HP Downriggers worth the upgrade?

I like em, but they take some getting used to at first. They come up really fast, so a couple of learnings. 1) use at least a 15 pound ball....lighter one's can rocket out of the water. 2) use a longer stop or if you use a lanyard like I do, make it long enough that the cannon ball stops under the water surface to avoid things flying around. 3) be very careful on the green button when the ball is close to the boom pully...it comes up really fast.

The best thing about them is that if you fish in deep water the gear comes up faster than you can reel in your line if you miss a fish....you won't be waiting around for the rigger.
 
As Searun said......
3) be very careful on the green button when the ball is close to the boom pully...it comes up really fast.

Especially if you have a rookie or the wife on board!
Cost of new snubber, 20 lb ball , release clip, and cut on tongue from bitting
 
They are much nicer units but I’m not a fan of the digital display other than being able to zero them easily. It seems that some last longer than others but you should carry a spare. If you see signs of it getting cloudy replace it and let it dry out and can be used as a spare to the spare...lol
 
How deep do you fish usually?
They are nice when fishing deep, especially for gear checks and accidental pop offs.
 
Rain City said:
No more clunkety clunkety clunkety either.
Click to expand...
thats the best part !!!!!!!!!
ive tried them dont really think personally its worth it if you are fishing above a 100 feet , I do love the display mind you but some number dont exist on some of them and at end of day usually numbers are out. like other said carry extra cannon balls you will lose a few at beginning. I see now some are putting the counters inside and drilling a see thru hole on them...
I still have a old 2 belt one that im still using, and thats a dinosaur .....why change???
 
wolf said:
thats the best part !!!!!!!!!
ive tried them dont really think personally its worth it if you are fishing above a 100 feet , I do love the display mind you but some number dont exist on some of them and at end of day usually numbers are out. like other said carry extra cannon balls you will lose a few at beginning. I see now some are putting the counters inside and drilling a see thru hole on them...
I still have a old 2 belt one that im still using, and thats a dinosaur .....why change???
Click to expand...
I use the same ones....had them since 91. Still work great and i know how to fix them on the fly
 
Not worth it, they look more modern and the depth reset is nice, with that said the next set when the HP's get tiered will go back to the originals just keep a couple extra mechanical counters in your tackle box.
 
ReelSlim said:
They are much nicer units but I’m not a fan of the digital display other than being able to zero them easily. It seems that some last longer than others but you should carry a spare. If you see signs of it getting cloudy replace it and let it dry out and can be used as a spare to the spare...lol
Click to expand...

There are after market kits that add a redundant old style counter under the lid so if the digital one fails, you have a back up.

Also full on second counter on top of the lid as well.

Don’t have them...yet.

https://johnssportinggoods.com/scotty-2106-counter/
 
been out on so many boats where the counter decided to pack it in. also one day my buddy lost four cannons from the ball coming up fast and the weight of it dropping snapped the knots. i’ll keep my 1106’s
 
Pretty sure the counter problem has been corrected..... FYI if one does pack it in and you do t have a spare counter , you can take the lid off the other one and use it to put your rigger down to desired depth..... I’ve got 3 hp for few years now and had 1 counter fail as it was over tightened at the factory causing it to crack and take in moisture. Scotty was great they overnighted me 2 counters free of charge. As to knots breaking and loosing balls....Better learn to tie proper or better knots lol never had that happen and I use braid as well tied to a swivel then the usual tuna cord setup.
 
wolf said:
thats the best part !!!!!!!!!
ive tried them dont really think personally its worth it if you are fishing above a 100 feet , I do love the display mind you but some number dont exist on some of them and at end of day usually numbers are out. like other said carry extra cannon balls you will lose a few at beginning. I see now some are putting the counters inside and drilling a see thru hole on them...
I still have a old 2 belt one that im still using, and thats a dinosaur .....why change???
Click to expand...
I have two of those dinosaurs on my boat and they’re still catching fish 12 months/year. I’m just too cheap to upgrade.
 
I'm sticking with the old slow single belt version...I catch too many fish when the gear is on the way to the surface...as the change in depth and speed triggers a strike. I've been told it seldom happens with the HPs as they are just to fast.
 
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