Black's release tension setting

[excavr]

I fish the finger lakes and started using Black's releases this year. I constantly find myself adjusting the release tension. Too much tension and we unknowingly end up dragging fish around the lake. Too little tension and they release when setting or change in speed.

I use a spring scale to set them and try to keep them at 3.5#. I now check the tension each time I set them because the tension seems to change throughout the day.

How do you guys set the tension on the releases? What weight tension setting do you use? Do you have any issues with the tension loosening up with use? Is there a way to keep the tension set so it doesn't creep?

Thanks

[711skwerlz]

Never noticed a creep in mine. I'm not sure where you fish or what you target. On Ontario I generally crankem down tight for kings. even small kings will pop'em. On the fingerlakes where I fish 90% of the time you have an option. Either back em off, or use a rubberband. Twist a #16 rubberband around your line a few times and feed the loop back through itself. use the existing loop in your blacks. this will show any shaker. If it doesn't pop the release it will break the band.

[jdm130]

Ill try the rubber band too. Where I fish in NJ we target Lakers and it seems that almost every time Im pulling in my lines I realize I have been dragging one around for who knows how long. These releases are great because you get good hook sets but if you go too tight some fish cant pop them out. I started cranking my rods down with a pretty good bend. When a small laker would hit I could tell by watching the rod, it would slowly go up and down I guess after the fish is hooked they would swim towards the boat causing some tension to release on the line so the rod would slowly come up indicating there was a fish on.

For me I would rather have them tighter then loose to ensure a good hook set. Where I fish you never know if your gonna get a skipper or a 20# laker so mine are always tight. But it would be nice to dial them in for Lake Ont.

[ERABBIT]

Mine seem to stay good........then I'll have a day where I'll be tweaking them some........I think the sun/wear get to them a bit.........I have the ones on the riggers set for spoons.............sounds dumb but when I run flasher/flies I add one more that is set for that..........I know two blacks on one rigger!!!!!! hey it works for me....

[Big Dave]

Do your normal twist than 3or 4 long loose ones that will give you a longer tag end out of the release to show the shakers . It won't tighten up to the normal twists. The blacks don't tighten or loosen up for us.

[adam2000]

I love them. I set mine to 5 lbs when going below 50 ft

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[rolmops]

I have the Blacks on one rigger and the Scotty Power grip Plus on the other. both are nice but the Scotty with the 18 or 24 inch line shows shakers a lot better.

The scotty never gets twisted around the rigger cable but even if it does,the clip still works fine and your line is always well away from the rigger cable,but with the blacks it sometimes happens that your line gets twisted around the rigger cable.

[adam2000]

I use the blacks with the lease on it. I cut it and re terminated it so its onle about 8 inches. On my probe rigger I use a sliding blacks that I set about 12 inches above the probe andfix it with a small offshore planer release never had a twist

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[Rich D]

Do yourself a favor and try the Chamberlains, You can adjust the rod tension, and also the lure tension seperate. I can crank my rods right down to the water, and still have a shaker bt release it with no problem, have not dragged a shaker in over 4 years. Chamberlain also came out with a stacker release, and it works great. I replaced my release on my probe rigger, and have added one of these to my probe rigger. If you have any questions, you can contact the owner directly, Keith is a great guy, and has really done his homework on these releases. Good Luck.

Capt. Rich

[dogtagger]

I agree with Capt Rich on the Chamberlain release. I use them here in Maine, and they work well on small salmon and togue (lakers). Once I get the release dialed in even very small salmon will pop the release. I've never tried the blacks, so I can't comment on adjusting them. I did have to change the vertical adjustment on my Chamberlains this year when I bought new lighter rods (Okuma Celilo Kokanee). They take a little tuning, but once they are set, they don't change.

Do yourself a favor and try the Chamberlains, You can adjust the rod tension, and also the lure tension seperate. I can crank my rods right down to the water, and still have a shaker bt release it with no problem, have not dragged a shaker in over 4 years. Chamberlain also came out with a stacker release, and it works great. I replaced my release on my probe rigger, and have added one of these to my probe rigger. If you have any questions, you can contact the owner directly, Keith is a great guy, and has really done his homework on these releases. Good Luck.

Capt. Rich

[excavr]

Do yourself a favor and try the Chamberlains, You can adjust the rod tension, and also the lure tension seperate. I can crank my rods right down to the water, and still have a shaker bt release it with no problem, have not dragged a shaker in over 4 years. Chamberlain also came out with a stacker release, and it works great. I replaced my release on my probe rigger, and have added one of these to my probe rigger. If you have any questions, you can contact the owner directly, Keith is a great guy, and has really done his homework on these releases. Good Luck.

Capt. Rich

Thanks for the tip Capt. Rich. I just watched Chamberlain's YouTube video. I will pick up a couple releases this week.

[excavr]

Used my new Chamberlain releases on Saturday and they are pretty slick. Very happy with them. Thanks for the recommendation.

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