that have these on there if not wired carefully could send a frequency in the water no inviting for fish. When on a boat thats carefully wired these will catch as many fish as other riggers. Just my thoughts. What catches more fish is all that matters.


!!!!??? Do you believe in the black box!?


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## DougJr.

I cannot believe the responses you fellas put out. I am getting more help here in an hour than I have been able to get on trolling all season.
Salmon Slayer when you mention cannon ball action do you meen the ball bounces causeing the lure to have more action?

DougJr.


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## SalmonBum

salmon_slayer06 said:


> . I wish they didn't send out a signal. I don't care for that though. Boats that have these on there if not wired carefully could send a frequency in the water no inviting for fish. When on a boat thats carefully wired these will catch as many fish as other riggers. Just my thoughts. What catches more fish is all that matters.


Cannons send out .6 volts per the Mag 5-10 models. Bigger models will be adjustable. If your boat has a draw, the Cannons will cancel it it only to be .6 volts, or whatever you turn the knob to. So you could have a 2amp draw, but it doesn't matter.


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## bluefin75

I had a 12' boat with a 7.5 hp tiller and wanted to fish higgins for lake trout so I took a 2x6 and cut it to just over the with of the boat. I mounted my big jon riggers at the ends of the 2X6 and then clamped the board down to the boat with a pair of c-clamps. Simple and it worked good. The board was mounted right in front of me so it was easy to set the rods and they were right there in front of me. I need to find the pic of the fish I caught in that little rig the first time I tried it out


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## DougJr.

Bluefin

Thank you for the info. I will have the winter to get my little rig readdy for next season. I store it in my garage where it is easy to work on.I would really enjoy seeing the picture of yours.

DougJr.


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## georgeb

I run 2 Cannon Uni-troll and 2 Cannon Easy Troll riggers, both types are manual. I like each for different reasons, the Uni-trolls have 4' adjustable length booms and I use them for the out-downs, the easy trolls are a fixed boom (2' I believe) and they go straight off the back of my boat. My boat is 16' and I have no problems running all 4 usually. I bought the cannons because of the high speed gear ratio, every turn of the handel is 2 turns of the spool (again i believe this accurate) I can usually crank up my balls quicker than most electrics from depths of over 100'. You have to like that sort of work out if you are going to fish deep with manuals. I think the easy-trolls are $150 ish each and the Uni-trolls are more expensive, but cheaper than electrics. 1 draw back to electrics is the battery life if you use them alot and do not have a charging system on your motor. My first motor did not and that is why I got manuals. Both have been fished hard for 7 seasons and show no wear yet. I replaced the stock cable with a thinner diameter for depth reasons, but that is the only change I have made. The Uni-troll came as a package with swivel mount bases and that was worth it alone.


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## wartfroggy

DougJr. said:


> Hi Willie
> 
> Willie I do not understand where you meen by up front of the driver. Also could you explain what you meen by a clip on weight.
> DougJr.


Infront of the driver...he means mounting the riggers off the sides of the boat between the drivers seat and the bow (usually 1-2 ft infront of the driver ) instead of off of the back corners of the boat. If your boat has oar locks, in that general area would be fine. When I had a small boat, I used a 2x8 board to mount my riggers to, and used a bolt through the board and the oar lock to secure it to the boat. Worked great.

The clip on weights......some people will clip weights to their lead core to get even deeper. Let out all of your lead core to the backing. Just into the backing, clip on a weight (2-6oz) and let out more line. The clip on weights are just that. A sinker of a certain size with a downrigger release or similar "clip" to attatch to your line. A rubber band works well too. When a fish hits, real to the sinker, take off the sinker, then keep fighting the fish. Since you said you mostly fish in the 45-65 foot range, a 10 color core would be a good start. That will get you to the 40-45 foot depth, and adding weight to it will get you deeper than that.


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## milledad

I use cannon easy trolls on my 17'. They work well and are well made. I think mine are about 6-7 years old. 100' is aobut as far down as I go as well. That is still a long ways to crank back up, not a big deal if you are in no rush. I run 7.5lb balls which are easier to crank but I'm sure I get plenty of blowback down that low. I usually figure to add an extra 10-15 feet when I'm down that low, but that all is very dependent on subsurface currents. If you can get your fish finder with a wide track set up right you can see the balls as they drop and have a better idea. Be aware that depending on what you are pulling you will have more or less blowback by quite a bit. (big paddle and a fly will have a lot a blowback as opposed to just a spoon.)


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## syonker

Doug-

Welcome to the small boat salmon trolling club!

Below is a picture of my 14' Starcarft that will hopefully help you visualize some of what the previous posts mentioned regarding downrigger position.








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My brother works for SC Johnson which is the parent company of Johnson Outdoors/Cannon, so I started looking at the Cannon electric riggers because of his employee discount. The motor housing is huge IMO on the Mag5s/Mag10s which would take up too much space in my boat, so I'm passing on Cannon electrics for now.

A set of manuals have served me well the last 8 seasons. Again as others have mentioned, some days you'll really get a workout reeling those rigger weights up from 80'.

PM me if you would like additional pics to give you some ideas for your boat's layout.


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## Fish Eye

http://www.bigjon.com/tips/tips.asp

Get low profile electrics.


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## steveh27

Doug,

Istarted 33 years ago with an old used pr of manual riggers. Now i use 2 elec & 2 maunuals on my 21'. 

I suggest you search on craigslist. Here's a quick look in the Worcester, MASS area

http://worcester.craigslist.org/search/?areaID=240&subAreaID=&query=downrigger&catAbbreviation=sss

There are some inexpensive manuals there. Go get some. Then decide how to mount them & rod holders. Others have given ideas.

GL,
Steve


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## snaggs

Buy a pair of manual downriggers(like rivieras or cannon). Get a 2x6 wolmanized board and lay it across your gunnel (sides) of your boat about 2-3 feet in front of where you sit. Mark the board so you can cut the board to the exact width of the boat. Sand smooth the board. Buy two oar locks (you know .....where the pin of the oar sticks into) and mount to the gunnel of the boat. Lay the board over the oar lock so it's in the middle. Drill a hole at a slight angle into the board which lines up with the oar lock hole.  Get a long bolt to fit into hole on the board and sticks out the bottom of the oar lock hole enough to accept a washer and a nut. Tighten the board down to the gunnel and.......W h a l l a h !!!!! a mounting board for your downrigger and place for your ball-baby. Also a security brace when you stand up to fight the big giant salmon. send me a PM and your address and I will send you some photos. Simple solution with no hassle and cheap to make. Snaggs


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## DougJr.

wartfroggy said:


> Infront of the driver...he means mounting the riggers off the sides of the boat between the drivers seat and the bow (usually 1-2 ft infront of the driver ) instead of off of the back corners of the boat. If your boat has oar locks, in that general area would be fine. When I had a small boat, I used a 2x8 board to mount my riggers to, and used a bolt through the board and the oar lock to secure it to the boat. Worked great.
> 
> The clip on weights......some people will clip weights to their lead core to get even deeper. Let out all of your lead core to the backing. Just into the backing, clip on a weight (2-6oz) and let out more line. The clip on weights are just that. A sinker of a certain size with a downrigger release or similar "clip" to attatch to your line. A rubber band works well too. When a fish hits, real to the sinker, take off the sinker, then keep fighting the fish. Since you said you mostly fish in the 45-65 foot range, a 10 color core would be a good start. That will get you to the 40-45 foot depth, and adding weight to it will get you deeper than that.


 

Waterfroggy

Thanks for the explanation on rigger placement.The idea of the addetional weight added to my leadcore does not sound like very much fun. I think that would be a very good reason for downriggers. My boat does not have oarlocks but it does have side pannels that I can work from.

DougJr.


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## DougJr.

steveh27 said:


> Doug,
> 
> Istarted 33 years ago with an old used pr of manual riggers. Now i use 2 elec & 2 maunuals on my 21'.
> 
> I suggest you search on craigslist. Here's a quick look in the Worcester, MASS area
> 
> http://worcester.craigslist.org/search/?areaID=240&subAreaID=&query=downrigger&catAbbreviation=sss
> 
> There are some inexpensive manuals there. Go get some. Then decide how to mount them & rod holders. Others have given ideas.
> 
> GL,
> Steve


 
Steve

Thanks for the advice. I think that I will be looking at a pair of manual riggers for my rig. One of my fishing partners is a big fan of Craigslist so I am sure he will serch it for me. Thanks again

DougJr.


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## DougJr.

milledad said:


> I use cannon easy trolls on my 17'. They work well and are well made. I think mine are about 6-7 years old. 100' is aobut as far down as I go as well. That is still a long ways to crank back up, not a big deal if you are in no rush. I run 7.5lb balls which are easier to crank but I'm sure I get plenty of blowback down that low. I usually figure to add an extra 10-15 feet when I'm down that low, but that all is very dependent on subsurface currents. If you can get your fish finder with a wide track set up right you can see the balls as they drop and have a better idea. Be aware that depending on what you are pulling you will have more or less blowback by quite a bit. (big paddle and a fly will have a lot a blowback as opposed to just a spoon.)


 
Milledad

Most fellas here seem to favor the Cannons. I recently spoke with a fella at the Res. that had a set of easy trolls and he told me that he has not had any problems. He also stated the same as you about useing a lighter ball and haveing blowback.My fish finder does have wide track so I can do as you say. Thank you for your time and help.

DougJr.


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## salmon_slayer06

Sounds like you are opting for manual riggers. I'd look for big jons that do have the adjustable booms. Get the big jon rod holders for those with the big jon mounts and you are set. Hard to beat that combo.










You can probably pick two of these up new for around 600 bucks. I made a downrigger board all out of aluminum channel, and made mounts that I copied off of big jon. Polished the board and mounts and clear coated to prevent oxidizing. If you have access to a bridge port or know a company maybe someone could help you on a side job.


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## mkroulik

let me look when I get home, and see if I can find all the components, I may have a set of 2 older manual riggers I could send you for free to try out. If they work for ya, great, if not no big deal. I don't have any use for them any more.

Mike


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## DougJr.

Well I have taken your advice and am finding that I should be able to purchase some decent used riggers on the net. A few examples are all manuals Walker lake master $56.oo, Big JonSR400 $89.00, Reviera $45.00 ,Cannon Easy Troll $76.00 and a Big Jon vintage in nice shape for $20.00. Most of the riggers come with the base. So I guess all that I have to do is make up my mind as to what brand I would like. 
I would like to thank you all for your time and help. I will let you know how I make out.

DougJr.


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## finlander

I have not read all the posts here, so i may repeat something said earlier. I have a pair of Cannons that I picked up 3 years ago from someone on this site. They are about 11 years old now. They will pick up cable at 1' per revolution. The NEW manual Cannons say 2' per revo. I asked the local dealer and he said they went to bigger spools. So next season I am going to go that route, $20 for the spool and $5 for a gear to work with the counter properly, per downrigger. I really get winded bringing a weight up from 70'. I bring it up to get it out of the way in case a fish runs at the boat. Good luck.


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## DougJr.

Finlander

Could I ask you what models are your Cannons. I heard that some models one can even buy conversion kits to go electric.

DougJr.


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## adjusted3

I ran hand crank Walkers on my boats for 15 years without any issues. I ran the King Fishers with a 1-2 crank ratio. There are times that I still wish I had them. They are much faster then electrics above 50ft going both up and down. You can pick these up for about $200 each. I had mine, like I said for 15 years and sold them on e-bay for 180 each. They hold their value. Cannon would be another choice. 

For a 14" boat, go with manual. Once you run electics with all the other electronics you are running, you might have to go to a 2nd battery to keep the juice flowing. A 2nd battery in a 14' boat makes the 14' boat start to get smaller. Just keep the rigger weights around 10lbs or less and you will have no issues. 

We sell all the brands. Personally the 3 of us owners run electric Walker tourney riggers. I guess after running Walkers for 20 years, one gets partial to a brand but don't let that steer you. I had a 16' boot for 4 years and space and electrical items become a premeim over the season. 

My advise:

Install good rod holders.
Think about Core rods even with weights
Look at dipseys hard, Mags, Slides and wire
Peek at copper and see if that works
Riggers are fun but there are days that I never use them, they are just another tool, I went form 4 riggers and now I am down to 2. 
Church Boards are a fishermens best friend.

Hope this muddy;s the waters for you!!

Mark


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## DougJr.

Mark

You sure gave me a mouth full of info and things to think about.My boat is an Alumacraft 14.5 Fishherman LTD.It is I believe the largest 14 that Alumacraft makes. It is also a tiller model and does not lose a lot of floor space to the console. Now that being said it is still only a 14. I already have a battery for my motor and one for my electric motor. I do not enjoy the idea of another battery or two to opperate some riggers. That is the reason that I lean towards the manual riggers and not electrics. I at present fish with Leadcore,stainless braid,dipseys and the lead keel methods. I like the idea of not haveing all the weight to deal with that these method require when I have a fish on. I am so happy that I went to you fellas out in Michigan for advice and know that come next season with all your help and guidence I will be set to do battle. Thank for your time and many things to think about. Have a good day.

DougJr.

PS Between you and I the main reason for the riggers is when I troll with the other methods I constantly wonder about my depth.


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## DougJr.

Could I get away with useing 6lb weights on small riggers such as Riviera 300 or Cannon easytroll ? My thinking being that it would make the riggers more enjoyable than say 12lb weights. My fishing being in 40 to 55 foot debts. Thanks again for your help.

DougJr


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## adjusted3

I actually have a set of 6 lb weights for walleye and for depths of less then 30'. they work great untill you get your speed over 2.3. The blow back is extreme over that speed, up to that I go with 10 lb. My normal is 14 to 16 lb wts on anything below 50. 

Mark


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## Midway97

adjusted3 said:


> I Personally the 3 of us owners run electric Walker tourney riggers. I guess after running Walkers for 20 years, one gets partial to a brand but don't let that steer you.


Actually I've always ran Cannons, the ones Finlander is refeering to were my original Cannon Sport-Trolls if I remember correctly. And to answer your question about converting the manuals to electric, yes some models you can, but you don't really save any $$ over just purchasing electrics outright.


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## DougJr.

_Well could any of fellas answer this question for me.I went to Cabelas the other day and was talking to a clerk about rigger weights and he was telling me that they sold a line of low stretch braided downrigger line that would reduce the blow back a fair amount. It is called spectra fiber. Have any of you fellas heard of this or used any of this product? I was really hopeing to be able to keep the weight of my downrigger weights as low as possible as I am no longer in my prime. Thank you Mark and Wayne for your time and help._

_DougJr._

_PS The spectra fiber is of 135 LB. test and comes in spools of 150,200,300 and 400 feet._


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## wartfroggy

some guys love it. I don't care for it. If you do get a tangle on your spool, it is tough to untangle. Also, there are times the line bites under itself and binds up. It also has a lower break strength than steel. I am just more comfortable with the steel.


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## DougJr.

Wartfroggy

Thanks for your thoughts. I think they all sound very vallid.I have had some some of those problems with my braid fishing line. The tangles being the worst for me.

DougJr.


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## DougJr.

Could you fellas give me some advice on what kind of releases would be the best for me. I plan on fishing for Salmon and Rainbow Trout. I also think I will be fishing in 30 to 50 foot depths. I enjoy fishing with Streamkers, Spoons like Sutton or Williams Whitefish and I also like dragging Rebels,Rapalas or Flatfish. Also would I use the same release iff I would use a Dodger or spinners for an attractor. My downriggers are Riviera 300's. I hope I have given you all the info you would need to give me some advice with. Thanks in advance.

DougJr.


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## Midway97

DougJr. said:


> Could you fellas give me some advice on what kind of releases would be the best for me. I plan on fishing for Salmon and Rainbow Trout. I also think I will be fishing in 30 to 50 foot depths. I enjoy fishing with Streamkers, Spoons like Sutton or Williams Whitefish and I also like dragging Rebels,Rapalas or Flatfish. Also would I use the same release iff I would use a Dodger or spinners for an attractor. My downriggers are Riviera 300's. I hope I have given you all the info you would need to give me some advice with. Thanks in advance.
> 
> DougJr.


 Doug,
My personal preference are either the walker release, easy to adjust tension and easy to use, or rubber bands, again easy to use. There are lots of them out there, some people like the pinch pad type, I just never developed a liking for them


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## STEINFISHSKI

Here is how I rigged my 14' tiller, I used a manual Cannon Easy Troll manual and it worked great. The custom gunnel board mounted to the rod holder rack mounts and bench for support.


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## wartfroggy

DougJr. said:


> Could you fellas give me some advice on what kind of releases would be the best for me. I plan on fishing for Salmon and Rainbow Trout. I also think I will be fishing in 30 to 50 foot depths. I enjoy fishing with Streamkers, Spoons like Sutton or Williams Whitefish and I also like dragging Rebels,Rapalas or Flatfish. Also would I use the same release iff I would use a Dodger or spinners for an attractor. My downriggers are Riviera 300's. I hope I have given you all the info you would need to give me some advice with. Thanks in advance.
> 
> DougJr.


I would agree with using rubber bands. They are simple to use, and consistant. A few different ways to tie them on. Alot of guys half hitch the rubber band around their line. Sometimes the line will slip through the band this way. To reduce slippage, double the line around your hand, and then half hitch the rubber band around the loop. Pull the band tight, and the line tight. Both of those will leave a broken band on your line after the release. You can pull it off while fighting the fish, or reel it up into the reel. It usually doesn't hurt anything. The way I have been doing it for a while, is take the rubber band and twist it around the line 4-5 times. Then bring the loops together and clip that into release/hook/band buster. No knot. This means no broken rubber on your line when fighting a fish. 

Walker releases, I have used them alot. They are ok, but I feel that they do damage the line a bit. Pads, don't like them. At all. Some guys love them. I hate them. Used alot of different styles on other guys boats and never seen one I like. 

The only release that I actually do like, is the Blacks Release. Simple, effective, and quick.


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## DougJr.

Midway97 said:


> Doug,
> My personal preference are either the walker release, easy to adjust tension and easy to use, or rubber bands, again easy to use. There are lots of them out there, some people like the pinch pad type, I just never developed a liking for them


 Wayne

The set of Reviera Downriggers I purchased came with a set of releases. I believe them to be Walkers. they seem like they would be user friendly. The rubber band ones you mention I have not been able to figure out yet. I saw in Cabelas bags of rubber bands by Scotty but they did not have the release hooks. Thanks for your help and I will check the rubberband system further.

DougJr


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## DougJr.

STEINFISHSKI said:


> Here is how I rigged my 14' tiller, I used a manual Cannon Easy Troll manual and it worked great. The custom gunnel board mounted to the rod holder rack mounts and bench for support.


Steinfishski

I think that my Alumacraft could be set up the same as yours. I need to raise my Downrigger 5 1/2 inches. How thick did you make the board to be able to support the stress of the rigger? I like your idea and your set up. Thanks for your help.


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## DougJr.

wartfroggy said:


> I would agree with using rubber bands. They are simple to use, and consistant. A few different ways to tie them on. Alot of guys half hitch the rubber band around their line. Sometimes the line will slip through the band this way. To reduce slippage, double the line around your hand, and then half hitch the rubber band around the loop. Pull the band tight, and the line tight. Both of those will leave a broken band on your line after the release. You can pull it off while fighting the fish, or reel it up into the reel. It usually doesn't hurt anything. The way I have been doing it for a while, is take the rubber band and twist it around the line 4-5 times. Then bring the loops together and clip that into release/hook/band buster. No knot. This means no broken rubber on your line when fighting a fish.
> 
> Walker releases, I have used them alot. They are ok, but I feel that they do damage the line a bit. Pads, don't like them. At all. Some guys love them. I hate them. Used alot of different styles on other guys boats and never seen one I like.
> 
> The only release that I actually do like, is the Blacks Release. Simple, effective, and quick.


Wartfroggy

Thanks for the explanation on how you set up the rubber bands. I think I have a clear immage of exactly how you do it. I was quite surprised to hear that both you and Wayne like them. I have not been able to find out much about them locally. In my search for releases locally most outlets carry the pad styles such as Cannons. Today I was looking at some Black's releases. They looked like they would also be user friendly. They are products of Black Marine Products. They were model # RC 95. Have any of you fellas heard of them? 
I must thank all you fellas from the Michigan Sportsman for helping me get my little rig set up for next season. This project will really help get me through a long cold winter.

DougJr.


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## wartfroggy

Big Jon has a product called a "Band Buster". It clips on just above the weight, and has a hook to hold the rubber band. 
http://www.bigjon.com/store/list.asp?SubTypeID=9&ProductID=158








Alot of guys will just put an "S" hook on the back of their cannon ball. It works for the most part. The only problem is if the ball spins, it wraps the line around the cable and it can break off. As long as you are careful, you shouldn't have that problem.


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## wartfroggy

Also, if you do buy the big jon Band Busters, I don't like the bands they supply. Too heavy. I go with a #16 band. Some guys use a #18. Should be able to get them at a office supply store. Keep them stored in a zip lock to keep them from dry rotting, and a box will last you a long time.


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## STEINFISHSKI

DougJr. said:


> Steinfishski
> 
> I think that my Alumacraft could be set up the same as yours. I need to raise my Downrigger 5 1/2 inches. How thick did you make the board to be able to support the stress of the rigger? I like your idea and your set up. Thanks for your help.


Doug, first thing I did was removed the existing rod rack. Once that was out I used a piece of 1 X 8 and cut pieces to fit into the rod rack supports tight in the contour of the boat and flush and level along the gunnel. Once that fit was perfect I drilled holes and mounted the board into the rod rack mount. I also beefed it up a bit when I was finished by bolting the rod holder brackets to the decking with bolts, washers, and nuts instead of just wood screws to the decking in the storage area. That was the hardest part. 

Once the supports were in place I worked on the top board. I had to angle cut the edge with my jigsaw along the edge against the boat to contour it for a flush fit. I used a pressure treated 2 X 8 deck board I had available. Once I had that in place I pre drilled and inserted 4 deck screws and secured it in place. Then I removed the assy from the rod rack mounts and added 8 L brackets using wood screws to beef up the connection and then reinstalled the assembly back into the rod rack. The nice thing about it is the weight of the rigger ball pushes the assembly tight against the gunnel so there is no chance it can fall in.


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## DougJr.

wartfroggy said:


> Also, if you do buy the big jon Band Busters, I don't like the bands they supply. Too heavy. I go with a #16 band. Some guys use a #18. Should be able to get them at a office supply store. Keep them stored in a zip lock to keep them from dry rotting, and a box will last you a long time.


Wartfroggy

Thanks for your reply. Yes I would have to agree the rubber bands that I saw in Cabelas by bigjon were of a very stout size and did not impress me. I thought that for my intended use they would not work. Now haveing been givein an explanation on how they are used I will deffinately give it a try. You know it is very difficult for me to get info on this type of fishing locally because Downrigger trolling is not a big method here because we do not have many deep waters locally. When I am able to find some info it is mostly all of the same openion. You fellas from Michigan are able to teach me many different styles and methods. Thanks again and have a nice day.


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## wartfroggy

Glad to be of help. There are alot of websites that have tips and tricks. Also, some magazines such as Great Lakes Angler cover alot of info in them. Might be worth looking into to expand your knowlege.


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## Midway97

DougJr. said:


> Wartfroggy
> 
> Thanks for your reply. Yes I would have to agree the rubber bands that I saw in Cabelas by bigjon were of a very stout size and did not impress me. I thought that for my intended use they would not work. Now haveing been givein an explanation on how they are used I will deffinately give it a try. You know it is very difficult for me to get info on this type of fishing locally because Downrigger trolling is not a big method here because we do not have many deep waters locally. When I am able to find some info it is mostly all of the same openion. You fellas from Michigan are able to teach me many different styles and methods. Thanks again and have a nice day.


When I'm using rubber bands, I also use #16's, like wartfroggy states, buy them at an office supply store, buy a pound and store it in the refrigerator and only need a handful at a time. I use the Pro Release as opposed to the big john band buster, same idea, just a little less expensive I think, a buddy of mine makes them and they are super simple...I mean how complicated can a rubber band be right??? He even prints instruction on the package that are easy to follow.  If you want take a look at fishbone charters.net under products. Try them if you want, if you don't like em, I'll buy them off you for spares for myself.


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## DougJr.

STEINFISHSKI said:


> Doug, first thing I did was removed the existing rod rack. Once that was out I used a piece of 1 X 8 and cut pieces to fit into the rod rack supports tight in the contour of the boat and flush and level along the gunnel. Once that fit was perfect I drilled holes and mounted the board into the rod rack mount. I also beefed it up a bit when I was finished by bolting the rod holder brackets to the decking with bolts, washers, and nuts instead of just wood screws to the decking in the storage area. That was the hardest part.
> 
> Once the supports were in place I worked on the top board. I had to angle cut the edge with my jigsaw along the edge against the boat to contour it for a flush fit. I used a pressure treated 2 X 8 deck board I had available. Once I had that in place I pre drilled and inserted 4 deck screws and secured it in place. Then I removed the assy from the rod rack mounts and added 8 L brackets using wood screws to beef up the connection and then reinstalled the assembly back into the rod rack. The nice thing about it is the weight of the rigger ball pushes the assembly tight against the gunnel so there is no chance it can fall in.


Steinfishski

Thanks for your help. I have taken measurements on my boat and found that I have to raise my table up 5-1/2 inches and have a width starting at10-1/2 too 12 inches to work with. That being said I should be able to accomplish the same setup as you have.I also will have to use my jigsaw to allow me to follow the contour of my boat. I was thinking of useing oak for its stiffness for my project. What do you think?

DougJr.


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## DougJr.

Midway97 said:


> When I'm using rubber bands, I also use #16's, like wartfroggy states, buy them at an office supply store, buy a pound and store it in the refrigerator and only need a handful at a time. I use the Pro Release as opposed to the big john band buster, same idea, just a little less expensive I think, a buddy of mine makes them and they are super simple...I mean how complicated can a rubber band be right??? He even prints instruction on the package that are easy to follow. If you want take a look at fishbone charters.net under products. Try them if you want, if you don't like em, I'll buy them off you for spares for myself.


Wayne 

I am not able to find the releases that you mention. I would really like to find them. I will try again. 

DougJr.


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## DougJr.

DougJr. said:


> Wayne
> 
> I am not able to find the releases that you mention. I would really like to find them. I will try again.
> 
> DougJr.


Wayne

I got my head together and found them thanks. You know when you get old things work slower. 

DougJr.


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## wartfroggy

So Doug, how do you guys fish out there? It may be worth the time to try some of the tackle that is used over here too. I would imagine that there are alot of spoons, colors, and other techniques available here that don't get seen over your way very often.


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## STEINFISHSKI

DougJr. said:


> Steinfishski
> 
> Thanks for your help. I have taken measurements on my boat and found that I have to raise my table up 5-1/2 inches and have a width starting at10-1/2 too 12 inches to work with. That being said I should be able to accomplish the same setup as you have.I also will have to use my jigsaw to allow me to follow the contour of my boat. I was thinking of useing oak for its stiffness for my project. What do you think?
> 
> DougJr.


Any wood should work, I just used what I had laying around. Use galvanized or stainless hardware and it should last forever. 

I like the blacks releases for downriggers. How many rods are you allowed? Do you usually fish alone? Copper line and wire dipsey divers at times outproduce any other presentation and can get you to the depths you will be fishing.

Do you use flasher / flies or squids ever? Those can be deadly.


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## DougJr.

wartfroggy said:


> So Doug, how do you guys fish out there? It may be worth the time to try some of the tackle that is used over here too. I would imagine that there are alot of spoons, colors, and other techniques available here that don't get seen over your way very often.


Wartfoggy

Like I said erlier I only fish for Rainbow and Salmon. I am just finishing my third season with my boat. I feel that I have come a fair ways in learning to troll but have a tremendous amount to learn. First as far as line goes early in the season I will troll with Mono,Braid and as the season progresses I switch to sinking fly line then on to leadcore or stainless wire. My favorite lures for Rainbows are in order of preference. First early on Streamers,Sutton#5,Rebel J 4or J5 in Black and silver,Flatfish F5 in silver. I have also had good luck Williams dartee spoons with different color prisum tape For salmon I like larger Sutton in the 61 thin size for the extra action the thin ones give off.I also like Rapala MR7 in black and silver,next it's the Williams Wabler in gold or silver also use the combo gold and silver and Mooselook in various colors includeing spotted ones. I do not know if what I am useing is the best or my presentation is correct. But I do manage to find fish now and then. What makes me want to learn more is I see some other fellas that do much better so that tells me I have a long ways to go. Thanks again for your time and help.

DougJr.


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## wartfroggy

It might be worth checking out some of the smaller walleye spoons. Dreamweaver, Stinger, and Silver Streak all make spoons sized down for walleyes, and we have done well on inland trout with them up north. We even use them on the Big Lake now and then, and do well on Browns and Steelies. Alot of colors available, and a nice action.


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## DougJr.

STEINFISHSKI said:


> Any wood should work, I just used what I had laying around. Use galvanized or stainless hardware and it should last forever.
> 
> I like the blacks releases for downriggers. How many rods are you allowed? Do you usually fish alone? Copper line and wire dipsey divers at times outproduce any other presentation and can get you to the depths you will be fishing.
> 
> Do you use flasher / flies or squids ever? Those can be deadly.


Steinfishski

I think I will follow your leed and go with preasure treated wood. I also will use stainless or galvanized hardware.
As far as releases go I looked at the Blacks at Cabelas and liked what I saw. I think I could handle the adjustment on them better than trying to insert my line in the pad style the same each time. I think at this point I also think the rubber band release will be one of my favorites because of the simplicity in useing them.
In Ma. we are allowed to use two lines per person. I fish about half the time alone because I am allowed to fish as much as I wish. My partners are limited by their War Deptments. Dont tell them I said that.
Up until now I have been useing leadcore and Braided Stainless to get down to the depths that I thought I should be at. I never feel comfortable that I am where I should be as far as depth goes. I have also tried Dipsy divers,Pink Ladys,Davis and Jet Divers but dont like the weight they present. This is the reason I am exploring the downrigger idea.
As far as flashers go I like to stay with the smaller ones like the Luhr Jensen 4/0, the Abe and Al #8 or small Davis spinners. As far as color goes I use mostly silver, gold or combination of both. I also like the ones in Orange, Red or those in Pink,White and Orange combination. An idea that I tried is I remove the hooks off lures like a Heddon Sculpin in various colors and ad an 8 to 10 inch leader with a streamer. By doing this I use the spoon as my flasher.
Steinfishski I am sorry but I am not familar with the term Squids for fresh water fishing. Thanks for trying to help this old man on how to fish properly. You fellas from Michigan sure are great. Have a great day.

DougJr.


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## DougJr.

wartfroggy said:


> It might be worth checking out some of the smaller walleye spoons. Dreamweaver, Stinger, and Silver Streak all make spoons sized down for walleyes, and we have done well on inland trout with them up north. We even use them on the Big Lake now and then, and do well on Browns and Steelies. Alot of colors available, and a nice action.


Wartfroggy

I have never heard of any of those lures by name. You can be sure I will be checking them out after lunch. I cant thank you fellas enough for all your time and advice that you share with me.Around here the few fellas that are successful at trolling are not very willing to give out info on how they do there fishing. Thanks again for your help.

DougJr.


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## DougJr.

DougJr. said:


> Wartfroggy
> 
> I have never heard of any of those lures by name. You can be sure I will be checking them out after lunch. I cant thank you fellas enough for all your time and advice that you share with me.Around here the few fellas that are successful at trolling are not very willing to give out info on how they do there fishing. Thanks again for your help.
> 
> DougJr.


Well I spent my evening searching through some of the lure companies that you suggested and boy am I amazed at the variety you all have to chose from. When you consider all the sizes,shapes,colors and companies how could you possibly remember the names of the different lures? Many years ago a friend told me lures were designed to attract the fisherman as well as the fish. Locally I would say that the selection of lures to choose from would not amount to 1/10 of the selection you fellas have. With all the info that you young fellas are passing on to me I can see that my winter months will be a little busier than in the past. Thank you again for your time and help.

DougJr.


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## DougJr.

wartfroggy said:


> Also, if you do buy the big jon Band Busters, I don't like the bands they supply. Too heavy. I go with a #16 band. Some guys use a #18. Should be able to get them at a office supply store. Keep them stored in a zip lock to keep them from dry rotting, and a box will last you a long time.


Wartfroggy

I was in Staples Office Supply today and could only find #16 bands. Would the #18 just be a little longer and still only be 1/8 inch wide?The #16 I bought being 2 1/2 inches long.

DougJr.


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## STEINFISHSKI

Hey Doug, shoot me a pm with your address and I'll send you a care package. I'll box up a nice set of spoons and lures to try with instructions on when and where to run them.


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