odd d.r. weight

[RalphL]

Just picked up an odd fish shaped,yellow, dr weight with "Riviera "embossed on the side. Has a removable (I think) plug on the back and appears to be filled with lead shot. Gave 18 bucks for it ,(tackle junky, hopeless) and will try it out this season. Anybody familiar with these?? Weighs about 7 lbs. but if I can figure out how the back comes off I believe it can go heavier..

 

[trollmonkey]

Hey Ralph ,My first downrigger in 1978 was a Riviera.It had the plastic weight ,I think 7lbs is about as good as it gets. You might get a tad more wt using very small lead shot so it fills every space. Mine tracked well at around 7,but the release it came with weren't much punkin (did not work particularly well) ,it was rough on the line.I folded a piece of bike inner tube and put it between the release clip to cushion the line. It worked OK but those were the dark ages of downrigging. I actually split two of those wts one I think from pounding a rocky point ,the other had water in it and froze.

 

[RalphL]

I use nothing but Chamberlains and they attach to the line above the DR ,so that's not a problem. It will just be hanging and dragging an 18. or 24 in. troll. Was 7 lbs enough to get down without a lot of setback. I will fill it with #9 shot or 7.5 and see what I get. Could punch a few holes in the body and add some scent,.... hmm,,,, a scent drag. Works on whitetail, I wonder???

 

[RalphL]

8.4 lbs. loaded with 7 1/2 shot.