Fish Assassin
Crew Member
Only ever seen that with fake Chinese braid. You sure it was real Power Pro?
You know how I fish and how much I fish do I have those issues... Nope
downrigger hooks
- Thread starter wayne marwood
- Start date
You know how I fish and how much I fish do I have those issues... Nope
Seafever
Well-Known Member
Possible weak point on braid occurs here in the pic where you can see that the pulley did not go back far enough on angle and braid is tracking on edge of pulley....
these pulleys and where they attach to the boom can get pretty stiff even though they are a swivel....
You want the pulley as free as it can be to move where it joins to the boom........
I've had this in pic happen a few times....
if there 's any nicks on the pulley it aggravates the situation........
these pulleys and where they attach to the boom can get pretty stiff even though they are a swivel....
You want the pulley as free as it can be to move where it joins to the boom........
I've had this in pic happen a few times....
if there 's any nicks on the pulley it aggravates the situation........
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Oh god fishing please pick up where back on down rigger wire vs braid again! We need fish!
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Save it Owen its like inboard and outboard same thing everyone has a preference....I do find it amusing we all get into this when fishing slows down...I miss the winter battles.
Fish Assassin
Crew Member
Things I do to pass the time well my parents are visiting..... Otherwise I'd be out at Kitty Coleman catching fish. Fishing has really been better then any other time earlier in the year.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Yeah your area doing better than down here so I hear. I am glad to see that.
wildthing
Well-Known Member
join braid to gangion loop to loop
three over hand turns in the braid and two in the chord
pull up tight with pilers and trim join chord to the coastal snap lok with a needle knot or Palomar
no stop no snubbers
run bells on the end of the downriggers and you'll know when hitting bottom.
three over hand turns in the braid and two in the chord
pull up tight with pilers and trim join chord to the coastal snap lok with a needle knot or Palomar
no stop no snubbers
run bells on the end of the downriggers and you'll know when hitting bottom.
scobo
Member
I don't use any clips. A good guy on the board and that I fished with showed me how to rig it with para chord and simply tie a big loop and feed the para chord through the ball eye and over the ball. do a search here for "downrigger tips" and you'll get more than enough info. the other advantage is that if you tie the para chord the right length it also works as the stop for the downrigger and you don't need to mess with the little plastic clips. I also epoxied my knots just for the added satisfaction...not sure if it was needed.
Fish Assassin
Crew Member
I used to do that but I remove my cannonballs at the end of each day and many guys just couldn't figure it out. Balls were dropped, guys got frustrated so I put clips back on. Everyone is happy.... 
Seafever
Well-Known Member
Don't like tying direct to ball with cord.
If you are using balls with a fin on the back.....and the fin hits something and bends slightly off center....then the ball has tendency to spin....which will transfer up the d/line.....
and then when you unhook your release line, if you let go it will spin around and around on the d-line, coiling up.
Which is why I like a good swivel down there..........so any ball spin for any reason is not a factor......
if you whack the bottom, the fins can and do bend...sometimes not much but enough to make the ball start spinning.
I've straightened and trued them up at home after, many times......
If you are using balls with a fin on the back.....and the fin hits something and bends slightly off center....then the ball has tendency to spin....which will transfer up the d/line.....
and then when you unhook your release line, if you let go it will spin around and around on the d-line, coiling up.
Which is why I like a good swivel down there..........so any ball spin for any reason is not a factor......
if you whack the bottom, the fins can and do bend...sometimes not much but enough to make the ball start spinning.
I've straightened and trued them up at home after, many times......
Seafever
Well-Known Member
In the post where I showed how the braid can rub against the pulley creating a stress point on the braid if the pulley unit where it connects to the boom doesn't swivel too well:-
You will notice that the bolt that runs through that part ( NOT the pulley itself) can be tightened up or loosened.......if too tight it does not swing at all...if too loose it's too floppy.
I took a 2 inch (10-24 x 2) bolt and replaced the one that 's in there.
Take it all apart and lube it with the PTF grease.
Put back together using the 2 inch bolt.
Tighten it up using the original nut in its hex-retainer.
Tighten it up enough that the arm swings freely but not loose.
Holding the bolt in place with a screwdriver at one end.....put the Nylok nut on the other end and flush it up with a wrench.
Cut the remainder of the bolt off with a hacksaw and file off the burrs etc. with a file.
Now the arm swings better than it used to....and the Nylok is added insurance that nothing's going to fall off.....
You will notice that the bolt that runs through that part ( NOT the pulley itself) can be tightened up or loosened.......if too tight it does not swing at all...if too loose it's too floppy.
I took a 2 inch (10-24 x 2) bolt and replaced the one that 's in there.
Take it all apart and lube it with the PTF grease.
Put back together using the 2 inch bolt.
Tighten it up using the original nut in its hex-retainer.
Tighten it up enough that the arm swings freely but not loose.
Holding the bolt in place with a screwdriver at one end.....put the Nylok nut on the other end and flush it up with a wrench.
Cut the remainder of the bolt off with a hacksaw and file off the burrs etc. with a file.
Now the arm swings better than it used to....and the Nylok is added insurance that nothing's going to fall off.....
Englishman
Well-Known Member
FA is absolutely right. You MUST have a weak point somewhere in case you ever do hang up. If everything is steel or 250# plus breaking strain you are going to lose a lot of cable, damage your downrigger, or wrench the thing off its mount. It has happened!! The Scotty plastic clip is good as any for that, and if it is getting too weak at the spring clip then replace it under regular maintenance.
I was amused that the braid/cable discussion got going again. As Seafever says braid will cut or abrade on plastic pulley edges or worn/grooved pulleys and is too easily nicked IMHO. Catastrophic braid failures are frequent (search on here for the thread about the Go pro camera lost this way and eventually recovered....).
Seafever
Well-Known Member
I figure the Scotty plastic clip is the weak point.
The power pro I use is 200lbs.
The swivel and those clips in my pic aren't rated anywhere near that.......although they are rated for considerably more than the cannonball weight.
On the other hand you don't want the breaking point to be TOO weak......I've hung up on reefs with what I'm using.......and been able to back up and get the ball free without breaking anything......that is:- backing up gently and carefully noodling it out........
If I wanted to break it free I'd just gun the throttle......
as far as fin-bend goes:- the ball on left in pic you won't get much of a bent fin if it hits bottom.....the ball on the right you will because the fin isn't very thick...
I happen to like using the type of ball on the right........my bad I guess......I find there's less drag on those than the one on the left.......
The power pro I use is 200lbs.
The swivel and those clips in my pic aren't rated anywhere near that.......although they are rated for considerably more than the cannonball weight.
On the other hand you don't want the breaking point to be TOO weak......I've hung up on reefs with what I'm using.......and been able to back up and get the ball free without breaking anything......that is:- backing up gently and carefully noodling it out........
If I wanted to break it free I'd just gun the throttle......
as far as fin-bend goes:- the ball on left in pic you won't get much of a bent fin if it hits bottom.....the ball on the right you will because the fin isn't very thick...
I happen to like using the type of ball on the right........my bad I guess......I find there's less drag on those than the one on the left.......
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fishnwhenIcan
Well-Known Member
Coward! lol
This is the way I do it. If it's good enough for him it's good enough for me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM1SDq7ruSM check out the last minute or so.I hooked up both riggers in Van Harbour on something about a month ago and both Braids broke off when I couldn't free them. Not something I liked but pulling up on a commercial trap isn't real easy on riggers either. I would cut the line if I had too.
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SpringVelocity
Crew Member
If that is the case why do I have the same downrigger balls more than a year. I fish as much if not more than you year round. I also hit the bottom in the bluffs with those spinning around in the winter months. I retie them periodically and look at knots. I never changed any of my pulleys..... Just do what works for you..But unless you run same system how do you know your just giving theories..... My theory on your problem is you were using wrong braid..Power pro is the braid to use....I still don't buy this fear factor with braided line steel was always worse for me. I have zero swivels snaps etc.
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Fish Assassin
Crew Member
As long as there is a weak link and your brakes are checked and adjusted regularly, hang ups are not an issue. Your rigger will let out line. Back up over the spot tie the slack line to cleat and keep reversing. Most often your gear will come lose, or you will drop a ball. $30 or $100+ that's your choice. Most guys have no clue how to adjust their brakes time to learn and have a 9/16 wrench in your tackle bag. This little bit of knowledge will save you money.
Seafever I have to agree with you those balls with the tiny fins can spin. I only use the balls with the large solid fin on the left of your photo.
Spin on steel cable ruins the cable. Spin on braid not a problem. I have one swivel and it's on my factory made black Scotty ball clip.
Seafever I have to agree with you those balls with the tiny fins can spin. I only use the balls with the large solid fin on the left of your photo.
Spin on steel cable ruins the cable. Spin on braid not a problem. I have one swivel and it's on my factory made black Scotty ball clip.
