Downrigger Weights

[DLM]

I am working on a fish mold that will looks like and will be painted like a german brown. I won't use it of course but will give it free to anyone in a derby with melaugh hyst

 

[AFDan52]

Speaking of Downrigger weights, have any of you ever used the DR weights that you can load up with scent . Also do you think they work?

 

[twisted lines]

This year I'm recoating them with red Plasti Dip. Red was recommended in a very detailed Kokanee fishing article I read once. I'll give it a try and let the forum know the outcome after the season is over unless I read a post telling me to STOP, Don't Do It! Anyway, the pancakes track very well and like Twisted Lines stated, they are actually closer to 9#. They show up extremely well on the finder (no doubt what your seeing) and the blowback is definitely less than cannonballs. I like their stability and true tracking too much to start tweeking the fins. My luck would be to suffer really twisted lines. Maybe that's how he got his name?????

Don't do it! I think you would be happier having them powder coated red, I had mine done for 7.00 bucks each they are holding up great. And I have seen more then my share of twisted lines, Thought I was done till I tried the shuttle hawk (Once) TL...

 

[SilverBullets]

Speaking of Downrigger weights, have any of you ever used the DR weights that you can load up with scent . Also do you think they work?

I sometimes either put gel scent on the balls, or attach a scent dispensers. I think scent trails are a good thing! As far as coating the ball, what I've done is completely cover the ball with different holographic tapes, then a few coats of a product called flex coat (a clear flexible coating.) It comes in a jar in the fly fishing section at Sportsman's.) Held up great going on 4 years now (I try to stay off the bottom.)
Has anyone tried dropping their weights off at a spray-on bed-liner place? As long as their spraying a truck, maybe they'd spray the weights for a minimal fee? I'm not sure how it would hold up, but might be worth looking into.

 

[Dropshot]

I have always had my pickup beds sprayed with Linex. I would think the texture is too rough and would cause more drag on the weight. I think powder coat would be the way to go.

 

[SuperD]

Because we tend to bump things and the lead is soft, nothing you put on them will be bulletproof. I've gone to spray paint because it is cheap and easy to touch up.

 

[BROWNBAGGER]

This is what I have learned this year. I Have used 10# pancake weights for years, thought they were the bomb. I had to switch to 8# ball weight because the cheap cannon rigger boom was rated for 8# only. I kept it because of the ion control. Now I have picked up some scotty's that can handle 15#'s. Thats 3 riggers that I will be running this year, too pumped. Any way back to what I have learned. I talked with Jared Johnson at the sportsman show this year. He claims that the pancake weights vibrate through the water, causing your pole to bounce. I don't know how true this is, because of the dodgers action being transfered through the release up to the pole. He just says that they are unstable. He said he uses 15# fish shaped weights with the scense despsener, claims that scense is a major player in koke fishing. But like I said I just bought two scotty's and haven't yet picked up and weights. This was a great thread to read, I if I can just make up my mind. Oh one last thing, if you pick up a lure jensen report on...what water depth does to colors....you'll see that red is the first to turn grey. as light spectum becomes less as you go deeper, red is the first to loose it reflectiveness, like around 30 feet. so if you are fishing lower than that, it just looks grey.

 

[twisted lines]

Red is the first to loose it reflectiveness, like around 30 feet. so if you are fishing lower than that, it just looks grey.

Sounds like a Grey Ghost to me! I like em...

 

[Big Bob]

Hi I have personnal used all types. If your fishing line is closer to the weights (10 ft or shorter), I like to use the sharks, I use pancakes when my fishing lin is further than 10 ft from the weights. I also use cannonballs, I have the molds for 8, 10 and 12 pounders but personally overall the pancakes work the best for me. If the water has lots of structure I use the cannonballs as they are cheaper after I make them I buy rubber paint from Harbor tools and dip them. Big bob

 

[SmokeOnTheWater]

Hey Twisted Lines, I just couldn't take your advice and went ahead and used the Plasti Dip. First hand experience to share - Don't brush it on! The directions say it can be brushed but it sets up too fast to obtain a smooth and consistant coating. I resorted to lying the pancake weights down and pouring each side at a time. I let them set about an hour before turning them over and coating the other sides. Actually I'd recommend letting them set overnight before turning them over to complete the job. The end product came out as a smooth, solid finish that has held up nicely even bouncing over the bottom a bit. I coated both weights with one can, about $8 total. I'll report later to let all know of my success with RED.

 

[fish-on-bend]

Just got my pancakes and gave my 8# balls to Fish-on-bend in Central Oregon.

Might have to add some tape.

jz

I am the proud owner of jzell's balls.laugh hyst

I mainly use 10 lb pancakes, but I'm not against using a buddy's balls in a pinch. I see less blow back with the pancakes, but not a lot less. The balls seem easier to handle than the pancakes. I sometimes use the balls if I know I'll be trolling less then 50 feet down. I bought the pancakes mainly for chasing macks in 100-300 feet of water.

 

[ImHooked]

I have been using ball weights for years and would like to try using the pancake type. I recently purchase a Danielson eight pound pancake downrigger weight at the local Joe's going out of business sale. I was thinking that I surely could find one more eight pound pancake weight. I am having a heck of a time finding a matching weight.crymeariver Could some kind soul out there point me in the right direction? thumbsup
IH

 

[DLM]

I saw some yesterday at fishermans marine in Delta Park but I don't know what the weight was, looked like 8 or 10 pounds.

 

[sambo]

10lb sharks in crome all the way baby!!!

 

[Yellowjacket56]

Ok guys, I am new so I got questions. What is blowback?
I will be using my Penn manual (600?) downriggers with an 8 oz lead ball. Apparently I need to rethink the set up. Also, I still have stainless steel cables on them. Should I be changing over to monofiliment or Dacron or what?

 

[DLM]

When you get to depth, say about 40 feet on, your downrigger weight does not hang directly verticle from the boom. You will see the cable angle backwards due to the forward motion of the boat. This is the blowback. The deeper or faster you go the more blowback you get. This can affect your actual depth as the further the blowback the shallower (sp?) your weight is. In my opinion this is not a factor unless you are really really deep.

I run cable on one side and braided on the other and notice no difference in hook ratios. I will be switching the cable to braided on both this summer as it is easier to repair on the water than the cable if something bad happens.

 

[Yellowjacket56]

Thanks for the update. I suspected that is what it was referring to.

Going to work on my boat today so I can fish later this week.

 

[JT.ca]

Does the weight of the ball increase the chance of the clip releasing when a fish strikes?

EX: A four pound ball would take a larger or stronger strike too release compared to a 10 lbs ball.

Does the weight or back pressure from a larger weight allow the clip to release sooner than a weight with less weight of pressure?

 

[SilverBullets]

Does the weight of the ball increase the chance of the clip releasing when a fish strikes?

EX: A four pound ball would take a larger or stronger strike too release compared to a 10 lbs ball.

Does the weight or back pressure from a larger weight allow the clip to release sooner than a weight with less weight of pressure?

The clip size, tension setting, and the size of the fish has more to do with the clip releasing. In my opinion having the fish not release from the clip and lifting up the rod to do so sometimes allows the fish to get a better hook-set. You want a weight heavy enough to where you don't get alot of blow back to get the best accuracy from the counter on the downrigger especially when trolling deep. Also, the use of ball trolls produces alot of blow back, and going to a heavier weight will help keep the ball more vertical. When fishing up high going to a heavier weight will help to be able to see your ball on the fishfinder. The cone angle of the sonar is narrow up high, and a more vertical ball will help keep you in the sonar range.

 

[MMDON]

The clip size, tension setting, and the size of the fish has more to do with the clip releasing. In my opinion having the fish not release from the clip and lifting up the rod to do so sometimes allows the fish to get a better hook-set. You want a weight heavy enough to where you don't get alot of blow back to get the best accuracy from the counter on the downrigger especially when trolling deep. Also, the use of ball trolls produces alot of blow back, and going to a heavier weight will help keep the ball more vertical. When fishing up high going to a heavier weight will help to be able to see your ball on the fishfinder. The cone angle of the sonar is narrow up high, and a more vertical ball will help keep you in the sonar range.

+1 The right clip is important. I prefer to do a manual release due to the hookset being better and more control over the fish. I run 10 lb. pancakes that I respray yearly with plastidip and add holographic tape to the fins.