Downrigger weight shape?
- Thread starter Califbill
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Fisherman Rob
Well-Known Member
Does"fish shaped" weights = pancake? I guessing so. I'm also guessing that drag on the cable combined with weight of the ball would have more influence on blow back than the shape of the ball. Particularly when fishing deep.
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Seafever
Well-Known Member
I think the round d/balls are the best shape.
"pancakes' and 'fish' shaped weights can tend to swim off course. Especially in current.
And they aren't ergonomically better. They present more water surface area to create drag than a round ball.
I like the round balls with a little fin at the back.
Years back they did tests on different shapes /sizes and found the round ones to be the most efficient.
"pancakes' and 'fish' shaped weights can tend to swim off course. Especially in current.
And they aren't ergonomically better. They present more water surface area to create drag than a round ball.
I like the round balls with a little fin at the back.
Years back they did tests on different shapes /sizes and found the round ones to be the most efficient.
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
x 2 as far as I am concernced.
Sr SQ
Well-Known Member
Round balls with no fins will have the best weight to surface area shape and will go deeper than any other shape.
However most round balls also have a fin that adds to the surface area causing more friction/blow back than the plain round ball giving them less of an advantage over the other shape out there.
I drag bottom to often to run anything other than round ones
However most round balls also have a fin that adds to the surface area causing more friction/blow back than the plain round ball giving them less of an advantage over the other shape out there.
I drag bottom to often to run anything other than round ones
Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
This
It's not about being aerodynmic it's hydrodynamics - the less surface area the less drag - so round balls run deepest.
We find the pancakes weights run deeper with smaller line angles. To prevent issues with the current and fins bend the fins opposite directions on each side so they naturally pull away from the boat. We run a pancake on each side, and a round cannonball on the back of the boat and rarely have any tangles even in the currents around Victoria.
Olde School
Well-Known Member
'blowback' depends entirely on drag, and in our cases, that is primarily a function of frontal area to mass.
The pancake weights are the ones that create the least angle in the dangle, clearly.
They can be tuned to run out away from the boat, easily.
The only reason I no longer use them is there isn't enough vertical clearance between my gunwales and boom hook for transport.
The pancake weights are the ones that create the least angle in the dangle, clearly.
They can be tuned to run out away from the boat, easily.
The only reason I no longer use them is there isn't enough vertical clearance between my gunwales and boom hook for transport.
Fisherman Rob
Well-Known Member
True, blowback depends on drag, but I don't think the weight is the source of the most drag, it's the 70- 130' or more of wire. That's why the DR wire angles most at the top, and straightens (or is more vertical) near the ball.
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Use 150 lb braid, very thin and little blow back
sorry, off topic
sorry, off topic
Pancakes with straight stainless fins all around. Less blowback, review your braid choice carefully. Some are lots thicker than others for same test and blowback much more. Up here (Comox) to drag/bump bottom at 240 ft doing 3 knts with a 7" tomic causes a serious definition of blowback, 15 lb weights and 320+ ft on riggers.
HM
HM
Seafever
Well-Known Member
I've heard the old chestnut about bending the fin on the pancake weight to get it to swim "outward" a little more. Which only works if you are at a certain speed in ideal water.
Should you decide to do something like run plugs at high speed, your pancake with it's previous bend most likely will overswim itself and turn, especially if you are going crosscurrent at the time.
The only time I like pancakes is for breakfast.
Should you decide to do something like run plugs at high speed, your pancake with it's previous bend most likely will overswim itself and turn, especially if you are going crosscurrent at the time.
The only time I like pancakes is for breakfast.
Kinda sad that only a few years ago you could catch springs in JDF with 7-10 pound balls and the old blue Scotty hand cranks and catch all the fish you needed on a 4 spring per day limit. . Now we are at High Performance Scotties with 20 pound balls and at times can only keep a large hatchery!! Off topic but thought it was worth mentioning!!!
Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
and you remember which weight goes on which side!
Andrew P
Well-Known Member
I had a daydream the other day that is essentially a cross between a DR ball and a planer....not with full on wings which could cause big problems and more blow back but add some slight hydrodymanic tweaks to the shape to give it some downward force so you could essentially get the performance of a 15lb with 10lb of lead. I think there could be something there...
Peahead
Well-Known Member
Fish shape downrigger weights are just a marketing idea. No reason to use those unless you want to pay extra for a lead fish.
For me what drmadcow has said here about pancakes offering a wider spread of gear down at depth ...... I feel is the main reason I use pancakes. They also don't roll around when placed on floor or anywhere! I often use a 3rd center rigger so with side riggers with pancakes and the center with a ball you have less tangles and wider coverage . The pancake's stainless fin allows the weight to be adjusted to pull outwards to port and outwards to starboard therefore providing more distance from the center gear (with the round ball)
What I don't find ( that drmadcow seems to have found) is that pancakes run with steeper rigger line. I find that because the pancake uses its large side turning slightly to create that "spread" it therefore creates more drag in performing this spread. I find that drag then causes more blow back than the round. For this reason I usually use 2 round balls when using just the two side riggers.
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Fish Assassin
Crew Member
Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
what about this:
golf ball shaped DR balls?
golf ball shaped DR balls?
Dogbreath
Well-Known Member
I've got one-the numbers they give don't appear to be accurate there's a helluva lotta blowback.Check these outhttp://zwingdownrigger.com
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