Favorite Downriggers

[dness]

I'm setting up a boat for salmon fishing on lake Michigan next year. Just wondering what opinions and experience others have had with various brands of downriggers. I'm looking for mid-priced electric units (4-600.00) and wondering about reliability, speed, and what folks like or dislike about certain brands/models. I'll probably be in 100-150' of water most of the time. Any thoughts?

 

[Belchy]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

I currently run a pair of big jon captain's pac with swivil base. Little slower, but gives me time to bring in the line or set hooks while the ball is retreiving. The only thing its missing and i wish it came with would be the auto shut off.

Belchy

 

[Pescadora]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

My buddy from Michigan pooh-pooed my Cannon Mag20's until he came out to visit this year. When the action was hot and heavy (like a fish on every seven minutes), that 235ft/sec retrieve while you were fighting, or when you missed the strike, made all the difference. We fish in 150-200ft of water.

Look for the deals. Cabela had the Mag20's on sale in January last year. I got two more Mag15's later at a local place. $650 each for all four. The Mag15 come's up at the same speed as the 20's, but go down slower. That soft stop is great. Fight the fish. Net it and redeploy. The weight is up and waiting.

 

[dness]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

Is there a clutch that can be disengaged on the Mag 15 and let the ball "free fall"? I was out with some guys this summer and that's how they always put their weights down. How about the big Jon's, how are they at setting the weights down?

Thanks for the input guys, Anyone else with some info?

 

[Fishmore]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

Personnally I like my Scotty Long arm manual downriggers but I don't usually send them down deeper than 70'. If I was going deeper I would prefer electrics. The manuals are easier to maintain in the Saltwater which is not a problem for you. I also switched from cable to 200lb Spectra. The Spectra eliminates the electrical charge on the cable and holds up real well. In addition you get less blow back due to the narrow profile of the line vs the round (and larger) cross section on a cable. My friend runs electrics and due to the big bounce when the weight gets to the top he has to re-do his cable to ball connections several times a year or he loses his balls. I think a rubber snubber could help with that though. Hope this helps.

 

[Pescadora]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

This is what I like about the Cannon. Soft stop. As the current flowing out of the uncoated steel cable tapers off in the last 5-6 feet, the motor slows down. The weight comes gently to the surface where you snug it in with a retrieval pulley system. Yes there is a clutch that you can use to let the weight creep down.

We don't cuz slow to get down is missed fishin' time. Drop 8-9 feet, pause a second, let it go again. STill takes a while to get to 200ft. Shimano Charter specials, with lever drag set to min, release set to 12lb. take the rig down without burning the heck out of your thumbs.

 

[dness]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

Thanks again for the help guys, I think I'll look at the Cannon's and check Cabella's on line store. Anyone else have an opinion?

 

[imported_ryno]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

Definitely go electric, you'll appreciate that in the long run. Unfortunately I went with the cheaper electrics, the Cannon Mini-mags. Better than hand cranking, but I wish I had auto stop. Sometimes that ball hits hard enough, I think eventually its going to rip out!

 

[joblo33]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

Scotty electrics are nice for the auto-stop, freewheeling down (clutch instead of motor driven), and the wide range of accessories and mounting options. I love em, but to be fair I've never tried another brand.
Eric

 

[Barlow]

Re: Favorite Downriggers

Big Jons Here .. The Cannon's are nice but, I prefer the Big Jons.

If you want speed up and down ...look for some old Riviera's (red motor cover). I had a set of 4 when I first got my big boat and we nick named 'em "The Crack Heads".. 2 in particular were so fast it had to be drug related.