Where do I get 20lb downrigger balls?

[Surffx]

I am looking to find somewhere online or retail to buy 20lb downrigger weights. My searches thus far have come up empty. It seems most places only go up to the 12-14lb range.

Anyone know where I can get them?

Thanks!!

 

[dingbat]

I had no problems finding mine on eBay

 

[Scott Danforth]

local bait shop / marina

 

[Old Ironmaker]

May I ask, why so heavy?

 

[dingbat]

May I ask, why so heavy?

To reduce blow back from depth, speed, lure size or a combination of all three.

 

[Sprig]

I have trolled with downriggers for 20 years for various species. The heaviest dr weights I use is 12 lbs. For trout and striper I troll up to 5 mph and there is some blow back but it’s not bad. The problem with 20 lb weights is that it will cut your downriggers retrieval speed by half or more and use up battery reserve faster. Out of curiosity what species do you fish for, how deep and how fast?

 

[dingbat]

I have trolled with downriggers for 20 years for various species. The heaviest dr weights I use is 12 lbs. For trout and striper I troll up to 5 mph and there is some blow back but it’s not bad. The problem with 20 lb weights is that it will cut your downriggers retrieval speed by half or more and use up battery reserve faster. Out of curiosity what species do you fish for, how deep and how fast?

Inshore / offshore. Stripers, King Mackerel and Red Drum

Deepest is 40 ft. Typically in the 20-25 ft. range. Boat speed typical 2.5 to 3.5 but have to deal with 3 to 3.5 kt. tide as well.

Running cross tide is the worst situation. #12 ball barely keeps the line out of the prop

The drag from pulling 6 arm umbrellas rigged with 9" shad teasers and a 8-10 oz. parachute rigged with a 12" shad is considerable. Guessing they're pushing #7-9 of drag alone.

Manual riggers, Saltwater and electric motors don't play well together

 

[Sprig]

That’s interesting, thanks for the info. Pulling up 20 lb weights on manuals you’ll have arms like Hercules.

 

[Surffx]

Sorry I haven't responded. I thought it was going to email when I got a reply but it did'nt and I forgot to check the post.

The heaviest I can find on ebay is 15lb.

The reason I am interested in them is that I fish lake Tahoe for lake trout. sometimes as deep at 400 feet!! So the blow back is definitely a problem.

 

[sam am I]

https://sharktrollingproducts.com/shark-superstore/

Fished Tahoe for Mac's and Kokanee few times when I lived down that way.....Beautiful lake!

 

[Surffx]

Thanks Sam for the link. I do have a question about those. I have never used downrigger weights with only one eyelet. How does that work? I assume you connect the downrigger to the existing eyelet. Where do you connect your release?

 

[bruceb58]

I have a house on Lake Tahoe. Used to troll years ago with my dad for kokanee salmon. Now that I am retired, I plan to start doing that again.

 

[sam am I]

Thanks Sam for the link. I do have a question about those. I have never used downrigger weights with only one eyelet. How does that work? I assume you connect the downrigger to the existing eyelet. Where do you connect your release?

See Image/Write up at bottom of page

Depends.............Sorta user preference, lots of options out there for single eyelets, just scout around a lil. You can also just insert a release in the drop line with some designs or just snap clip into/off the single eyelet with others

I use and like these for inlines.........

Some old schools guys just use a rubber band tied to the main drop line as a break away release.

The loose end of the rubber band (his left hand) is to be tied through the single eyelet (not shown).

 

[dingbat]

Better yet, go with a Black’s release clip assembly. Keeps the ball in the water while setting the clip.

Having said that, I hate the lever type release clips. Hard to use hanging off the back and too many false trips.

Swapped it out for Scotty clips on a 24” leader. Price of cake to set

 

[sam am I]

Agreed, Black's are a very good product as well........


And as far as stackers types go, I've used Black's sliders/stackers, and those work ok for me but, found I liked chamblerlain stacker's more for their versatility.

Chanberlain's stackers can be added anywhere on the main drop line just like black's slider/stacker do but, Chamberlain's work differently as the guy shows in the vid. You can adj them so you can reel down on the rod so tight that the rod is bent over in the water (obviously, little or no line bowing reduces wind in slack when fish pulls release) and yet, the release force can be set so light, that a minnow just pecking the bait will set off the release if you want..........

This type/design of release works very well for the smaller Kokanee (and trout) but, can be quickly/easily be adjusted up for bigger fish (Mac's, Chinook, Kamloops) where yes, the black's work similarly as well.......Chamberlain's for me, are more of a 2 in 1 design I suppose.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Just last week we were having a discussion about downrigging. There was a time just a few years back that if you didn't downrig you weren't getting the fish. Less and less of us are downrigging. It's mostly Dipsy Divers, Jet Divers, Leadcore and side planner boards. With the new and detailed graphics on the sonar I can see bait balls scatter when the rigger line goes through them. It is believed the sound of the wire line to the ball spooks them. Those fish must evolve quickly or are smarter than we think. I don't even bother lugging them out on the water for the last 4 years.

We set a release to the line above the ball, sometimes well above the ball depending on where the baitfish and gamefish are suspended and what the dive depth on the tackle is if any. Current, boat speed and speed and weight of the ball is taken into consideration as well as the angle of the vertical cable and the depth of the ball. That's a lot of guessing, not so much with a Dipsy, Jet Diver or Leadcore.

 

[sam am I]

Lol........This is why i'd rather be throwing crankbaits for smallies, too much guess work and trolling bores me to death!! :sleeping:

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Lol........This is why i'd rather be throwing crankbaits for smallies, too much guess work and trolling bores me to death!! :sleeping:

Trolling bores the hell out of me too sam. But get a 10 pound Walleye, a 30 lb King or a nice 12 lb Steelhead on and the boredom goes away real fast. I fished 99% for Smallies up to 5 years ago. I caught them all so decided to switch up!!

 

[sam am I]

That's where they all went!!............Agreed, big'ums sure pump you up, I've hoof'd in my share of Chinook, kamloops, Mac's, Steelhead, Pike and Tiger Musky and the like, even won $5K one year with the biggest Kam, all tons of fun, no doubt............Just went to smallies (some here finally getting in the 6-7lbs class) more I guess because it took too long between those big fish to hold my interest I reckon, maybe I'm too hyper. I troll quite a bit thou for Kokanee in the fall with Dad, nice to relax and drink a cup of coffee between catching limits on those but, it's a more of a fast pace trolling action I can do when the land locked Socky's are running pre-spawn.