Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Power Equipment & RV => Topic started by: Machias on March 04, 2024, 01:48:38 PM

Title: Downriggers
Post by: Machias on March 04, 2024, 01:48:38 PM: If you only troll a few times a year is it worth getting the electric downriggers or is the manual ones fine? I could see me trolling a few times a year for Lake Trout, Kokanee and possibly Salmon. But most of the time, I'll be bass, pike, walleye and crappie fishing. As well as catfish and sturgeon a few times a year. Thoughts? Thanks!
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: CP on March 04, 2024, 01:55:22 PM: I run both at times. Nothing wrong with a manual unless you are running deep, then they can be a pain.
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: cavemann on March 04, 2024, 02:06:52 PM: I ran manual for years.. in lakes they were fine, you are not dealing with tide, seaweed, jelly fish and bait checks so can set them and leave them. No doubt electric are nice!! But for what you are doing, much more practical to take on and off your boat and easier mount options with the manuals. And they are bullet proof. I bought a pair of cannons 15 years ago and never had an issue

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Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: pickardjw on March 04, 2024, 02:12:54 PM: I have manual Penn's and have used electric on other people's boats. If the bite is hot, the electrics are definitely nice to have. But I've never had much trouble with them for the species you're mentioning. Down to 100' or so it's not bad to crank up. Running them at 180' for lakers was pretty rough though.
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: Machias on March 04, 2024, 02:17:32 PM: Awesome, thanks guys!!!!!!
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: snit on March 04, 2024, 02:33:25 PM: When fishing your gear deeper than 40', you will check your gear consistently more often when fishing with electrics, vs manuals IMO. The first larger sled I bought in 1997 had manuals. Used them 1 year and sold them. I'm now on boat #5, and each one has had Scotty electrics. The last current and prior boat have/had (4) ea. I know since The Flu they've really increased in price, but shopping used, you can still find them in the $300 range.
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: Blacklab on March 04, 2024, 02:50:12 PM: I prefer electric, but the most important this is braid for your cable, metal hums :twocents:
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: GWP on March 04, 2024, 03:02:49 PM: For sure 'it depends'.
I ran one manual Scotty for some time, then picked up a Big Jon electric that needed repairs for cheap. Once I got it going and used electric I would not go back.
I have electronics that I can watch my presentation and can very the depth up or down real time to fairly closely match where I can see the fish all while watching the screen. Very easily to do with the electric downrigger. The manual downrigger was a little more involved to do that and I tended to just leave it at the depth it was.
Also, bringing up the downrigger to get it out of the way while controlling or watching the pole was simply hitting a switch.
My electric downriggers do not have an automatic cut off switch so I need to set the clutch so it does not strain the motor if the ball comes up and hits the arm.
I used to fish mostly lakes, and when it got warmer I would use a depth release set up on a quick clip on the downrigger cable to get unwanted fish (salmon) down to a cooler depth.
I guess I would say it just makes it easier all the way around. I have bad shoulders and if there is much going I would get pretty sore using the manual.
If you keep an eye out you can find them pretty cheap. Particularly if you are handy with tools and you get an 'off brand' with a simple up and down switch.
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: metlhead on March 05, 2024, 06:25:13 AM: If you go with used, be sure that all the connection components come with it. A low price rigger gets spendy if you need to buy cables and mounts.
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: fishngamereaper on March 05, 2024, 06:41:51 AM: It's only a couple hundred extra for electric
I used manuals for years but electric is money well spent.
Work smarter not harder...
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: GWP on March 05, 2024, 08:03:03 AM: Quote from: metlhead on March 05, 2024, 06:25:13 AM
If you go with used, be sure that all the connection components come with it. A low price rigger gets spendy if you need to buy cables and mounts.

Good advice. If you have the ability to make your own it becomes less of a problem, but it takes time and materials.
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: Machias on March 05, 2024, 01:22:23 PM: Awesome, thanks everyone for your thoughts!!
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: Wingin it on March 06, 2024, 01:32:47 PM: I’ve run both. I had Cannon manuals and Scotty electrics. The electrics are nice, but the manuals are plenty adequate. If you aren’t using them much and it’s sounds like you won’t then you can’t go wrong either way.
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: Machias on March 07, 2024, 10:43:28 AM: :tup: :tup:
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: Blacklab on March 29, 2024, 09:46:03 AM: So how’s the outfitting of your new boat coming along.
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: haftard on March 29, 2024, 10:43:21 AM: I have the cannon ez troll downriggers and they are not bad. Using a shuttle hawk helps when the fish are deep. Kinda sucks cranking up the ball every time somthing comes off the clip
Title: Re: Downriggers
Post by: Irish_hunter93 on March 29, 2024, 11:51:42 AM: My first boat had cannon manuals, they worked because it's all I had, eventually later I got scotty electrics with my 2nd boat, I love em.

The fathom master manuals my uncle had on his boat weren't bad though! I liked those much more than the cannons.

I definitely don't miss cranking up every time I came off the clip.

A friend of mine showed me a cool trick, mainly for stacking on a slow troll for kokanee or sockeye. send your downrigger ball

down to where you want to fish with your first pole clipped in, on your second rod attach a shower ring, or a carabiner clip with a weight and a release attached to the clip, run that down your downrigger line till you hit your desired depth and your good. Gotta have a line counter reel though. Gets ya close. If you break off the ring just slides down your cable and stops on your downrigger ball. Pretty cool trick