Post by: SteelheadTed on July 13, 2020, 05:33:06 PM
I guess I am curious if anyone else has experimented with this and been successful. Is it an advantage?
Post by: Stein on July 13, 2020, 05:39:05 PM
How big of a ball are you using? Maybe it's too small and it's getting pushed way back at trolling speed.
Post by: SteelheadTed on July 13, 2020, 05:49:45 PM
My downrigger is on the back corner of my boat and I can see it clearly on the sounder.
How big of a ball are you using? Maybe it's too small and it's getting pushed way back at trolling speed.
I've been using 15 pound balls, which seems big enough to get a sounding! I am a newb at all this so I don't discount I am doing something wrong. I think I have the trolling thing figured out and I mark fish with the fish finder so I think that is working correctly. I run braid so I am still trying to figure out what the right line angle is since it seems to cut through the water more easily than the cable.
Post by: Angry Perch on July 13, 2020, 05:53:59 PM
Post by: Stein on July 13, 2020, 05:57:31 PM
Post by: fishngamereaper on July 13, 2020, 06:22:42 PM
What depthsounder are you running. Your gain might be off.
Post by: fishngamereaper on July 13, 2020, 06:27:20 PM
Post by: Crunchy on July 13, 2020, 07:50:38 PM
Post by: Stein on July 13, 2020, 08:01:15 PM
There is also the cone angle which picks up a pretty good swath at 100', depending on which transducer you have.
Post by: Katmai Guy on July 13, 2020, 08:19:04 PM
Post by: Katmai Guy on July 13, 2020, 08:20:41 PM
Post by: funkster on July 13, 2020, 09:06:56 PM
My downrigger is on the back corner of my boat and I can see it clearly on the sounder.
How big of a ball are you using? Maybe it's too small and it's getting pushed way back at trolling speed.
:yeah:
Same, I run mine closer to the back corner also using 15 pound balls. This was out at the lake but it looks the same out in the salt at faster speeds.
Fishngamereaper, we’re not worthy, we’re not worthy...🤣 That’s pretty slick man!
Post by: Wetwoodshunter on July 13, 2020, 09:31:23 PM
Transducer might have to narrow a field of detection also.
+1 transducers mostly come in 12 degrees or 20 degrees.
My boat is not set up to see my downrigger balls, also typically running 100-350 feet of 200 lb braid +15 pound ball when fishing for kings.
The scotty's I use have a line counter on them if you fill it with 450 ft of 200 lb braid it is real close to your actual depth when I am trolling.
Be real careful if you mount them forward, lots of experienced guys have them there as a second set so they can run 4 downriggers on a smaller beamed boat but it makes it real easy to wrap a line in the prop.
Post by: Crunchy on July 13, 2020, 09:39:07 PM
Even at 120' depth my cable was never at 45deg to the stern at trolling speed (kings-1.5kph, silvers-3kph). Might be trolling a little fast?
I never really troll speed, but pay attention to wire angle. That is how I learned. I do peek at the sonar and I am in the 1.5-1.8 range with a 15 pound ball. I take the depth of the water and add 20-25 feet for my downrigger ball depth.
Post by: KFhunter on July 13, 2020, 09:55:44 PM
Post by: funkster on July 13, 2020, 09:58:33 PM
while this topic is active, is there a cure for a singing wire?
Yep, hook up and bring up the wire, problem solved👍🏼👍🏼
Jokes aside, this is a good question!
Post by: Wetwoodshunter on July 13, 2020, 10:26:28 PM
while this topic is active, is there a cure for a singing wire?
Switch to braid or use a heavier downrigger ball. I have never heard braid sing. Also, its nice being able to tie on terminal gear and not having to mess with corrosion, rust, and kinks.
Post by: KP-Skagit on July 14, 2020, 08:02:28 AM
Post by: Stein on July 14, 2020, 09:37:11 AM
while this topic is active, is there a cure for a singing wire?
Switch to braid or use a heavier downrigger ball. I have never heard braid sing. Also, its nice being able to tie on terminal gear and not having to mess with corrosion, rust, and kinks.
:yeah:
Braid is so much superior to wire on downriggers it's hard to even explain until you try it.
Post by: Crunchy on July 14, 2020, 09:56:14 AM
Post by: KP-Skagit on July 14, 2020, 10:39:34 AM
Post by: dilleytech on July 14, 2020, 11:18:35 AM
Post by: Stein on July 14, 2020, 11:23:05 AM
Post by: NRA4LIFE on July 14, 2020, 11:39:50 AM
Post by: SteelheadTed on July 14, 2020, 11:56:28 AM
My downrigger braid is 250 lb and doesn't rust. I think steel cable is 150 or 180 lb. I've lost balls due to wire breaking from rusting where you can't see it but haven't ever had braid break. My guess is the downrigger boom would break far before the braid. I've actually thought about putting in some sort of breakaway at the ball in case it hangs up because the braid won't break before bad stuff would start to happen.
I run a snubber for this reason, it's supposed to break at 75 pounds or so, which seems like a good number to prevent the bad things happening.
Post by: SteelheadTed on July 14, 2020, 12:09:57 PM
Do you see it on the finder when you balls are dropping at any point? Is your transducer relatively level in relation to the water?
No, I don't see the balls on the sonar at any point. I mounted the transducer myself so I may have some adjusting to do. I was having a heck of a time with the transducer creating a rooster tail so I had to bring it up about 2 inches. I'll check the angle, it seems right but maybe it is facing too far back and only looking past the stern and missing the balls altogether. I'll experiment with the angle. I have a Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP SI.
Post by: Stein on July 14, 2020, 12:16:42 PM
If you moved it up that far your hull may be blocking the pings from going forward to where your downrigger is.
Then, when back at home you can adjust the trailer jack to get the boat at the same angle it fishes at and then either level the transducer or point it whatever way you want.
The ball is a big chunk of metal, it should show up very prominently. That said, I wish mine didn't show up so well as it blocks some stuff underneath it sometimes and the auto range sometimes locks on it as bottom as someone above mentioned. The sonar depth and line counter depth pretty much match so it's not any value being able to see it.
Post by: fishngamereaper on July 14, 2020, 12:18:40 PM
Do you see it on the finder when you balls are dropping at any point? Is your transducer relatively level in relation to the water?
No, I don't see the balls on the sonar at any point. I mounted the transducer myself so I may have some adjusting to do. I was having a heck of a time with the transducer creating a rooster tail so I had to bring it up about 2 inches. I'll check the angle, it seems right but maybe it is facing too far back and only looking past the stern and missing the balls altogether. I'll experiment with the angle. I have a Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP SI.
A properly installed transducer is flat along the same lines of the hull of your boat with maybe a slight degree of rear up. To much Angle will only create problems. If you want a wider cone change your settings or change your ducer. Wider the cone the less detail down deep. I fish a lot of deep water so run a pretty narrow cone. I like to see halibut chasing my gear in 300-400ft of water. And some of the offshore salmon spots the fish run 250-300 ft deep.
Also with braid it helps to re tie a couple times a year. Especially if your bouncing bottom a lot. I switched to braid 4 years ago and will never go back to wire.
Post by: funkster on July 14, 2020, 03:45:21 PM
while this topic is active, is there a cure for a singing wire?
Switch to braid or use a heavier downrigger ball. I have never heard braid sing. Also, its nice being able to tie on terminal gear and not having to mess with corrosion, rust, and kinks.
:yeah:
Braid is so much superior to wire on downriggers it's hard to even explain until you try it.
Agreed, both of mine are braid, I still hear a little singing from time to time.
Post by: Stein on July 14, 2020, 04:51:18 PM
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