Rigger releases ?

[chowder]

Ok, I went to a GLA salmon seminar and now I feel like I should give up on my Off Shore pinch pad type releases and go with the Walkers or the Blacks (at least for chasing kings)? Last year was my first year trolling and most of the fish we got on riggers were in the FLX not Ontario and we often ran our riggers shallow 30'-60'. I didn't think we had very many rigger trips w/ out anybody home but there must be some reason people who chase Kings don't seem to use the pinch pad type release, I am thinking you can't load the rod up and get the belly out of the line as easily w/ the pinch pad type because it trips too easily and by the same token will not have the resistance needed for setting the hook into a really aggressive fish? On the other hand if I am fishing the FLX a fair amount maybe I want to use the Off Shore releases there so I don't drag skippers up & down the lake?

[Nemesis]

Chowder,

My choice has always been Blacks releases but after seeing the Chamberlins in use I would go with them. Especially since you fish the FLX. It has a feature that allows the smallest of fish to trip the release and still crank down the tips of the rods to the water. Even very small LL salmon will trip it.

Heading to Ontario for kings...Just a few little adjustments and you are all set for the big boys.

The Chamberlin is like a Blacks but with a few more tricked out features!

I am no way afilliated with Chamberlins. Hell....I dont even own a downrigger any more.

[Erbyjoe]

Brad is on the $ with the new releases.I have used blacks for years and I will use Chamberlain releases this year they are great. I had spoons down 100 feet last spring in olcott and the rod was almost touching the water very easy to use and set up. They are coming out with a stacker mid summer so that will be a plus for my temp probe rigger here is a link to Keith's web site. Hope this helps

http://www.downriggerrelease.com/

[Tim Bromund]

I've used blacks on other peoples boats and really didn't care for em. I prefer pinch pad style releases and use the Scottys with the 30" leads and they are great. I have NO false releases, can load the crap out of the rods, and with the long lead, if a fish even breathes on my lure it shows up on the rid tip, shakers are NO problem.

Tim

[holy mackerel]

Blacks work well with rubber bands on the Finger lakes and without on Lake O,

Double the line over, half hitch the rubber band and clip in the black. Simple.

[chinook]

Andy, I agree with Tim on this one. I also use the Scotty's and have nothing but good to say about them. One plus that he touched on is the fact a dink or smaller target is very easy to see with the use of them. Just my opinion-By the way, nice to meet you over the weekend. We left around 3, and drove threw a whiteout almost the whole way home- Made it interesting-Duane

[MANIAC]

I'll cast another vote for the Scotty's

[LongLine]

I prefer Black's over any pinch-pad because they're easily repeatable. I never have to ask myself if I put the line in as far as I did last time & wear is not a problem.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Schools Out]

I have had both and prefer the scottys over the blacks..

chowder glad we could all be such a help and get a general consensus

[on the lam]

scottys for salmon, chamberlin for trout. Tim stated the pros on the scottys. with the longer lead to the release the rod pumps then releases.

do like the chamberlin for the light spoon work.

[GAMBLER]

Another vote for Blacks. The Scottys are nice but I still like my blacks better. I think longline hit the nail on the head. The Scottys are my go to Copper release for the boards.

[Hookedup]

Blacks with rubber bands on FL

[FISHINMAN]

I too use both. Blacks at the balls and Scotty's pinch pads for stacking

[traveling man]

andy, i have used blacks for several years and like them. I will be switching to chamberlains this year. i have some friends that use scotty's releases and they work a lot better than offshore releases. the offshore releases wear out after a year or so the scotty's don't.

[chowder]

Thanks for all the responses, I got a couple questions:

Scotty users; 1. which model(s) are you guys using, the power grip cable, power grip ball, or the "mini" version of the former two?2. How many of you use the Scotty a fair amount for trout ? 3. How much variation in tension can you achieve, or in other words will it be easy for someone who doesn't know the release to find a spot on the pad that will allow me to crank down, but still trip for the dinks (or do you just watch for the pulse of a skipper and concentrate more on getting it deep in the pad so you can load the rod)

Chamberlain users; 1. How many of you have used this release a fair amount for Kings?How long does it take to learn how to make both adjustments?

[Erbyjoe]

Chowder The chamberlains are simple there are 2 adjustments one for the lure pull and one for the rod.For kings I have them set on the tightest setting and the rod adjustment you have to play with it a little so you know what works for you. It is a screw like they have on blacks. I just started using them last year but I like what I see so far I did use blacks with rubber bands. and I forgot to say I use a Scotty pinch pad for my temp probe rigger I used one on Maniac's boat and it worked great.

[waterlogged]

Chowder,

We use the Scotty releases and they have 2 sizes. We run th esmaller size on the FLX and L.O. browns and the larger ones for L.O. salmon and steelhead.

We are former blacks users BUT.........they remain on the boat and are useable at a moments notice.

Clarke

[Edd]

No chime-in for the Roemers? I have always used Scotty's and never had problems. But this past weekend I fished with a friend who used the Roemer releases and I was quite intrigued. Anybody using these?

Edd

[Erbyjoe]

Edd I have used roemers here in Mass for 15 years they are great releases but when fishing down over 100 feet for Kings on Lake Ontario I always had problems with false releases and you can troll smaller fish for a while with out seeing the rods shake. using blacks with rubber bands worked very well great hook sets also.But using the Chamberlain releases last year I liked them a lot so I will give them another shot this year and see what happens.

[Edd]

Thanks Erin......guess I'll try the Chamberlains this year.

Edd

[JBoock]

Chowder,

I've used the offshore releases for years with no problems. I've cought alot of fish with them and really haven't lost that many. I use them on both the Flx and LO. I just place them deeper in the pad on the big lake. Thanks

Jay

[raider44]

Edd- I just purchased 2 Roemer Liberator releases off their website for running cheaters. When I use riggers for walleye I use weldon releases, but they arent the greatest for L.O. kings- cannot load the rod enough, so we use scotty on the big O.

[chinook]

Edd- When I have the need to stack, my choice of release is the Roemer. Off the ball,I like the Scotty's, but I.M.O.- the Roemer's are tough to beat for stacking. -Duane

[traveling man]

andy, i have used the bigger scotty releases and they are easy to learn. there is a black line on them, for ontario put the mono on the back side of the black line. for cayuga put it on the front side of the line.the cable releases clip on your rigger cable, great for running 2 rods off of 1 rigger. the ball releases attach to your rigger weight. i can't help you with the chamberlains yet.

[ray koziatek]

blacks at the ball in the past this year ill be trying the chamberlins ,scotty style for up high fishing for stacking with light load on rod .If im going for the deep guys or need to preload a lot i use the roamers. Also with the roamers someone posted here to just twist line and put in release clip ,started doing that last year that way works well and sales a ton of time.