Tangled up in the turns.....

[Randy waugh]

Looking for tips to prevent tangle up in the turns
I have a 16' Lund pro sport with a 85" beem I'm running 30" booms and was just considering getting 60" booms to help prevent this problem
I normally run the same depths maybe this is my problem just the main lines tangle up not the cannon balls and I run 48" release clips
Is there a difference from round cannon balls and finned balls?
15lb balls
Thanks guys

 

[spring fever]

Looking for tips to prevent tangle up in the turns
I have a 16' Lund pro sport with a 85" beem I'm running 30" booms and was just considering getting 60" booms to help prevent this problem
I normally run the same depths maybe this is my problem just the main lines tangle up not the cannon balls and I run 48" release clips
Is there a difference from round cannon balls and finned balls?
15lb balls
Thanks guys

Several things can help. Certainly 60" booms will help. Cannonballs with the stainless fins can be made to "fly" apart by bending the fins a small amount in opposite directions ,also if you have excess "belly or slack in your line can cause tangles. Perhaps you are also using too light a ball in areas of strong current or turning too sharply. Just a few things to look that might solve the problem. Running at the same depth especially deep will also not help the cause!!

 

[Burban]

I have a 16.5 with 30" booms and very rarely run into tangles on corners. I always stagger depths by at least 15' and run finned 15lb balls. 24" release clips. I try and always turn on the deep line when possible.

 

[Bait&Sea]

Maybe you already know but keep the boat direction straight as an arrow as you drop riggers

 

[hambone]

Less drop back from clip to flasher is also critical if your having those problems and want to fish at a similar depth.

 

[Randy waugh]

Thanks gentleman I am dealing with strong tides at times but some good tips here

 

[Aces]

Yeah what Hambone said.

You don't need to run more than 20 ft back from the downriggers. That nay be an issue

 

[Randy waugh]

Yeah what Hambone said.

You don't need to run more than 20 ft back from the downriggers. That nay be an issue

Good call I do run them pretty far back

 

[Aces]

Good call I do run them pretty far back

When I fish plugs I run them way back but do real gradual turns

 

[reeltordarius]

I was having this problem at HITW a couple of weeks ago and couldn't understand what I was doing wrong/different. I think it may have also been too far back from the boat, which I find sometimes hard to gauge.

 

[advTHXance]

I wouldnt recommend the pancake-style cannonballs. Yeah they have fins that you can bend so they steer themselves out from the boat, but during a turn that same bend can work against you. If you run two identical round cannonballs, you can be confident that they have the same drag through the water which will help with tangles.

You should definitely stagger your gear 10-20'. Youll cover more area, and a shallower line will sometimes attract a fish that misses a strike on the deep line. If theres a certain depth youre determined to fish, fish it with your deep side and fish the other side just above it.

One boat-length should be plenty of leash from clip to flasher. I use extendable booms fully retracted on my 16' fiberform, so very similar to your setup. I use 18" scotty clips, maybe 6-12" above the cannonball, and rarely if ever do my lines tangle. If they do its likely because I turned too fast or have some goon at the wheel.

If youre fishing in a strong current, give it some gas as you make your 180. If youre still having issues with tangles, you can always check one side while you execute your turn.

 

[advTHXance]

60" booms out of a 16' boat means youre gonna have to lean wayyy over the gunnel, or reach with a gaff, every time you want to reset your downrigger clip. The clip will also have to be atleast 60" if youre reaching with a gaff. I think youre better off trying some of the other suggestions first.

 

[Birdsnest]

Don't fish your stuff side by side. always have them apart by 15 or 20 feet depth wise and turn with the deep side on the inside of the turn and fish with the deep side on the port side of the boat.

 

[reeltordarius]

I try not to extend my booms on my 18', I really have a hard time reaching over the gunnel to retrieve them, and don't let a newb try it, they'll likely go for a cold swim. I like the idea of turning with the deep side on the inside, had never considered that and it really makes sense.

 

[Randy waugh]

Scotty made this great little thing called a weight retriever its the cats butt

 

[wildthing]

so says my 7' boom arm only on one side...lol and 7' release clips straight off the ball
i also use the weight retriever on all 3 riggers

 

[reeltordarius]

Scotty made this great little thing called a weight retriever its the cats butt

Might have to try it again, had some problems when I first tried it, seemed to keep wanting to go down with everything else and was popping the clip as it did.

 

[fishin solo]

Might have to try it again, had some problems when I first tried it, seemed to keep wanting to go down with everything else and was popping the clip as it did.

Use a gaff to retrieve your clip or you can make it easier and just by swivel mounts either or both are easy and quick. I just use a gaff when my booms are extended all the way. I've used the Scotty yellow things and they just get in the way imo

 

[fishin solo]

so says my 7' boom arm only on one side...lol and 7' release clips straight off the ball
i also use the weight retriever on all 3 riggers

You running 10 riggers lol

 

[Oly1]

Now that's a long rigger arm. Damn near long enough to be an outrigger in a pinch. LOL. I have a 30 inch and a 48 on a 16 footer. We usually stack our downriggers with two lines on each about 20 feet apart. Then we have our downriggers 10 feet different in hight. That covers 40 feet of water. As others have said, shorten the length back from your downrigger wire. We don't use this stacking in deep water past 150 but it works great for us shallower than that. We use 15 pound pancake weights with no bends and 48 inch releases.

Oly