Downrigger question.

[Mike_W]

I bought some downrigger leaders made out of tuna cord which include a large swivel that is used for the stop I don't extend my downriggers out to 60 inches and find the cord too long. I am going to shorten them as I have the proper crimps and crimp pliers but I was curious what everyone runs for length?

I know most guy keep their balls in the water but why? I was thinking to have my ball stop maybe 18 inches below my rigger. Is this a bad idea?

Thank you for any insight.

 

[silver surfer]

Keeping the ball in the water keeps it from whacking the side of your boat when it would otherwise be swinging wildly side to side.

 

[Tieoneon]

I prefer them in the water so they aren’t swinging all over the place if you’re in rough seas, you can always buzz them up out of the water if they’re in the way of landing a fish

 

[Dogbreath]

Keeping the ball in the water keeps it from whacking the side of your boat when it would otherwise be swinging wildly side to side.

^ this- because sooner or later.......

 

[Rain City]

I prefer them in the water so they aren’t swinging all over the place if you’re in rough seas, you can always buzz them up out of the water if they’re in the way of landing a fish

X3

 

[chromatose007]

If you get the length just right you can swing the arm up, grab the ball and hook it onto the keeper (if you have them on your booms) gl
Also Crimps can bind. I prefer winding old braided line around the Tuna cord then sealing it with heat shrink...

 

[walleyes]

I bought some downrigger leaders made out of tuna cord which include a large swivel that is used for the stop I don't extend my downriggers out to 60 inches and find the cord too long. I am going to shorten them as I have the proper crimps and crimp pliers but I was curious what everyone runs for length?

I know most guy keep their balls in the water but why? I was thinking to have my ball stop maybe 18 inches below my rigger. Is this a bad idea?

Thank you for any insight.

I set mine so that they are out of the water but won’t reach the boat to bang it, pretty simple process really. I have a weight hook from Scotty mounted on the boom, when fighting a fish tip up the rigger letting the weight swing into you, grab it hook up the weight and swivel rigger to the back and out of the way. No snags no swinging and banging, easy peasy.

This is what a properly set and stored downriggers looks like while fighting a fish or also stored this way while traveling. Nothing swinging nothing banging or tangled.

 

[Ringo]

I set mine so that they are out of the water but won’t reach the boat to bang it, pretty simple process really. I have a weight hook from Scotty mounted on the boom, when fighting a fish tip up the rigger letting the weight swing into you, grab it hook up the weight and swivel rigger to the back and out of the way. No snags no swinging and banging, easy peasy.

This is what a properly set and stored downriggers looks like while fighting a fish or also stored this way while traveling. Nothing swinging nothing banging or tangled.

I like that....
Sry, the Like button wasn’t enough.

 

[Mike_W]

Keeping the ball in the water keeps it from whacking the side of your boat when it would otherwise be swinging wildly side to side.

I get that that's the idea but if my balls are only 18 or 16 inches down from the rigger with a 36 inch boom how would they hit the boat? Or could this happen when coming up out of the water on the retrieve?

 

[Mike_W]

I set mine so that they are out of the water but won’t reach the boat to bang it, pretty simple process really. I have a weight hook from Scotty mounted on the boom, when fighting a fish tip up the rigger letting the weight swing into you, grab it hook up the weight and swivel rigger to the back and out of the way. No snags no swinging and banging, easy peasy.

This is what a properly set and stored downriggers looks like while fighting a fish or also stored this way while traveling. Nothing swinging nothing banging or tangled.

Pretty much exactly what I was thinking.