Stackers

[CaptSpike]

What do you use and why is it the best?

I used to like Roemers but now that I'm getting older leaning out over the boat to hold it while I drop the first line down is a pain. I also have Scotty clip on's that are great. they use a long line clip to hold the release on the cable. Problem is sometimes I get cable kink due to the clip or I get coated cable damage from someone pulling the cable up and not stopping the cable at the release to remove it (auto up). Then the Scotty release slides down the cable to the first release and it damages the cable. Sometimes the retriever will knock the long line clip too and it almost falls off (happens with the lighter versions I use when fishing near home).

I just tried the Chamberlain stacker this past weekend and they too you need to hold while dropping the first set up. I wasn't impressed with the method method they lock to the cable with either.

It would be nice if we had a stacker you could put on easy , like the Scotty long line ones, and not worry about cable damage upon weight retrieval, like how the Roemers release and slide down.

Is there an answer out there already I don't know about?

Spike

[Has Been]

If your Romer has that metal "loop" on it , clip an offshore downrigger release to it. Easy rigging offshore & easy depth set & drops down when it hits the pully on retrieve. Done it for years & love it.

[Broadhorizons]

Or how about using a tether line/grab line like on our big boards to hold the release at the rigger while the cable is let down. A bolt snap and string to the boom should work clipped under the roemer. The snap should keep the release from dropping like on our planer board tow lines.

[Jolly II]

A trick my buddy Dave showed me with the roemers is very simple and all you need is about 12 inches of spare/junk line.

Just take that piece of junk line, like 20lb test or heavier, and tie it to the rope of your cable retriever (I'm assuming you have long arm downriggers) with about a 6-8 inch tag end. Once your bottom line is rigged and you are ready to lower the rigger to 10 feet, close the jaws of the roemer on the tag end of that piece of junk line. Then as you lower your rigger down to where you are placing the stacker the line holds the roemer as the cable slides through. Then just pull in your cable retriever, and open the roemer back up and rig your stacker line.

Best part is, doesn't cost anything, doesn't require any tools, and there is usually plenty of junk fishing line in the boat for a replacement.

Chris

[Yankee Troller]

No need to stack.....just run a fixed or sliding cheater.

[kingslamon22]

i use offshore releases, the red one with a black one attatched at the snap. use the red release for your lure and the black to hold the downrigger cable. offshore makes stackers but i never seen em in red. the red ones have a stronger spring for better hooksets on big kings.

[FSNmachine]

No need to stack.....just run a fixed or sliding cheater.

That's what I do. Stackers are too much trouble. Sliders work great either fixed or loose and they do not require more rods you you can actually get more lures in the water as well with out breaking any laws.

Actually Monday these 2 fish came off a rigger rod with a slider for a real fun double header on one rod.

[Gator]

I like sliders, too, but at times we've had the "extra" lure on the line gravitate toward the wire dipsey, and of course you have to stop to unhook the slider if the fish is on the lower rig, so I think that it makes landing fish more difficult. That having been said, it's much easier to deploy sliders, and we haven't (until recently) run stackers in probably the last six years. Remember the old "down and out" trick with the small dipseys on a stacker rod? What's old could be new again...

[CaptSpike]

Thanks for the replies. I don't usually stack out on Ontario because it is usually just me and 1 other. Home or Champlain I stack often with only two riggers. I stack both riggers and run two core rods. Just looking for other stacker options. I like the mono tag end idea. I'll have to try that out.

Spike

[ifishy]

I like sliders but i never have more than one person in the boat with me plus its a small boat so space is premium plus you get the extra lures without the extra lines to tangle in works great in the finger lakes

[final flight]

for added fun... bottom spoon out 10' from ball fixed cheater at 10' then throw a slider on. makes a great mess when you bring back to the boat. this was not done on purpose just a SMALL brain fart!!

[Big Dave]

I used to put a large nytie on the boom end to hold the stacker (off shore) while I let the cable down. Clip the stacker to the tag end then clipped it on the cable when it got to the right depth.