The kayak trolling conundrum

Hello All,

I have a similar downrigger setup and I wanted to mention an improvement my friend turned me onto. 

I bought some heavy duty mono line (150-200#), a bead and a really large 'spin and glow'.  I cut apart release clip wire and used the mono to make the length longer, about 3.5'.  I put the bead and 'pin and glow' on the mono as well.  The bead keeps the 'spin and glow' from catching on the crimp sleeve..  The 'spin and glow' doesn't spin, but it helps tons.  When the line is released (fish on!!!) the release line floats up.  The mono (being large and stiff) and the separation from the flotation keeps everything from getting tangled when raising the downrigger. (I tried smaller mono and spectra resulting in huge tangles.)  The release clip-line will come to the surface first and can easily be grabbed without having to raised the ball to or above the surface, making redeployment much easier.  (I had my spectra knot fail once when I got distracted and reeled the ball hard up into the downrigger....kerplunk!! !!)

I know, I know..pictures.., but imagine this...BIG foam thing (green 'spin and glow'), bead, crimp sleeve, release clip.  I have a snap swivel on the other end that connects to the weight.

Jesse

I also found that you can buy the "two packs" of releases, the ones that use a clip to locate a secondary line above the weight, for not much more cash than a single clip. 

That is a nice set up you have zee. I wonder about the long term wear on the hull of the yak with weight on it like that causing dents. I have used deep sixs too and have worked ok. But to get deep I still use sinker release's. Of course you have to carry more wieght with ya, (i use scrap steel and weld eyelets on so i am not dropping lead every where) The down rigger just seems to cumbersome. What happens when you hook a big fish and he decides to make a few laps around your down rigger line. I can't work a fish and reel up weight at the same time.

All good questions FC. I too was concerned with how the weight and stress of the DR would effect my hull. The best way I could think was to reinforce the inside of my yak where the DR is installed. I got a plastic chopping board from Daiso for a buck and cut it to the shape of my install spot w/ a template I made of paper. I put all the screws through the yak and then the board. This should spread all the stress over a much larger area and result in less wear. I took this clue from a lot of other yak fishermen who've done similar things for rod holders.
Here's a similar set up from patR. from NCKA.


To tell you the truth the reason why I didn't use sinker releases is because I just don't lilke dropping crap all over the ocean floor. I know, I have an over developed sense of karma.. 

And about the DR ball hanging while landing the fish, I work it in slowly when the fish is on a full run. The DR is so close that it's easy to give a few winds every now and then. I have a friend in Cali who swears you never have to. He just gives it about 10 winds to clear the bottom and that's it.

Z

Being the cheapest man alive, I made my downrigger out of a length of pvc and a mooching reel. I used a 4lbs ball and 100lb Kevlar (found it in a closeout bin).

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,338.0.html

Mine is mounted on a extension and yes, it ripped the rivets out. But that's better than ripping out the bolts or breaking the boat    I think I'll shorten the boom for a smaller moment and lose the extension. The boom does nothing for us as we want the ball as close to the centerline as possible. The Hobie BigA also provides a lovely slot for your downrigger line that they think is for a centerboard.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,460.msg3010.html#msg3010

Jesse:
Huh?   The release line is not attached to the ball? Sounds like a good idea. pictures! (please)

I know, I know..pictures.., but imagine this...

Something like this?


How about a look at what the fish are doing down there...

Salmon
[youtube=425,350]WP-7oVWq4sQ[/youtube]

Trout
[youtube=425,350]UdLJRHgb-is[/youtube]

OK here is a question for you math wizards. If you could reduce the drag on a DG weight could you make the weight lighter? My thought was Instead of a round ball what if the weight was like a blade. Using a piece of steel sheet about 1/4" to 1/2" thick, with a loop welded on so the weight wont spin in the water while trolling and having ground the fore edge to a bevel wouldn't it, in therory take les weight to reach a good trolling depth. I have seen the torpedo shapes too but I think a blade would reduce drag even more.
Zee as for dropping the weight on the ocean floor, I feel the same so I don't use lead. The steel is a little more eco-friendly as it will eventualy rust away. You know when steelheading some times I will use tobacoo bags of cotton with rocks or sand, but that is only good in slow moving to moderate water. You just can't get enough weight in them  for fast water.

OK here is a question for you math wizards. If you could reduce the drag on a DG weight could you make the weight lighter? My thought was Instead of a round ball what if the weight was like a blade. Using a piece of steel sheet about 1/4" to 1/2" thick, with a loop welded on so the weight wont spin in the water while trolling and having ground the fore edge to a bevel wouldn't it, in therory take les weight to reach a good trolling depth. I have seen the torpedo shapes too but I think a blade would reduce drag even more.

sounds like you've just described a very large keel type sinker...we used them trolling for pike and muskie when i was a kid, before the downrigger craze started...gosh, old school coming back?

here's a link to show what i'm talking about: http://www.do-itmolds.com/prodmolds.aspx?c=83

I've tried a 10 pound pancake shaped downrigger weight that was only 3/4 inches thick or so from the boat.  Compared to an 8 pound ball-type downrigger weight, I didn't see much of a difference with swingback angle, which makes me think that downrigger cable drag plays a more significant role in swingback than the shape of the downrigger weight.  Only a guess.

I really like the spin-n-glow/heavy mono idea!

Mike

Compared to an 8 pound ball-type downrigger weight, I didn't see much of a difference with swingback angle, which makes me think that downrigger cable drag plays a more significant role in swingback than the shape of the downrigger weight.  Only a guess.

I really like the spin-n-glow/heavy mono idea!

Mike

That's exactly what I've heard. For some reason a ball actually is more hydrodynamic than it appears. I agree the line is the most determining part of the drag of a downrigger. Mono is a good idea but a little too stretchy and the diameter of a strong mono line is huge when compared to an equally strong braided line. So w/ braided you can go just as strong but w/ less drag.

One interesting option to do is to re-spool your downrigger not only w/ a braided line but a colored one. That way you have two ways of tracking your depth. Daiwa makes a good version of it.


http://www.daiwa.com/Lure/line_sal_boat.aspx