Downriggers - anyone use one?

[Andy135]

Per the title, does anyone use (or have used) a downrigger?

Seems to be a potential best of both worlds when fishing lighter tackle & lures but at depths and in tides that would make fishing a pain ordinarily.

[Odyssey]

I would do if I can find one cheap....

 

looking to use it trolling and bait fishing on the drift without a float 

[Andy135]

2 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

I would do if I can find one cheap....

 

looking to use it trolling and bait fishing on the drift without a float 

Yep, it's almost worth rigging up a length of broom handle with an old TLD30 or similar rather than shelling out mega bucks.

[Odyssey]

Just now, Andy135 said:

Yep, it's almost worth rigging up a length of broom handle with an old TLD30 or similar rather than shelling out mega bucks.

True....

Old reel, 30lb braid and a 10lb lead is about all you need...

[JDP]

I use a canon stx10, an extremely useful thing to have. Ive had cheaper models but the STX has an extendable boom and a swivel mount head which makes it easy to position so it stays clear of the engine even in tight turns. I use it for dropping live mackerel at exact depths I want the bait and this is very easy to monitor on the sonar, as are the fish that check it out. Its also handy for dropping burley wire cages Ive made, weighted with concrete in the base. I even have burley cages with GoPro mounts.

The stx has a drag system so that it doesn't damage the unit if it gets snagged or chewed by sharks. There are numerous styles of fixing for the boat to accommodate different angles and positions, mine is mounted to a stainless rod holder mount so it can be slotted into any of my rod holders around the boat. The rod holder mount also means its easy to move it out of the way or simply leave it at home on days I don't need it.

I removed the wire line and replaced with 200m of 150lb colour change braid, the hum from the original wire attracted to many sharks so I dare say you lot will want to keep it. Who knows wire might even attract the elusive dogfish shark!!!!

As for light line, yes they are fantastic for that. Dropping soft plastics 80-150m with a quick release clip and slowly manoeuvring  the boat over a known structure or wreck ect keeps the lure in the strike zone permanently.

Down rigger leads for me are between 5-10lb but there are times you may need to double that if you want to keep the sinker ball in your sonar. In very deep water I simply drop the engine in and out of gear to slow the boat and keep the down rigger weight under the boat.

Another use for mine is to pull game fish teasers behind the boat on faster trolling species.

Something to note is when Im at anchor and I drop a burley cage with old fish frames is that it drifts back with the tide if its pushing hard but as soon as it hits bottom I can retrieve some line which pulls the burley cage back so it sits directly under the boat (back in the sonar if you keep yours on, I tend not to). When its directly under the boat I can then choose the size weights on my fishing outfits to control how far behind the burley pot I want them to be. Baits dropped to close to the cage can often pick up the more rubbish small fish that try to raid the burley while better bigger fish hold back a little further (like snapper).

Having used then over here for several years I would have no hesitation using one on the species I used to target around the southern  parts of the UK.

[Odyssey]

Hard to find in U.K.....

Downriggers ain’t cheap.... 😬😬😬🙄🙄🙄

I’d love to get one but a bit pricey to try out on a whim... 😑😑😑

Edited February 4, 2021 by Odyssey

[GPSguru]

3 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

Hard to find in U.K.....

Downriggers ain’t cheap.... 😬😬😬🙄🙄🙄

 

 

For trolling, which we do a lot of, there is another way .

On a RIB, fitting a downrigger is pretty much a non starter, however, over the years we perfected another technique which seems to work just as well

Use a standard Tube / wrecking booms (the correct name is a Guy's boom ) and quite a long trace of 6 to 12 ft ....... the important bit is to spend a little time adjusting the lead size to the depth you want to fish. We find leads of 2 to 4oz are generally good enough. The way to check it is correct is to set the boat going at just above idle (I use mercury Troll Control), start with 4oz and stream out 50 - 100 yds, if it is bouncing bottom on a tight line, then reduce the amount of lead until you can just feel the lure working.

On rough ground you can do the same with a Portland rig, but you need to keep the rotten bottom  to less than 3 inches .............

All we do is set the clutch to just about non slip on the ratchet and listen for the reel to scream ..............

I have two rod holders just for trolling on top of the A frame, I set one rod at 50 yards and the other at 100 yards

The takes are normally savage !

[Andy135]

@JDP, you had me at "elusive dogfish shark!!!!" 🐶🎣👍😁

[JDP]

5 hours ago, GPSguru said:

 

For trolling, which we do a lot of, there is another way .

On a RIB, fitting a downrigger is pretty much a non starter, however, over the years we perfected another technique which seems to work just as well

Use a standard Tube / wrecking booms (the correct name is a Guy's boom ) and quite a long trace of 6 to 12 ft ....... the important bit is to spend a little time adjusting the lead size to the depth you want to fish. We find leads of 2 to 4oz are generally good enough. The way to check it is correct is to set the boat going at just above idle (I use mercury Troll Control), start with 4oz and stream out 50 - 100 yds, if it is bouncing bottom on a tight line, then reduce the amount of lead until you can just feel the lure working.

On rough ground you can do the same with a Portland rig, but you need to keep the rotten bottom  to less than 3 inches .............

All we do is set the clutch to just about non slip on the ratchet and listen for the reel to scream ..............

I have two rod holders just for trolling on top of the A frame, I set one rod at 50 yards and the other at 100 yards

The takes are normally savage !

 

Not quite sure why a down rigger is a non starter on a rib, that's where I used mine the most. The model I mention has a quick release bracket and swivel mount that can be positioned at any angle. The pole extends over 2m even with 20lb of down rigger.

In the first image you can see Ive made a simple bracket where the mount fits. The mount has two spring loaded pull buttons, one for swivelling the boom around to the position I want and the other for releasing the the down rigger from the bracket.

In the second image you can see the down rigger with the booms fully in to their shortest  position.

 

 

 

On my new boat I simply bought the rod mount adapter and place it in any rod holder around the boat.

 

 

 

[GPSguru]

15 hours ago, JDP said:

 

Not quite sure why a down rigger is a non starter on a rib, that's where I used mine the most. The model I mention has a quick release bracket and swivel mount that can be positioned at any angle. The pole extends over 2m even with 20lb of down rigger.

In the first image you can see Ive made a simple bracket where the mount fits. The mount has two spring loaded pull buttons, one for swivelling the boom around to the position I want and the other for releasing the the down rigger from the bracket.

In the second image you can see the down rigger with the booms fully in to their shortest  position.

 

 

 

On my new boat I simply bought the rod mount adapter and place it in any rod holder around the boat.

 

 

 

 

I don't want to 'compromise' the sealed deck in that area. I was thinking of attaching one to the A frame deck fixings and a bracket to the A frame, but after careful consideration, I decided to keep using my tried and tested method of deeper trolling.

However, I am still seriously considering fitted a trolling motor to  the bow for 'instant' anchoring in deep water and over wrecks.

[JDP]

2 hours ago, GPSguru said:

 

I don't want to 'compromise' the sealed deck in that area. I was thinking of attaching one to the A frame deck fixings and a bracket to the A frame, but after careful consideration, I decided to keep using my tried and tested method of deeper trolling.

However, I am still seriously considering fitted a trolling motor to  the bow for 'instant' anchoring in deep water and over wrecks.

No compromise anymore than the bolts that hold the A frame. Simply 4 screws in a piece of marine ply with silicon around the whole fitting. Water can get under the floor from the front anchor well, where the cables both go under the floor from the engine and where they come up through the floor n the centre console.

[GPSguru]

7 minutes ago, JDP said:

No compromise anymore than the bolts that hold the A frame. Simply 4 screws in a piece of marine ply with silicon around the whole fitting. Water can get under the floor from the front anchor well, where the cables both go under the floor from the engine and where they come up through the floor n the centre console.

The Ribcraft has a fully sealed front anchor well and the guys at the factory have asked me to give them a drawing of the proposed fixing before I go ahead with it. They mentioned different methods of fixing to ensure the deck integrity is preserved. I will go with what they suggest as the boat has warranty for 5 years. Interestingly, the Anchor well is not drained, it is completely glassed on the inside and full sealed, it is the user's responsibility to remove any water that drains from the warp etc. I normally leave it on the bow deck to dry before I stow it back into  the well.

The underfloor cable duct is sealed at both ends. At the stern it stands proud of the deck by 9" (ish) so it is always above the level of the elephant trunks. They seal the cables in the duct with a compound and heatshrink. The Console is bonded to the deck during the build (no bolts or screws) and is completely sealed. It is vented by 2 small vents located at the top of the dashboard.  The seat pods are the same, bonded and completely sealed, even the hinged seat lids are rubber gasket sealed.

 

 

[Odyssey]

Looks like I maybe able to get my hands on one for £15. 
 

I’ll see how much line on it but hopefully ok for pulling a few lures and keeping livebaits under control when sharking. 

[Andy135]

14 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

Looks like I maybe able to get my hands on one for £15. 
 

I’ll see how much line on it but hopefully ok for pulling a few lures and keeping livebaits under control when sharking. 

£15 is pretty cheap! Does it still work/nothing broken?

[Odyssey]

26 minutes ago, Andy135 said:

£15 is pretty cheap! Does it still work/nothing broken?

Looks like it works....

Guy selling it sells random boat bits. Looks like they are £120 on eBay so may end up on there 🤣🤣

[JDP]

Not wanting to put a downer on the whole cheap and nasty downrigger thing but you get what you pay for. If you are after something that is effortless and quick to retrieve with controlled braking (clutch) then you might have to bite the bullet. Ive messed about with some small crappy down riggers until I bit the bullet and bought something that actually worked well without causing me grief. 

[Odyssey]

13 hours ago, JDP said:

Not wanting to put a downer on the whole cheap and nasty downrigger thing but you get what you pay for. If you are after something that is effortless and quick to retrieve with controlled braking (clutch) then you might have to bite the bullet. Ive messed about with some small crappy down riggers until I bit the bullet and bought something that actually worked well without causing me grief. 

It’s a cannon mini troll. 
 

At £15 it will give me an idea on whether I’ll use it much. If I do then I’ll invest in a pair for the stern and run either side of the engine. Then I could run 2 surface lures and 2 deeper to avoid tangles and maximise options. 
 

I’ll give it a go this season and see how it looks.

[OrkneyCorkney]

I have one of the Scotty Lake Trollers that I use on both boat and kayak.  It’s a small lightweight manual down rigger that has a max 4 lb lead capacity.  Us it mainly for fresh water trolling for Pike or anything that takes a fancy to the lures.  Trying for a Ferox but there is a lot of luck involved in catching those.  

Not had opportunity to use it in sea but suppose you could within reason.  The Cannon stuff is much heavier duty.  Make your own down rigger weights as they are stupid money for Cannon ones.