electric riggers vs manual +\-

[flybuster]

Other than the obvious not having to crank them up are there any other advantages or diss advantages to electric over manual. Enough to make the investment?

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[rlconverse]

well with electric riggers you can hit the up button and while your weights coming up   re set your line. when the ball hits the surface your ready to send it back.  of course you need to watch the line counters or have autostop

[flybuster]

Great point! Anyone else?


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[alex1young]

The only downside to going electric IMO is the lack of loss of bicep.  Now cranking in those coppers is a chore, I never used to get tired when i was bringing up 12lb balls!

[ifishy]

A con is that you may not stick with favorite lures as long as it is easier to change them.

 

for real though not cranking them up is worth it if you have the budgett especially if you have any chronic pain problems which get worse with age.  same goes for pedistal mounts if you have low sides the reduction of back strain from not bending over is worth a good price on its own and as you get older the value goes up.

[boho607]

The only con is weight if you remove them from the boat after fishing. Lugging them to the truck isn't much of an issue at all after they saved your arms from cranking all day lol. Once you get electrics you will wonder how you ever lived without them. 

[boho607]

Makes solo fishing much easier

[markmonkey1]

I'd say manuals are fine if you'll just be fishing a few times per year with them, or not fishing real deep...but once you get the bug...and you will if you're salmon fishing  ...you'll eventually want to upgrade to electrics and won't ever go back!  At least that's how it was for me.

 

There's nothing wrong with manuals---it's just more work / less efficient.  You will appreciate the convenience of electric riggers more, after a season or two using manuals.   If you're running riggers deep--you'll really appreciate not having to manually reel up those weights from 100+ft down 10-20+ times per trip...   IMO the "auto-up" feature is a must in an electric rigger so you can reel while the rigger retrieves (so you're not stuck holding a switch instead of reeling).  

Electrics aren't cheap!  But if $ is an issue, watch Craigslist or some For Sale forums, be patient, and you can get a good deal on a pair of used electrics.  

 

- I've used both types.

- I upgraded to electrics years ago.

- I'm never going back to manuals!

 

Good luck!

[treedude363]

with manual no draining batteries ore plugs no wires  cheaper less moving parts but on other hand  when push a button comes up by itself  while  you  rig your line I  find  electric  is mostly  about  saving time if  you are a boat captain electric a must  but a  week end warrior   manuals  do  fine

[lineman49]

To put it simply, screw the manuals, go electric!  Been there, done that & will never go back!  JMO.  lol

[Todd in NY]

22 hours ago, flybuster said:

 

Other than the obvious not having to crank them up are there any other advantages or diss advantages to electric over manual. Enough to make the investment?

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I had some older Cannon Mag 10A electrics and decided to go with Penn manual riggers on my "new" boat. I don't fish for salmon and trout every weekend so it doesn't bother me to crank up the manuals when I'm fishing deep water. The electrics that I had were equipped with auto-stop and short stop, which are nice features. But I have Manual Penn riggers on my 16ft aluminum utility boat too, so I can buy replacement parts that will fit all of my riggers. I like the simplicity of the Penn manual riggers. They are much lighter than electrics when I remove them for non-fishing trips with the family, and no wires to worry about. Penn only made one grade of rigger, and they are all high grade. Other companies like Cannon make some light duty, medium duty, and heavy duty riggers, so do your research to make sure you are getting a high quality rigger. The Penn riggers are rated for up to a 14 pound ball. I use 10 and 12 pounders with mine.

 

Electrics are better if you fish a lot, but not all electrics are built the same. Do your research, maybe try a few different brands, then make your decision.

 

How often do you fish deep for salmon and trout? For me it's about twice a month, so I don't regret switching to the Penn manual riggers, especially since I have them on both of my boats.

[Blue Knight]

I have four Scotty electrics. I've used both electrics & manuals but other than the speed & ease of the electrics the one great thing about them if you're fishing alone it's easier to get the cable and balls out of the way when bringing in a fish!

[Chas0218]

Wouldn't know don't have electrics, We pump the 16lbs. torpedos up by hand. No wussies on my boat!

[flybuster]

Thanks everyone, I fish every weekend weather allows and have no issues cranking them up. I was planning on upgrading my manuals this year already I broke a housing on one at the end of the year . As far as the money part I've learned time and time again buy once cry once. I agree that it could be more convenient The only time I got sick of cranking the ball up was the first time we targeted lakers lol

In regards to battery draining how bad is it? I would wire them off my main and my kicker dose not charge it. Would it be a matter of cranking the main motor a couple times a day or do they flat out kill batteries?


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[Smoke-N-Finn]

You could run your riggers all season on a battery and prob not charge it, that's not even a worry. If you don't get bit much go manuals, if you are a little smarter you get electrics. No idiots on my boat.!!!

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[Bozeman Bob]

Fishing Erie ,not a big deal. Lake Ontario electric for sure. Had manuals a few years ago and it was a pain in the back, arms and a time killer. Dropping a ball and the release lets go at the bitter end, start cranking. Bringing a fish in, hit the button and your ready to drop that hot lure right back in before the fish hits the deck.  As you noted buy once cry once, do it once do it right, higher resale if it ever comes to that, minimal drain on the battery. The price is long forgotten after a season with them. Sell the manuals to offset the cost. 

[Blue Knight]

Chas it's not a matter of being a "Woos" what it comes down to is when you're younger you don't use your brain as much as you do when you get older and your muscles don't matter as much.

[Bozeman Bob]

46 minutes ago, Blue Knight said:

Chas it's not a matter of being a "Woos" what it comes down to is when you're younger you don't use your brain as much as you do when you get older and your muscles don't matter as much.

  BINGO !!

[Chas0218]

On 1/7/2017 at 3:55 PM, Blue Knight said:

Chas it's not a matter of being a "Woos" what it comes down to is when you're younger you don't use your brain as much as you do when you get older and your muscles don't matter as much.

 

On 1/7/2017 at 4:41 PM, Bozeman Bob said:

  BINGO !!

 

No I get it, All my buddies and I are still young and honestly until I can do more fishing I don't have a need for electrics. Biggest thing for me is if I get electrics I will need another battery so add another $100 to my bill. With my 2nd kid on the way I don't see myself doing nearly as much fishing as I used to. I am actually hoping to tear my boat apart this summer and do some repairs to the stringers and transom so unless I get more time to fish no need for electrics for me. I might have missed it but what size weights are you running? Manual riggers are easy when you're only running 10# or 12# weights. I will say the 16's are heavy.

[flybuster]

I have 10s and 12s and like you said I have no issues cranking I find it easy to say the least. I pour concrete for a living so 15 seconds winding isn't a deal breaker. I also have a teenage son lol. The biggest benefit I see so far is when **** hits the fan and 2-3-4 rods go off I may get back in the water 2-3 minutes faster at best. But then again with that much gear up I'd probably make a aggressive turn and reset on the same line


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[Sk8man]

In 1976 I purchased my first downrigger a manual Riviera with 4 ft boom and not having a boat at the time it was used on my buddy's boat by installing an extra mounting plate and then in 1979 I got my own boat and bought another Riviera. By today's standards they were pretty primitive and shoddy being made largely out of plastic but they worked well for quite a few years until I bought two Canon electric 10A's in about 1985. I am still using those Cannon's and one still has the original wire cable and terminus on it and they have been used a lot. I have had to replace the battery to downrigger wires twice since installing them largely because of UV damage from the sun cracking the insulation. Both types of downriggers manual and electric have their place and as already mentioned it may depend on what type of fishing you do and how much of it that guides your decision. The manuals have some advantages in that they are more easily used on boats other than your own for example if you rent a place with a boat there as you can clamp them to a bench seat or gunwale etc. without being concerned with wiring and hookups. They are lighter to transport and they don't depend on a battery for power. I've used most of them and I believe the Penn's are the more durable and reliable and are very easy to use but the bases take a little getting used to when re-positioning the downrigger with weight on it. Electrics are great once they are wired and hooked up right or don't have cracks in the wires leading to a short because it can be frustrating having a fuse blow with multiple fish on and not be able to retrieve the weight or get it out of the way. A lot of folks on here prefer the fast retrieve downriggers with autostop but they too take getting used to and newer downriggers in general will accept heavier weights on their motors (for less blowback). Any electric should have some sort of emergency handle handy to be used in the event of electrical or mechanical failure as it is no fun hand winding up a 10 to16 lb weight from 150 ft down. Since the day I first used my electrics I have never used the down button I always carefully let down the weights by use of the drag brake knob with my hand on the cable wheel so basically the only electric use in on the ascent of the weight. The battery lasts all season without a charge. For ease of use running many lines and heavy use the electric is great. For low to moderate usage  and little deep water use the manuals are more flexible and pretty much without operating concerns (unless you "bird nest" the wire)

Edited January 9, 2017 by Sk8man

[youp50]

I do not fish the "lower" lakes.  I know electrics can save balls, releases, and baits when you come up on rocks fast.  The kind that hold fish and do not show on map chips, and you have not had the opportunity to map prior.  Hit the up on them as fast as you can.  Nets, too.  Well maybe not nets, you better be on one rigger and have the driver see it on screen immediately, then you may save one.  If its calm one can retrieve the weight, sorta feel bad for the native that has to repair a hole in the poorly marked net.  I usually leave a spoon  to help defray his cost.