Black Release tension setting

[Nessmuk]

Based on what may experienced members recommended I bought a couple of Black DR releases today.   Using them looks pretty straight forward BUT how do I determine the proper tension setting?   Is there a simple way to test the setting?

[Big Water]

Put the line in the release and see how hard you have to pull to trip it.  Adjust to a reasonable release tension.  If you over-tighten, it may be impossible for a smaller fish to trip it, or more importantly, for you to trip it when you bring in the rod.  If too loose, it may trip when you turn the boat or pick your speed up.  For Lake Ontario, I keep them relatively tight to get a better hook set on the initial strike.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Big Water

[Nessmuk]

This will be for Finger Lakes trolling.

[Big Dave]

Trial and error.   loop the line in the release and trip it .  Keep trying it till you find your sweet  spot.  On Cayuga I wrap the line over my finger and twist it five or six times and put it in the clip.   If you do the five twists tight and several more looser it will show a shaker better.   I like mine.

[Sk8man]

Dave is right....it is best to "get the feel " of it through trial and error. When I first started using them back in the late 70's I used a fish scale and set the line up in a rod holder and hooked the scale to a swivel snap on the end of the line and tested the weight needed to trigger the release. IfI remember correctly I settled for about 3 pounds of pull on it. You may still carry a real small fish on it but I troll at higher speeds a lot and at least you minimize false releases. If you are alert to your rods you will know when you have a small fish on there by the action of the rod itself. I figured I'd rather take my chances on carrying around a small one than continually having to reset the release due to action of the lure/speeds. Once you develop a "feel" for setting them you'll be doing it without even thinking about it....just remember to twist the line in several loops as Dave mentioned for downriggers and leave it without twists for outriggers so you can lengthen or shorten your line without bringing them in.

[Gill-T]

As tight as your dipsy release for salmon.  Trout and light line.....a little looser.  The deeper you fish the tighter the release will need to be.  Larger flashers will need a tighter release as well.

[capt ace]

When we run light line and spoons, we usually run with a rubber band on the line put into the blacks. You can see smaller fish bites, too.

[Nessmuk]

Thanks for the suggestions!   Would 1-2 lbs be a good starting point?  

 

I saw something on U tube about using a rubber band but couldn't really figure out what they were talking about other than the method of attaching it.   What is the reason for using the bands?

[capt ace]

 The best bands we have found are the number 19 from staples. What we do is wrap the band around the line several times and then insert both loops of the band into the blacks and snap it shut. Done this way, the band will not slip and the rod tips can be cranked right down to the water. We set the blacks tight enough so that the band breaks and the blacks stays closed.. The black's setting by the way, is left on the setting that we use when running attractors. When the band breaks, it just falls off of the fishing line. Having the rubber band wrapped around the line instead of half hitched, does not affect the integrity of the line.

  Using the rubber bands we can see small fish bites, but it takes a bit to break the band which insures a good hookset on mature fish.. The bands can also be broken manually if needed, just pull the rod by jerking up and breaking the band.

  We have been doing it this way for years. It allows us to get away with using lite line for spoons which we feel generates more bites, especially on those tough days when the temps are up and the water's blue. 

[magic7777]

The best bands we have found are the number 19 from staples. What we do is wrap the band around the line several times and then insert both loops of the band into the blacks and snap it shut. Done this way, the band will not slip and the rod tips can be cranked right down to the water. We set the blacks tight enough so that the band breaks and the blacks stays closed.. The black's setting by the way, is left on the setting that we use when running attractors. When the band breaks, it just falls off of the fishing line. Having the rubber band wrapped around the line instead of half hitched, does not affect the integrity of the line.

  Using the rubber bands we can see small fish bites, but it takes a bit to break the band which insures a good hookset on mature fish.. The bands can also be broken manually if needed, just pull the rod by jerking up and breaking the band.

  We have been doing it this way for years. It allows us to get away with using lite line for spoons which we feel generates more bites, especially on those tough days when the temps are up and the water's blue.

Capt. Jimmy are you going with 12 lb test line with this ?

[capt ace]

Yes. We run 12 lb Gamma on our spoon rods.

[Hookedup]

Same here. We use the bands with blacks I double them up. I get the trolling bands from dicks. If the blacks is set right the it will release just before the bands break. You can fish the same bands over and over. And like Ace said if you have a minnow on you will know it with the bands.

[Nemesis]

Sell them and buy Chamberlains. Once you get them dialed in you will never look back.

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[orangediablo]

For walleye fishing, we use a scale to set them at about 2-2.5# (typically use 12# mono). For lake O, we usually start around 5# and adjust from there.  Also depends how deep we fish and what we are pulling.

[Xxx]

For walleye fishing, we use a scale to set them at about 2-2.5# (typically use 12# mono). For lake O, we usually start around 5# and adjust from there.  Also depends how deep we fish and what we are pulling.

When you use a scale to measure the tension do you pull it out as if a fish would pull it or do you pull it upward as if you were loading a rigger pole. I bought 2 Blacks and I have a gun trigger pull scale I tried, but was uncertain as to what angle to pull to set tension, was going to ask same question also. Thanks PAP. PS. I don't mean to sound stupid but got very different readings doing it either way, strait out seemed like I really had to crank er' tight to get a 2.5 # release and the other way was just the opposite, that's why I'm asking the pro's thanks again PAP

[orangediablo]

I set it as if a fish were pulling in it. Again, I use it as a starting point. We drop the balls, load the rods how we want them and adjust accordingly. We'll pull the Ross ayer about 20 min to set if we are dragging anything. If we are, turn em back a bit. If not leave em til we get a hit and see what happens.

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Edited February 14, 2014 by orangediablo

[Xxx]

I set it as if a fish were pulling in it. Again, I use it as a starting point. We drop the balls, load the rods how we want them and adjust accordingly. We'll pull the Ross ayer about 20 min to set if we are dragging anything. If we are, turn em back a bit. If not leave em til we get a hit and see what happens.

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Thank you orangediablo, when I saw it was you that posted back, I couldn't wait to read what you had to say!! from one hell of a good walleye fisherman's standpoint, meaning you, I will use your theory!!!

[Guppy35]

I have a question for the guys that use the rubber bands on their downrigger realeases.  A few of you said that you can tell much easier when there is a smaller fish on the line, i'm just curious what makes those smaller bites more obvious with using rubber bands.  Does it make the end of your pole "dance" more because of the elasticity of the bands?

[Broadhorizons]

Yes. But you can see this on any of the pinch pad releases with a tether. The difference is the blacks is rigid so the rubber band acts as the tether.

I run scotty's most of the season then switch to blacks in late July. I set mine at 7 to 8# with a scale. Most of the time you won't get them to release from the boat buy pulling the rod which is fine with me. I learned a trick from Hank for popping them.

[Tim Bromund]

Why on earth would you switch away from the superior Scotty releases to blacks, ever??

[Broadhorizons]

Haha, actually I never switch from blacks...

I leave the blacks on all season and snap the swivel of the scotty on the straight wire running between the two ears of the blacks. That way the scotty can swing/swivel free around the rigger cable without getting wrapped up if the cable spins.

[Silver Fox]

Yes. But you can see this on any of the pinch pad releases with a tether. The difference is the blacks is rigid so the rubber band acts as the tether.

I run scotty's most of the season then switch to blacks in late July. I set mine at 7 to 8# with a scale. Most of the time you won't get them to release from the boat buy pulling the rod which is fine with me. I learned a trick from Hank for popping them.

I hate screwing with rubberbands, so I do the same thing. Except I take the Scotty's off around June.

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[Xxx]

I was always a pinch pad guy also, just because of the simplicity of them, I used Cannon and Scotty's.I wanted to try a release type like the Blacks, just so happened to be at Cabelas in the Hamburg store here in PA. when they had a in store sale on them, and they had the Blacks with a extension on them. They claim you don't have to pull the ball out of the water to change things around, I haven't really looked at the hook up yet, with all the snow we are getting, but they sounded impressive and I thought if I don't like them I could put the on the rigger cable as stackers or for $20.00 put them in the cookie tin I have of not so good items.  I think the release subject is a Chevy-Ford deal with mixed opinions of what works best for you.

[orangediablo]

Thank you orangediablo, when I saw it was you that posted back, I couldn't wait to read what you had to say!! from one hell of a good walleye fisherman's standpoint, meaning you, I will use your theory!!!

I"m by no means 'a hell of a good walleye fisherman'.  Just learning as I go

[Xxx]

I"m by no means 'a hell of a good walleye fisherman'.  Just learning as I go

we all give credit where credit is due, I've been walleye fishing for a long time, and I think Lake O is one of the hardest lakes to connect with these elusive critters!!