Downriggers on a Bass Boat?

[Tony P]

Hello! I'm new to the forum & Kokanee fishing. I have a 20' Skeeter bass boat & was wondering if anyone has mounted downriggers on their bass boat? If so how did it work out for you?

Thanks,
Tony

 

[Full_Monte]

Welcome to the forum! I think the guys are silent on this question because it's kind of an odd one to ask. Most bass boats are made to go fast, not troll. So, if you have a bow trolling motor like a Minn Kota and a decent battery, you might be able to troll slow enough for Kokanee. I guess you could put downriggers on it. The main thing would be to adjust the clutch on each so that it will allow line to pull out if you snag the bottom. There are a lot of stories about boats being capsized by downriggers that snag the bottom.
You would also need a good fishfinder to know where the bottom is. Mounting d.rs is a study in sturdiness as they will easily be torn off if not put on correctly. Put them on near the stern. Another thing to consider would be to switch to a boat designed for trolling. We'd love to see a bass fisherman convert to kokanee. That would be one less zooming by us at 70mph twenty five feet away from our troll.

 

[Bluknight]

I grew up on bass boats back East and my Dad had one mounted on his glass boat for walleye fishing (I can't remember what kind of boat that was but it was a glass "glitter boat" as I call them).

You do have to look for a decent flat spot on the deck near the transom and then put a good size backer on the bottom underneath the deck. Most DR manufacturers have all kinds of gadgets to mount their products. I'm pretty sure you can mount one on a bicycle these days.

I would also emphasis what Full-Monte said with the check on the drag once you do get one hooked up. Even with the backer on it that puppy will rip a hole in a glass boat in a heart beat.

 

[gonefishing]

My second boat was a drift boat. I mounted 2 down riggers on it when I started Kokanee fishing. If you want to fish for them bad enough, you can mount them on most any boat with a little thought, and effort.

If you enjoy catching kokanee enough, you probable, eventully, will change boats.

Any way, good luck andthumbsup go fot it.thumbsup

 

[Mojo]

The glass used in most bass boats is pleny strong to hold a downrigger, but like what was mentioned before, use a backer plate (I did on my metal boat as well). Bass boats are very stable. They can actually work their trolling motor to a slower troll than my 4 stroke kicker. Besides the funny looks you would get from the purist bass guys, I see no down-side to downriggers on your bass boat. I would think about mounting them near the cockpit not at the back, unless you want to be on your hands and knees all day. You could also figure out a way to build a rail system that bolts or pins into holes on your rear deck, then get rail mount downriggers. Just a thought...

 

[lowe1648mt]

down riggers

Rail mount or on the deck, use a swivel base.

 

[Full_Monte]

The glass used in most bass boats is pleny strong to hold a downrigger, but like what was mentioned before, use a backer plate (I did on my metal boat as well). Bass boats are very stable. They can actually work their trolling motor to a slower troll than my 4 stroke kicker. Besides the funny looks you would get from the purist bass guys, I see no down-side to downriggers on your bass boat. I would think about mounting them near the cockpit not at the back, unless you want to be on your hands and knees all day. You could also figure out a way to build a rail system that bolts or pins into holes on your rear deck, then get rail mount downriggers. Just a thought...

Good point. Just remember...if you mount them forward,
you will be increasing the chances of tangling with the main motor while you are letting your horizontal line out.
Remember to keep the boat going straight while doing this until you get your lines down below the prop.

 

[Tony P]

Another thing to consider would be to switch to a boat designed for trolling. We'd love to see a bass fisherman convert to kokanee. That would be one less zooming by us at 70mph twenty five feet away from our troll.

The bass boat is fully paid for & I love zipping around at 70mph nananana. The problem isn't the boats zipping around fast or slow it's the man/woman behind the wheel. Everyone needs to show some respect & when there is money on the line a lot of fisherman seem to forget that.
Thanks to everyone for all the great information & ideas. I'm trying to come up with a detachable mounting bracket that can screw into the pedestal bracket then lock down some how on the side also. I will also be using my trolling motor to troll with since I can't get my big motor to slow down enough.

 

[smokin' Kokes]

fisherman have always danced with the one ya' brung.signfishin

fish the bass boat, the kokanee and I don't care101welcomw

here's a like for downrigger attachment components, Scotty makes the best and wide variety
http://www.scotty.com/fishing-gear-equipment/downrigger-mounting-systems/index.htm

a pedestal riser base and a long alum tube may be the winner.
give Scotty a call 1-800-214-0141

show us pictures after you get it fishing. i'd love to see the setup

 

[samv]

Tony P did you ever figure out the downrigger issue. I to am in the process of putting two downriggers on my bass boat. As for the trolling speed, when I fished for Salmon on my Starcraft Islander in Michigan I had to slow up the boat at idle with a 5 gal. bucket dragging about 10 ft. behind the boat. It never interferred with landing a fish or steering the boat. I plan to do this same thing on the bass boat.

 

[SuperD]

Did this downrigger mount on a ski boat and don't see why it wouldn't work on a bass boat.

http://www.kokaneefishingforum.com/fishing-forums/showthread.php?t=3997&highlight=v-lock

 

[SuperD]

Another fiberglass boat install where the V-Lock just wouldn't work:

http://www.kokaneefishingforum.com/fishing-forums/showthread.php?t=5475