Down rigger tips
- Thread starter wildthing
- Start date
dance a jig
Active Member
Dave S, I also use the same security bolts as you, but only use one per rigger with 3 of the standard scotty knobs. My thinking is the casual thief will see the security bolt and target somewhere else. DAJ
They have so Brilliant ideas!
I have been fishing this year since March 2012 to now.
I lost three times for the 13 lbs pancake weight which cost me around $ 45.00 each and I lost 7 times for the release clip which cost me around $ 15.00 each. That is a lot of money and a short time fishing. First lost the weight was snack on the bottom. Second lost weight was the wire cable did not knot on the spool. I helped him to put new 150 test pound wire cable on it and I lost my 3rd 13 lbs weight from troll and snap it. We trolled from 70 feet on 150 feet water. what is cause the wire cable got snap? It was a brad new 150 test lbs cable.
That made me so frustrated and I did not catch any big springs!
I have been fishing this year since March 2012 to now.
I lost three times for the 13 lbs pancake weight which cost me around $ 45.00 each and I lost 7 times for the release clip which cost me around $ 15.00 each. That is a lot of money and a short time fishing. First lost the weight was snack on the bottom. Second lost weight was the wire cable did not knot on the spool. I helped him to put new 150 test pound wire cable on it and I lost my 3rd 13 lbs weight from troll and snap it. We trolled from 70 feet on 150 feet water. what is cause the wire cable got snap? It was a brad new 150 test lbs cable.
That made me so frustrated and I did not catch any big springs!
Never blown a fuse but have heard the rigger make a very lound grating sound as if a clutch or gear teeth are sliping for a second or so when someone brings it up hits the pully and can't release the button fast enough.
One of my HP's is at the Scotty factory for repairs right now because a fishing buddy slamed it into the pully and broke something inside. I also use the gagnion (cord) swivel stopper method) on the one HP rigger I have braid on. More recently I put one of my High Speeds on one side for the deepline and a Reg speed rigger on the other side for my less experienced friends to use. The reg speed ones are far more forgiving and If I am going to drop $70. worth of my gear I would rather I do it than them.That said I am convinced the hose bumper method does save gear on the HP's as it takes the shock when you make a mistake. I guess it does give you a tiny bit more drag/blow back but with a twenty lb ball that is less of an issue.
It would have been nice had Scotty built in a two position button. One for high speed retrive and one for slow speed retrive when you are trying to bring it up a short distance when you are past the stopper.
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Dave S
Active Member
Tell your mates that anything they break or lose while on board will cost them the replacement value. Maybe they'll be a little more cautious with the gear then.
Its not really them. When I say less experienced I mean with high speed riggers. Most people are use to the slower riggers and the HP's are very unforgiving. I have hit the rigger pully with them myself lots hence the hose bumper. I try to be extra careful with them and I am more use to them than those who don't use one all the time. Switching back and forth between High speed and normal speed riggers may be problematic as you get use to the timing for pressing the button on the low speed rigger and then the high speed fools you.
PS - Just talked to Scotty and my high speed is ready to go. They just put the newer style gear drive in it if I understood them correctly. You have to love their service and warranty and it is great to have the factory in our backyard
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hambone
Well-Known Member
This past season we switched to braided rigger line and also used the tuna cord/stopper system directly above the cannon ball. I highly recommend converting to this method, it works flawlessly! But with the braided rigger line, I wasn't sure of the best system for running a clip higher up the line when either running a lure above a dummy flasher or when stacking rods. What is the best way to do this so that the clip and even the stopper beads don't slide on the thin diameter braid? is it as simple as just using multiple stopper beads or is there a better way. thanks in advance.
Hookin'up
Well-Known Member
what I did and seems to work well was to put some heat shrink over the center spring piece of the clip this gives it a little extra bite
without crimping anything onto the braid
Derby
Crew Member
firelight
Active Member
I've been using the gangion or tuna cord method and like it for sure. For stacking I've put 30 ft of gangion on so I can stack that far apart and still have the knot as a stopper.
hambone
Well-Known Member
I'm wondering if you could splice something into the braid to act as a stopper and/or to use as a spot to snap the release clip on....
The braid so thin it might not be possible without damaging it..... Be nice to have something permanent that could easily spool on the rigger and never slide up or down on the line.
Maybe its time to rethink the snaps that are designed for wire, not braid.
Looking forward to your set up Derby.
The braid so thin it might not be possible without damaging it..... Be nice to have something permanent that could easily spool on the rigger and never slide up or down on the line.
Maybe its time to rethink the snaps that are designed for wire, not braid.
Looking forward to your set up Derby.
Barnacle Bill
Well-Known Member
Hambone, maybe a piece of rubber tubbing on the stainless steel snap? .............BB
hambone
Well-Known Member
Some tubing on the snaps so it holds nice and snug but is gentle on the braid and some auto-stop beads sinched down with some whipping twine or something so they cant move. Thanks for the idea BB, worth trying out for sure.
Hookin'up
Well-Known Member
like I said earlier, get yourself some heat shrinkable tubing(any hardware, electrical or auto/marine supply store will have it) and slide it over the end of the clip, heat it and shrink it right on,
holds tight on the braid and stops abrasion.
Downrigger Disaster Recovery Procedure.
Had a major problem with one of my HP riggers recently. Was in 130 feet of water and drop the 20 lb ball on the bottom and got a little bounce which resulted in the braid getting off the spool hit the button without noticing and the braid wrapped around under the brake and broke from the amazing amount of torque the HP’s are capable of putting out. Everything happens fast on an HP rigger. First time I have ever had this happen on a power Scotty. The ball was not yet lost as even though the braid was broken it was wedged tight around the shaft/brake and holding the ball.
Now I am thinking there is no way we are hand lining braid up 130 feet with a 20lb ball attached even with gloves and wrapping it around a wood fish club to pull and was ready to cut it loose.
Luckily the fishing buddy I was fishing with is an amazing, inventor/fabricator kind of guy and once had cable get off the spool and rap around the shaft under the spool so he was ready for this disaster. First he tells me to head out to deep water. He then reaches into his backpack and pulls out a hand made emergency clamp he had made up. It is two pieces of rectangular wood about 7 inches long with 3 stainless bolts through them with large washers and wingnuts. He places the clamp on the braid back of the big eye guide on the rigger and up against it and tells me the clamp provides sufficient friction to hold the braid and ball while the rigger is worked on without damaging the braid/steel type downrigger cable. He tried vice grips before inventing his clamp but they don’t work well and can cause damage.
Now that the broken off braid and ball are secure, he then pulls out a socket ratchet and removes the rigger spool and brake plate and unwraps the braid from around the shaft and knots the now loose braid line attached to the ball to the remaining braid on the spool. Then reassembles the rigger, adjusts the brake, removes the clamp, hits the button and the ball comes up. Brilliant!
It is a rare event to get braid or steel cable off the spool and under it or around the shaft but this device is a ball/cable saver if it ever happens, especially with a heavy ball down deep.
It is worth making up one of these clamps. You may never need it but it is good insurance.
Had a major problem with one of my HP riggers recently. Was in 130 feet of water and drop the 20 lb ball on the bottom and got a little bounce which resulted in the braid getting off the spool hit the button without noticing and the braid wrapped around under the brake and broke from the amazing amount of torque the HP’s are capable of putting out. Everything happens fast on an HP rigger. First time I have ever had this happen on a power Scotty. The ball was not yet lost as even though the braid was broken it was wedged tight around the shaft/brake and holding the ball.
Now I am thinking there is no way we are hand lining braid up 130 feet with a 20lb ball attached even with gloves and wrapping it around a wood fish club to pull and was ready to cut it loose.
Luckily the fishing buddy I was fishing with is an amazing, inventor/fabricator kind of guy and once had cable get off the spool and rap around the shaft under the spool so he was ready for this disaster. First he tells me to head out to deep water. He then reaches into his backpack and pulls out a hand made emergency clamp he had made up. It is two pieces of rectangular wood about 7 inches long with 3 stainless bolts through them with large washers and wingnuts. He places the clamp on the braid back of the big eye guide on the rigger and up against it and tells me the clamp provides sufficient friction to hold the braid and ball while the rigger is worked on without damaging the braid/steel type downrigger cable. He tried vice grips before inventing his clamp but they don’t work well and can cause damage.
Now that the broken off braid and ball are secure, he then pulls out a socket ratchet and removes the rigger spool and brake plate and unwraps the braid from around the shaft and knots the now loose braid line attached to the ball to the remaining braid on the spool. Then reassembles the rigger, adjusts the brake, removes the clamp, hits the button and the ball comes up. Brilliant!
It is a rare event to get braid or steel cable off the spool and under it or around the shaft but this device is a ball/cable saver if it ever happens, especially with a heavy ball down deep.
It is worth making up one of these clamps. You may never need it but it is good insurance.
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scott craven
Well-Known Member
It's happened on my boat 2 or 3 times always as a result from someone dropping the ball too quick.
when it hits bottom there is enough slack to jump the spool, and once the up button is hit you have a mess on your hands.
when it hits bottom there is enough slack to jump the spool, and once the up button is hit you have a mess on your hands.
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Peahead
Well-Known Member
Realizing Wildthing's intitial post on this thread was posted last year, I am only reading the detail now -I really like this realease set up using the "double" Scotty power realease clip, Thanks Wildthing. Also pardon me for possibly asking what may already have been asked but because there are 12 pages with 118 responses for me to read , I '' ll save some time and just ask anyway
I presently use the stainless snaps on the end of a 40"-50" mono tag line to attach to downrigger cable -the Scotty power clip being my choice of release clip to line. For me I'd absolutely want to rig your set up with a long tag line on the release to cable (so that shakers can be seen hitting lines as well long enough tag line as to reach cable when you attach it)
My questions
1) - when using this 'double power release clip, does the release that clamps onto (stainless steel) downrigger cable ever release prematurely with the drag of a flasher and then slide down the cable ?
2) Does the clamp/pad of the Scotty power realease clip wear out or loose its holding power onto the Stainless cable after time?
I still have not gone braid on my riggers and I understand braid being thinner would likely have this sort of "slipping" issue such as it does with a stainless style snap to attach to the cable ( and the use of rubber tubing to stop slippage) . I 'd rather not have to deal with "stops" at all when stacking no matter what type of downrigger line I was using
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wildthing
Well-Known Member
hi Peahead
no worries i am using scotty braid and have been stacking of late
so the clip that the innner one affixes to the braid and the one thats opened up snaps on to the rod mainline
the snap link keeps it affixed to the down rigger braid.
so far the once have bumped the clip the off rigger line when pulling up for a release
and have to be careful when bringing stacked gear up did slide the holding clip through 20' of braid until it hit the loop knot by the gangion
just use a red stopper for briads and the old green and blacks for wire
for stacked line stoppers cause in the heat of the moment its quite easy to forget
tight lines john
