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Rod as downrigger


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Hi Anglers,

Can I use a 30kg rod spoiled with 50lbs multi coloured braid sitting in the rear rod holder as a downrigger? The line should clear the prop when turning. Thinking I could just connect a 5kg fish shaped downrigger weight straight to the line with a uni knot.

Plan on slow trolling with electric motor in relatively shallow water (less than 30 metres).

Anyone foresee problems with this approach? One concern I have is the weight will break the line.

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I used a jarvis walker shorty with alvey reel and 80lb braid as a downrigger for 30 odd years before I got the propper thing, will work OK just don't forget to pull it up when you get a strike OR move off.

You don't need anywhere near 5 kg weight, 4 to 8 lb would be heavy enough.

Frank

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Too much trouble Luke. Just connect a weight like 8oz to the main line with an elastic band about 20meters from the hook. It's called a poor mans rigger. Can be used from kings to marlin! Just make sure you pin the livey through the nose and not the back so it can swim naturally.

I've caught both using this technique.

Cheers scratchie!!!

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I used a jarvis walker shorty with alvey reel and 80lb braid as a downrigger for 30 odd years before I got the propper thing, will work OK just don't forget to pull it up when you get a strike OR move off.

You don't need anywhere near 5 kg weight, 4 to 8 lb would be heavy enough.

Frank

Thanks so much Frank, that was the affirmation I was hoping to hear. Thanks for the tip on the weight, I'll get a 5lbs weight.

Too much trouble Luke. Just connect a weight like 8oz to the main line with an elastic band about 20meters from the hook. It's called a poor mans rigger. Can be used from kings to marlin! Just make sure you pin the livey through the nose and not the back so it can swim naturally.

I've caught both using this technique.

Cheers scratchie!!!

Thanks for your viewpoint Scratchie, I think this tops your brown Kmart outback lures recommendation for spinning up bonito. Edited by Guest123456789
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No worries luke.

The key to it is the speed of the boat 2 knot max. Once you find the structure and sound out fish, stall the boat to neutral and let it sink, if no takes, repeat the process. When you hook up, fight the fish like normal and once you get to the sinker, just break the rubber band, very simple!

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I've tried with such outfits without to much success and eventually bit the bullet and bought a cannon downrigger with extendable arm and swivel base ( love it). The gear ratio on the rod and real was very hard to pull 5-10lb sinkers up, especially if you had a fish on one line and trying to get the downrigger out of the way. The cannon downrigger also has a very accurate metric gauge.

I have had a Scotty model in the past too but prefer the cannon, I also changed the wire over to 150lb braid.

Jon

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Hi Jon,

Thanks for your input - very valuable as always.

The problem you highlight with the reel is exactly what I encountered when I tested my new downrigger weight at home. The tackle store only had 7lbs, and a Penn SSV 8500 struggled to wind the weight up - too damn heavy. I can see why FrankS used the alvey with its 1:1 gear ratio.

I probably will move to a cannon or Scotty or similar downrigger in the future. The reason I'm looking to use my rod and reel is not so much budget but more functionality. My boat is a small 4.3 tinny so where possible things have to have multiple uses to minimise clutter. I want to use my downrigger rod and reel for live baiting when stationary and at the moment I fix the downrigger weight using a doubled loop knot. I should be able to rig up a live bait rig and simply connect to the loop knot pretty easily.

I'm swapping my 7lbs weight for 3lbs, hopefully this will be easy enough to retrieve. I realise a light weight will limit my top trolling speed, hopefully the low diameter of 50lbs braid will minimise this limitation. I should be able to track the downrigger on my sounder and make adjustments as necessary.

I'll let you know how it goes. Cheers,

Luke.

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Scratchie, Is the elastic band so it will break and drop the sinker when you've got a fish on? Do you put it on with a running clip or just tie the band straight onto the line? Thanks.

You twist the rubber band around the main line 10 times and the feed it through the sinker. No the sinker is still attached. You just rip it off when it's insight of your boat.

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My current boat has very little room with an internal length of 4x1.2m but the downrigger takes up very little room, it's extremely easy to remove too. By the way it's hidden under the towel and extends three times the length you can see and can be swivelled around to any position.

My little centre console a few boats back had a down rigger that could be used from any rod holder.

Jon

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Edited by JonD
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Downrigging solo is a bitch, I've given up on it in my tiller steer.

Another rig that hasn't been suggested is an oldie. It may have some deficiencies but you know.

Mainline - monster sized knife jig in reflective or colour of your choice - leader @4-6foot - livie or squid.

When you get your kingie to the boat you can grab your jig and whip in a rat or control a bigger fish.

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Downrigging solo is a bitch, I've given up on it in my tiller steer.

Another rig that hasn't been suggested is an oldie. It may have some deficiencies but you know.

Mainline - monster sized knife jig in reflective or colour of your choice - leader @4-6foot - livie or squid.

When you get your kingie to the boat you can grab your jig and whip in a rat or control a bigger fish.

That's why I like the cannon model, I can simply retrieve it by turning the handle when I get chance. Sometimes this means just a couple of turns every now and then, the brake is the winder handle meaning if I let go it just locks where it is.

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Thanks for sharing Jon.

So you fight the fish first and wind up the downrigger when it takes runs?

What's the lifespan on the downrigger? What sort of maintenance is required? Do I just buy the lake troll model that fits in the rod holder, I've already got the weight and release clips, are there any other bits and bobs needed? I think I'll swap out the cable for braid for starters.

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The cannon is the uni troll stx 10, don't remember the exact model Scotty I had but it was bigger than the lake troll model. The Scotty model was more of a two handed model, one for the break the other for the winder where the cannon can be done easely with one hand as you fight a fish.

I use salt-away to flush my engine and wash down the boat and trailer as well as all my fishing gear ( including downrigger). I've not had any problems with either downrigger, I've also made burley cages that I drop down to the bottom while snapper fishing at anchor, these do get grabbed by the odd shark but the safety brake or drag lets line pull out in an emergancy.

I've also made a kingy attractor that's about 8m of glitter floats cheap jigs and plastic squids, this is my secret weapon on getting kings to stay with my boat. I can often bring a school of kings up away from reef to around 10-15m under the boat alowing us to fish lighter class and still stop them before they reach reef ( most of our kings are around 6-8kg). The kings rarely get tangled in my atracter so I leave it in the water when we hook up. That same atracter is what I use offshore while trolling for game but I do have to keep it close to keep it away from my trolling lines.

Jon

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Thanks for that Jon. The local store only stocks Scotty. I'll go have a look and make sure the model can be wound one handed. Will probably cost $500, considering how much $$ ive spent on fishing in the last 12 months what the hell....

Burley bomb and reflectors are a good idea. Some will say it's over complicating things. Others will say it's the attention to detail that makes the difference. Looking at the photos of some of your catches I'm inclined to think the latter.

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Downrigging solo is a bitch, I've given up on it in my tiller steer.

Another rig that hasn't been suggested is an oldie. It may have some deficiencies but you know.

Mainline - monster sized knife jig in reflective or colour of your choice - leader @4-6foot - livie or squid.

When you get your kingie to the boat you can grab your jig and whip in a rat or control a bigger fish.

Understand downrigging with a tiller steer could be too difficult. What about a GPS enables electric trolling motor, would this be ok do you think?

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Well I said it is a bitch not impossible, admittedly I often fish how I want to fish for enjoyment, if priority 1 was taking home a feed I would make a few different decisions.

But I digress,

The degree of difficulty depends on if you can leave your boat in gear unattended for a short time and go straight, in the moorings is different to in front of the front cliffs, a squid is easier than a 10 inch yakka that's determined to go around everything. How sleep deprived you are etc

As for your question,never used one BUT, if the boat can drive itself for a minute it would really help. My electric will work in the moorings and inside but in the backwash against the cliffs not so effective.

So I'm back to the PMD

Edited by stevefish
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Mmm you will be handlining the last 3metres, not impossible but definitely will get interesting getting the rod into the rod holder then leadering and net gaff shot if you are solo. with scatchies rig you snap the lackey off well before you get the fish boat side, with my 1980s rig the knife jig/iron is part attractor part hart handle near the fish.

Nice jewie rig though

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Thanks steve you're right 3 metre trace is too long I'd hate to lost the fish handling it to the boat. I'll go with a 2 metre trace.

Scratchies rubber band approach I would use if using an outboard to get the bait away from all that noise, but seeing I have an electric I think it will be ok having it closer to the boat.

Your knife jig is a ripper idea, i might give it a go just worried about losing a $25 weight to a snag....,,

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You raise some good points Steve. I might try Scratchies poor mans downrigger.

Will this set up below work?

IMG_0724.JPG

You don't need the swivel. Just turn the elastic band around the mainline 10 times. Feed one end through the other to create a long end. Thread that through the sinker and loop over. This will allow you to position your sinker anywhere along the mainline and the rubber band won't do any damage!

Cheers scratchie!!!

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I have been trying to do similar using my deep drop set up (deep drop rod, electric reel & 80LB braid) though I was using a VERY large bomb in rough seas with hope to deep down rig. the bounce of the bomb while setting up busted the braid so maybe use a length of mono before the bomb to soften the shock

I have heard the fish shaped bombs dont swim as straight as you would think Maybe a raider can advise on that 

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