i need downrigger help/advice

[dremarquis]

Hello Guys,

I’m still quite new to using downriggers and have never fished with anyone who uses them – so I’ve been learning on my own. This was about my 10th time to use them. I was letting my ball down (manual walker lakemaster rigger) and I didn’t suddenly stop it but the wire snapped, so I lost the terminator, ball, lure etc (expensive loss!).

Do ya’ll have any explanation or advice about this?

Also, I see that cabela’s sells “snubbersâ€Â

[Shellback]

The wire tends to show wear and acquire kinks near the ball. I'd say you just had some tough luck. Cannon sells a nice terminator kit with the snap swivel to repair the end. I'd either pull 6 or 8 feet of cable off and put a new end on, or you could pull all the cable off, and rewind it from the other end. As far releases, I like the Black's, they are adjustable tension so you can set them how you like, for the fish you are targeting.

[Sluggo / NY]

I agree.. just bad luck! I really don't see a need to run a snubber on the cable. As for releases.. Blacks are good.. I like Roemer's.. just keep trying them till you find the ones you like. Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[dremarquis]

Shellback and Chris,

thanks a bunch for your info and advice.

i appreciate it,

andre

[Shellback]

Not sure if you are using braided line or not, but they can be a little tougher to use with a pinchpad release. I think they recommend running the line thru the pad, around the outside of the clip, and back thru the pad a second time.

[LongLine]

Andre - Always inspect your cable before you hit the water. Kinks and bad crimps always let loose at the wrong time. If your cable gets curled, bent at 90 deg or caught in your tackle box lid, you can be sure a kink is on the way. Some guys think you can but you can't straighten out a kink.

I'm not really familiar w/ the type rigger you have but can tell you that if it's a short arm and you do a lot of bottom bouncing, the last 2 ft of cable will take a real beating.

I got some of those plastic gizmos (terminals) with the cannons I bought and the 1st thing I did was throw them away. I always use one of those metal "horse-shoe" gizmos and double crimp (with a crimp tool) the swivel/snap.

I also reconnect everything at least once during the summer whether it needs it or not.

H.I.H.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[dremarquis]

Tom - thanks for the advice - very helpful.

Shellback - you're correct - i am using braided line - i'll try your suggestion -- thanks a bunch.

tight lines,

andre

[IRISH56]

If you're gonna stick with braided line for rigger rods I would lose the pinch pads altogether and go with either Black's or Roemer releases. Remember also that the braid has a lot less stretch than mono so you may not wish to load up the rod so much, that goes for any type of release.

For what it's worth, as it gets closer to summer you're gonna hate having the braided line when the fleas show up. They'll cling to the braided line like mad.

DAN

[waterlogged]

Dremarquis,

We run the Scotty releases also. We run both sizes depending on what pound test we are running on the rods. The larger ones will hold a tighter "load" in the rod especially at the depths you mentioned but they will not allow you to load the rigger rod as heavy as if you are using the blacks releases (which we previously ran and occasionally still do).

Clarke