Fishing Deep with Two Downriggers

[afterschools]

Anyone have any advice? Got two new cannon balls over the winter and we're running into problems where the downrigger cables are tangling when both lines are 70'+. Anyone have any advice? Would bending the cannon ball fins a bit (one in each direction) help?

[Rippin'Line]

How fast are you trolling?

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[tcon]

Not to get personal but how heavy are your balls . You might need to get heavier ones.

Tom

[afterschools]

We are trolling 2-2.5mph normally and we have 10lb cannon balls. Surprisingly we never had this problem with the 8lb ones...

[Mortigan]

We ran 10 lb cannon balls last weekend off Sandy Creek and had crazy blowback running southeast, so bad I thought the releases had tripped. We haven't had the cables cross but we run them at 45 degrees rather than straight back.

[slow rollin]

How far apart are your riggers?

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[bluewater]

I used to have a lot of problems with the cannon balls not tracking good and they tend to have problems with having more blowback then I switched to the 13lb torpedo weights and problem solved no more problems. Also switching to a blacks type release allows the weights to move freely in currents and turns without throwing your lures all over and getting tangles.

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[Big Dave]

Maybe the fins are bent? Swap sides with the balls. Check the way the run and tweek the fins to make them run right.

[skipper19]

Releases put on cables works...sometimes the release on the tail of the ball will cause it to wag when you load the rod heavy on the release. It can tip the tail upwards on the load of the rod and cause instability.

Mark

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[ray koziatek]

marks been experminting with lifting balls and instability,,,most go right to their tip toes and jump,,,,, i bought some camel toe weights but havent the heart to send em down....till i have my way with them..sorta cold in the morning

[skipper19]

marks been experminting with lifting balls and instability,,,most go right to their tip toes and jump,,,,, i bought some camel toe weights but havent the heart to send em down....till i have my way with them..sorta cold in the morning

You really need to get out and fish more Ray

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[afterschools]

Thanks for the comments guys. The riggers are on the back of the boat pointed out each side... they're a good 10-15' apart when we send them down. I also thought of the fins being bent, I've switched them once already. I'm considering bending them slightly opposite to each other so they'll tow outwards a bit. Lastly, thanks for the tip on loading them heavy. We generally load them pretty good especially when they are deep. We'll lighten up their load and try that next time. Thanks for the feedback gentlemen.

[GAMBLER]

When currents are heavy, and you turn sharp, you will more than likely end up with a tangled rigger or 2. Another thing to consider is boat slip in the wind. If you are trolling west of east and the wind is out of the south, your boat is slipping slightly north. If you let the rigger on the one side of the boat down fast, it will fall straight down. The rigger on the other side of the boat is actually angled under the boat (because of the slip) and the other rigger you just dropped with sometimes tangle the other.

[afterschools]

Never thought of that. Something to keep in mind. I feel like we mainly troll with/against the waves (thus with/against the wind). I'll certainly keep that in mind and will be sure to lower down the riggers slowly from here on out. Thanks!

[Paul Czarnecki]

Never thought of that. Something to keep in mind. I feel like we mainly troll with/against the waves (thus with/against the wind). I'll certainly keep that in mind and will be sure to lower down the riggers slowly from here on out. Thanks!

Wind/waves and current are two totally different and separate entities and rarely do they coincide. Don't think because you are going with the waves that you are going "with the current" because that is rarely the case.

[Big Dave]

You don't want the release hooked to the back of the weight , but to the cable just above the weight . Like a blacks or chamberlin or others. That way the weight is free to turn and track and not be steered by the rod pulling on its tail.

[afterschools]

Another good point. You all are a wealth of knowledge! We're going to try a few things next time we head out. I'll let you know how they pan out. Thanks again!

[King Slammin]

After marking alot of really deep fish the last few times out, I went from a 4 rigger spread to a 2 corner rigger setup. I just switched from 10# fish shaped weights and offshore pinch pads. to (2) 15.5# Atomik torpedoes with blacks releases and blacks stackers sliding on the rigger cable. I can stack my riggers where I want them with a toothpick into the blacks to hold the stacker on the line. The Torpedos tracked real nice on our first trip out, and I had way less blowback. I read my fish hawk x-4 probe down 140' all day.

[afterschools]

Thanks for all the tips guys. Ran one rigger at 130'+ and one at 100' today with no tangles. Between moving the clip from the fin to above the cannon ball and bending the fins of the cannon balls ever so slightly they tracked like a charm! Appreciate all the help!