Scotty Downrigger Release Clip Modification For Braid/Stronger Grasp

[wildthing]

I have a problem with the clip not holding on my top shot I wonder if a higher pound test would help? Does it help to rough up the surfaces of the clip with say sandpaper?

if your running 25lb line + then just change out to new pads
if there old and worn ..
or set the std clip to the stronger setting and put it right to the back not just to the marker in the middle see if that works .
but keep a check on clip as its quite easy for it to go back the std setting hence why a few guys do the bead / pipe trick..
or do the mod OP has shown .... little bit of setting it up but once you got it working ... then just new pads once or twice a season.

 

[Mako 22]

Another way. Hard nylon bushing. Replaces the black sliding Scotty adjuster. Vary the bushing length for more or less tension. 300 pound mono.

 

[AlK]

Another way. Hard nylon bushing. Replaces the black sliding Scotty adjuster. Vary the bushing length for more or less tension. 300 pound mono.

Instead of the nylon bushing I used a piece of fuel hose.

 

[Mako 22]

Instead of the nylon bushing I used a piece of fuel hose.

I tried the fuel hose but by accident I found some of the nylon bushings in my hardware stash. I like the bushings and I think give a more consistent "grab" to the clip.

Find the nylon bushings in any good hardware store that has the screws/fasteners assortments in the gray metal sliding boxes. They come in various lengths.

But in reality anything is better than the standard scotty slider!!!

There is an old thread years ago that shows use of the fuel hose on the Scotty clips.

 

[Sharphooks]

We all find our private little fishing tweaks that work well for us but me? I’m all in on mono top shots tied to my braid. For years I used 30 feet of 25 lb test. I just returned from a three week expedition to North Coast where I got in to stupid amounts of fish day after day after day. I stepped up the mono top shot to 30 feet of 50 lb test. Held just fine in the clip and I got into true production C&R —-got the fish to the side of the boat, grabbed the 50 lb test top shot with my left hand, right hand held the gaff ——lifted the fish out of the water just enough to get the gaff into the bend of the hook— one quick shake and the fish was free and clear and on his way. No muss, no fuss, and no cut fingers!

First trip in years I came home with zero damage to my hands from releasing fish—— I owe it all to moving up to a heavier mono top shot.

I cringe thinking of releasing a fish while holding braid in my hand....yikes....playing with fire.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

We all find our private little fishing tweaks that work well for us but me? I’m all in on mono top shots tied to my braid. For years I used 30 feet of 25 lb test. I just returned from a three week expedition to North Coast where I got in to stupid amounts of fish day after day after day. I stepped up the mono top shot to 30 feet of 50 lb test. Held just fine in the clip and I got into true production C&R —-got the fish to the side of the boat, grabbed the 50 lb test top shot with my left hand, right hand held the gaff ——lifted the fish out of the water just enough to get the gaff into the bend of the hook— one quick shake and the fish was free and clear and on his way. No muss, no fuss, and no cut fingers!

First trip in years I came home with zero damage to my hands from releasing fish—— I owe it all to moving up to a heavier mono top shot.

I cringe thinking of releasing a fish while holding braid in my hand....yikes....playing with fire.

Hey Sharphooks that sounds super efficient and hopefully we will see one of your famous reports soon!
One question i have about the release and grabbing the top shot 50lb test. I’m trying to visualize the release Were you fishing with super short leaders? Or do
You just tie a spoon or plug to the top shot?

 

[Ian wagner]

We all find our private little fishing tweaks that work well for us but me? I’m all in on mono top shots tied to my braid. For years I used 30 feet of 25 lb test. I just returned from a three week expedition to North Coast where I got in to stupid amounts of fish day after day after day. I stepped up the mono top shot to 30 feet of 50 lb test. Held just fine in the clip and I got into true production C&R —-got the fish to the side of the boat, grabbed the 50 lb test top shot with my left hand, right hand held the gaff ——lifted the fish out of the water just enough to get the gaff into the bend of the hook— one quick shake and the fish was free and clear and on his way. No muss, no fuss, and no cut fingers!

First trip in years I came home with zero damage to my hands from releasing fish—— I owe it all to moving up to a heavier mono top shot.

I cringe thinking of releasing a fish while holding braid in my hand....yikes....playing with fire.

What took you so long I use 60 makes it so much easier to handle fish boat side bye hand people need to understand using light line is not sporting when over playing fish for release and now more time for seals to kill that fish that you have hooked and enabled it's ability to avoid the seal

 

[Sharphooks]

Hey Sharphooks that sounds super efficient and hopefully we will see one of your famous reports soon!
One question i have about the release and grabbing the top shot 50lb test. I’m trying to visualize the release Were you fishing with super short leaders? Or do
You just tie a spoon or plug to the top shot?

I attached a 30 foot section of 50 lb test mono to my braid with a double Uni knot. Then a barrel swivel was attached to the end of the mono top shot. Then another approx. one meter length of 50 lb test (my leader) and at the end of that, a spoon.

Fished spoons hot and heavy this trip. They were consistent spring killers—-no flasher, just a straight spoon. The barrel swivel was critical —-numerous rockfish by-catch hook-ups on the spoon while fishing springs. They tend to spin on the retrieval and can destroy a leader set-up in no time if you don’t put a good quality swivel into the mix. When I fished bait, same set-up, but the leader I attached to the swivel was typically 25 - 30 lb test

 

[Mako 22]

60 pound Yama. Pro troller's choice. I use a 30 foot top shot from the braid to the lure. Works great in the release clip and is easy on the hands. Strong also, I have never had a failure, started using Yama in the early 1980's for all leaders and top shots.

 

[Fishalot]

I have been using 40 lb with a FG knot. Not sure it would work on heavier mono. Is double Uni knot a better choice?

 

[Sharphooks]

I have been using 40 lb with a FG knot. Not sure it would work on heavier mono. Is double Uni knot a better choice?

If your knot works, stick with it. I use the double Uni only because it passes through my tip top guide with out a lot of racket. When I used 25 lb test for the top shot, I doubled the mono over on itself for the knot which worked. With the 50 lb test, no need to double it over

 

[fshnfnatic]

60 pound Yama. Pro troller's choice. I use a 30 foot top shot from the braid to the lure. Works great in the release clip and is easy on the hands. Strong also, I have never had a failure, started using Yama in the early 1980's for all leaders and top shots.

That Yama-Line is great stuff.We used nothing but when I commercial trolled back in the late 80"s/early 90's.We'd use 50lb.test for hoochie tails and 60 lb. for plugs on 20 fathom leaders.Hauled in literally 1000's of Springs on the stuff with very very few break offs.