Down Riggers

PeterMac · 03-07-2002, 07:40 AM

Hey all....

THinking about adding a couple downriggers to my boat for this year's trip to the San Juans. Last year the guys catching the salmon were set up with them.

Started my search and found a wide variety available, and a wide variety of prices. Anyone have any pointers? Note that I will not be using them real frequently, so the heaviest duty types are definantly overkill, but I also do not want to buy junk!

Thanks in advance,

PeterMac

Pilar · 03-07-2002, 08:03 AM

Hi Petermac, I love my Canon sport troll. Nice mounting base makes it detachable. It holds 300 ft (comes with 100') of wire and has a long enough boom. Looks to be made of plastic. Also there is a line counter on the pulley. So no guessing about the depth. There is a big handle for easy cranking and a vertical spool. The only down is the clutch on the spool is touchy to adjust. You get used to it.

This is Canon's inexpensive but seaworthy model. They make more elaborate like the Uni troll and others. Be sure to get a heavy ball for deep >150' dragging for Kings. 12lb is good and 10lb is almost enough if you go slow.

Good luck.

Dogfish · 03-07-2002, 08:04 AM

My Penn 600's are manual ones. Built very sturdy. They will run you about $160-180, depending upon where you buy. Bought one through boatersworld.com and got a free rod holder that attached to the DR. Never had an issue with my oldest one, had it for 13 years.

Bob Barthlow · 03-07-2002, 08:29 AM

petermac,in my bussiness I use downriggers about 2/3's of the time in the summer and fall,salmon &
steelhead fishing.In the last 14 years I've been lucky enough to try all major brands,including the above mentioned.For me Scotty's are the best, most troble free elect. downriggers out there.On my Alumaweld supervee I run 2, 1105's on the sides and an 1100 on the stern......45 -60 days a year....for 6 years, Scotty's are bullet proof....email me if I can be of more help.

FallRiverGuy · 03-07-2002, 10:28 AM

I like the low profile of the Scottys. I have a small manual one. After using a couple of Scotty electrics, I am a convert.

Just ordered this morning a Scotty 1100 electric with a 30 inch boom. Check out this web site for good prices in downriggers.

http://24.76.172.253:81/1/01/1003.htm

Yellow North River · 03-07-2002, 10:55 AM

I fished up is washington (puget sound) for about 11 years. Down Riggers are the only way to go. I had Two Penn 625 elec. with 48" boom and one manual incase one of the elec. went down. You will be fishing deep water do your self a favor an get elec. alot less work and no chinese fire drill if you get a double. Cannons have the fastest retrive, most of the guides in Canada use cannon and run a 15lb ball, get a spare spool of 300ft cable and the ball clips and a couple extra balls you will hang then up on the bottom and this is another place the electrics and the long boom help keep the cable out of your prop. If you want to do some really good salmon fishing go to Ucluelet, B.C end of August, if the in shore is open it is a 4 mile run up the coast and you fish 35ft of water. the best thing is you can fish as many rods as you can handle.
just my 2 cents. :grin:

PeterMac · 03-07-2002, 12:18 PM

I knew I could count on all you for some great info!!

Thanks, I appreciate it! :grin:

PeterMac

Fish4Fun · 03-07-2002, 02:00 PM

I too agree that Scotty downriggers are the way to go. I have 2 of them on my sled for fishing Puget Sound. Like mentioned already go with 300' of cable. Also, use the rubber snubbers between the cable and the ball.

GutZ · 03-07-2002, 02:31 PM

Be American! Buy American! Get the Penns.

PS we found a 600 in a pawn shop for $65.00 a couple months ago.

Threemuch · 03-07-2002, 02:32 PM

I love Cannon Unitrolls. I just bought one on ebay. I also have an electric Cannon Marlin (now called Mag 10) on my boat, but only because it was there when I got the boat.

Easy to operate, and they catch fish. I don't like cranking in the horizontal plane, especially from 100-300', although manual scotties bought in canada are your most inexpensive new riggers. I think you can get their small boom manual for like $130-$140 mail order from canada.

FallRiverGuy · 03-07-2002, 04:59 PM

I just checked and the price for the bottom end manual Scotty(1050, not the very bottom end) out of Canada and it is $95 US. When you ship out of Canada I just found that for orders over $200 Canadian, UPS charges a $20 US brokerage fee. If you are willing to wait a few weeks you can get cheep shipping by using Canada Post International with out the brokerage fee.