DOWNRIGGER WEIGHT RETRIEVER

[Gear'n'beer!]

Imagine your gaff weighed a fraction of that though and it was attached to your rigger so it couldn't fall off and you had one on each side so you didn't have to move it around or search for it and it would lock itself in place so you could have two hands free? Imagine that...

Oh I can imagine, I have tried the retreivers on other people’s boats. Not a fan. Too much junk hanging off the boat. my gaff is always in the same place middle of engine well on the motor side. I can reach it easily from all 3 riggers no problem, but my boat is 8’6 not 12’. I like my gaff, not much of a net fan either.....keep it simple. I got enough going on back there.

 

[Rain City]

Oh I can imagine, I have tried the retreivers on other people’s boats. Not a fan. Too much junk hanging off the boat. my gaff is always in the same place middle of engine well on the motor side. I can reach it easily from all 3 riggers no problem, but my boat is 8’6 not 12’. I like my gaff, not much of a net fan either.....keep it simple. I got enough going on back there.View attachment 61303

I'd love to watch you in action. I'm always jealous of the solo gaff guys.

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

Way easier than with a net solo.....and sometimes it’s just fun to run some cold hard ss through a fishes head. Only time I ever thought this was a good idea Though.

 

[Sir Reel]

I mount the cleats on the side of the base. They fit there perfectly and stay with the downrigger when you take them off. Out of the way too.
When I ran wire I found that you get groves in the plastic thimbles. If you change to braid you need to replace them or will chafe and cut your line.

 

[Sir Reel]

I find my gaff is about the easiest/quickest way to get my Scotty clips. I have jam cleats catchAll left over from rigging my sail boat you can have if your around SVI.

RC I don't extend my booms and use a gaff to grab the clip. Have not had any problems with props and I run on my mains.

 

[seabeyond]

When you mount the cleats on the rigger bases do so in an orientation so your not abrading the teeth of the cleat when you pull the string through. I wore out the teeth on a couple sets pretty quick before figuring that out. I primarily like them as kelp catchers too.

 

[Sir Reel]

When you mount the cleats on the rigger bases do so in an orientation so your not abrading the teeth of the cleat when you pull the string through. I wore out the teeth on a couple sets pretty quick before figuring that out. I primarily like them as kelp catchers too.

They are only meant to be mounted in one direction to work properly. After dropping and setting your line if you pull up a bit on the string you can bring the thimble up the line clear of the water and avoid weed

 

[seabeyond]

They are only meant to be mounted in one direction to work properly. After dropping and setting your line if you pull up a bit on the string you can bring the thimble up the line clear of the water and avoid weed

Yes, I understand that I'm not mounting them 180° in the wrong direction. If they are mounted so that when you pull the string toward you to retieve your ball the string runs through the teeth in time it wears the teeth out. Eventually the teeth no longer grab the string when you release your hand and want them device to hold the tension (and support the rigger weight close to the boat). It's plastic so repetitive use kills them. If you play with the angle at which you mount them on your swivel or base relative to where you generally stand when pulling the string then the string will track along the top and not wear out the teeth. It was taking me 40 or so days to burn through a set but that meant replacing them a couple times the first year. Haven't replaced a set since.
I don't Use them every day but there's a time and a place. Fishing deep in the tides, ****** weather, back ***** the bed and decide it doesn't want to reach nor lift the ball for a couple days, or it'sa salad festival.
Just one more tool in the box .... hope that makes sense.

 

[The Green Bastard]

Yes, I understand that I'm not mounting them 180° in the wrong direction. If they are mounted so that when you pull the string toward you to retieve your ball the string runs through the teeth in time it wears the teeth out. Eventually the teeth no longer grab the string when you release your hand and want them device to hold the tension (and support the rigger weight close to the boat). It's plastic so repetitive use kills them. If you play with the angle at which you mount them on your swivel or base relative to where you generally stand when pulling the string then the string will track along the top and not wear out the teeth. It was taking me 40 or so days to burn through a set but that meant replacing them a couple times the first year. Haven't replaced a set since.
I don't Use them every day but there's a time and a place. Fishing deep in the tides, ****** weather, back ***** the bed and decide it doesn't want to reach nor lift the ball for a couple days, or it'sa salad festival.
Just one more tool in the box .... hope that makes sense.

I had the same issue with the teeth wearing out. I picked up an aluminum version of that part from Trotac and it has lasted longer than the plastic scotty part for sure. I think they are called clam cleats maybe

 

[Rain City]

I had the same issue with the teeth wearing out. I picked up an aluminum version of that part from Trotac and it has lasted longer than the plastic scotty part for sure. I think they are called clam cleats maybe

Link? That sounds great

 

[Sir Reel]

I had the same issue with the teeth wearing out. I picked up an aluminum version of that part from Trotac and it has lasted longer than the plastic scotty part for sure. I think they are called clam cleats maybe

I used mine for 5 or 6 years no problems. On my previous boat the cleat ended up being about waist height and was horizontal on the base so it was easy with just a straight arm to pull the rope. You could get an aluminum jam cleat

Clamcleats® | West Marine

Check out our Clamcleats® and more from West Marine!

www.westmarine.com

 

[gunnerlove]

I used to run long lines between my clips and DR line. Then decided to go with short <12" lines. Now when I pull up the ball It is held close by the retriever till I clip in and let the ball out.

 

[chromatose007]

Ya know what I do?
When the C-ball is at the surface, I grab the boom and tilt up
Magically the C-ball comes RIGHT to you. Weird! I KNOW!

 

[wildthing]

Ya know what I do?
When the C-ball is at the surface, I grab the boom and tilt up
Magically the C-ball comes RIGHT to you. Weird! I KNOW!

and you do this with rod in hand, fish on and net in other on a bucking sea ?????

the idea is to pull the cannonball out the way(playing a fish) or for when the booms extended to stack gear ....
try fishing solo a few times and with 18lbers the swinging up and grabbing an 18lber is not that great an idea .. all the while you got a decent spring on goodluck ....
everyone's a race car driver until you actually sit in with one ....

 

[chromatose007]

and you do this with rod in hand, fish on and net in other on a bucking sea ?????

the idea is to pull the cannonball out the way(playing a fish) or for when the booms extended to stack gear ....
try fishing solo a few times and with 18lbers the swinging up and grabbing an 18lber is not that great an idea .. all the while you got a decent spring on goodluck ....
everyone's a race car driver until you actually sit in with one ....

I was a professional guide so... I know from whence I speak...
You are somewhat correct IF you are a chow in a boat by yourself.
Otherwise, school the crew in the process and land some fish...

 

[advTHXance]

This is all getting a bit silly. Different boats have different setups and needs. The thing about guiding is you never actually have to play a fish, so you always have 2 hands free to do whatever you like. Not everybody has a guide or is a guide. The downrigger weight retreivers certainly have their use.

 

[J-GLOBAL]

I like them. The only issue being the little figure 8 thing that connects the clip on the string to the yellow part fails (over time) when all the other parts are fine.

AFAIK Scotty doesn't sell just that part.

 

[Rain City]

I like them. The only issue being the little figure 8 thing that connects the clip on the string to the yellow part fails (over time) when all the other parts are fine.

AFAIK Scotty doesn't sell just that part.

I just replaced it with a zap strap.

 

[Baxter]

Does anybody use these NO. 3025 DOWNRIGGER WEIGHT RETRIEVER.
Pros and cons with them.
Do any of the downrigger release clips get cought up on the Weight retriever.

I use it, and I love it. Have had zero issues. With the extendable booms it makes things WAY easier and safer for sure.

 

[Baxter]

I'm old school...lift the boom and use longer clips. Fiddling with a retriever takes too much time for me.

Problem with this is you can easily end up smashing the cannonball into the side of the boat. I find the retriever faster/easier.