Downriggin'

Hey....has anybody out there given THIS a try?

best place for a downrigger is behind your seat---

do you mean that specific Scotty model? 

Sure....or just plain downrigging in general from a yak.....very intriguing.......

Zee has written extensively on this topic.  Do a search on this site or lookup the back-issue of Northwest Sportsman he did on down-riggering from a yak.

-Spot-

There's an article on the front page too.

You want a line counter on your downrigger, and you want the downrigger close to the centerline.  Before you install a downrigger, try some time trolling with marked line.  I have my trolling rig filled with 50# yellow PowerPro.  Every 50' I marked the line with a black felt pen.  See this thread:

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,6702.0.html

After using this marked line for a number of trips I really don't know how I trolled without it.  I always know the depth my bait is running.  Depending on the conditions I am using 6-8 oz of ball sinker on a slido.  Watch your slidos - braid cuts right through them after a while.

Just a thought ...

I don't think having a line counter or marked line let's you know the exact depth your bait is running.  It just lets you be more precise in the error.   

There are too many variables such as line angle (do you really know the line angle) and assumption on straightness (the line through the water is really more parabolic than straight) and consistency of kayak speed (and the effects on you assumed line angle).

And even then, fish don't stay at one depth or aren't found at only one depth.  So being precise is not so necessary as understanding why you're targeting a given depth range.

-Allen

I started off using the Scotty Lake troll down rigger I bought in 1990 for my old 14' Glasspar fishing boat.....back then, I wanted to know the depth I was at so I "sleeved" the cable every 10' with clear heat shrink tube and then used a magic marker to stripe the shrink tube for length.
When I bought my Hobie Outback 2 years ago, I dusted off the old Scotty again........it always was a pain to decipher the marking on the shrink tubing.....so I sprung for the Canon Mini-troll with the simple mechanical wheel to indicate the length of cable payed out.
I really like the Canon better........And, I found I needed to install the Hobie sailing rudder as the kayak was hard to keep on course due to the underwater drag of the line and weight at depth.
The sailing rudder solved the down rigger drag issues and overall, improved the steering of the kayak.....a great $22.00 investment.http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/Smileys/Lots_O_Smileys/banjo.gif

Zee has written extensively on this topic.  Do a search on this site or lookup the back-issue of Northwest Sportsman he did on down-riggering from a yak.

-Spot-

It was an awesome article Spot....Zee just about answered every question I could have possibly thought up.  Don't know if I am going to dive into this just yet.....but will continue to ponder as we ease into the all too familiar pattern of WWW.

Washington Weekend Wetness.