View Poll Results: What type of weight do you use mostly?

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  • Ball

    36 41.86%
  • Pancake

    29 33.72%
  • Fish Shape

    20 23.26%
  • Re bar

    0 0%
  • Other

    1 1.16%
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Thread: Downrigger Weights

  1. #26
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    Jan 2009
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    Utah
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    Because we tend to bump things and the lead is soft, nothing you put on them will be bulletproof. I've gone to spray paint because it is cheap and easy to touch up.
    2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually, 21' North River Seahawk

  2. #27
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    Mar 2009
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    Davy Jones Locker
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    This is what I have learned this year. I Have used 10# pancake weights for years, thought they were the bomb. I had to switch to 8# ball weight because the cheap cannon rigger boom was rated for 8# only. I kept it because of the ion control. Now I have picked up some scotty's that can handle 15#'s. Thats 3 riggers that I will be running this year, too pumped. Any way back to what I have learned. I talked with Jared Johnson at the sportsman show this year. He claims that the pancake weights vibrate through the water, causing your pole to bounce. I don't know how true this is, because of the dodgers action being transfered through the release up to the pole. He just says that they are unstable. He said he uses 15# fish shaped weights with the scense despsener, claims that scense is a major player in koke fishing. But like I said I just bought two scotty's and haven't yet picked up and weights. This was a great thread to read, I if I can just make up my mind. Oh one last thing, if you pick up a lure jensen report on...what water depth does to colors....you'll see that red is the first to turn grey. as light spectum becomes less as you go deeper, red is the first to loose it reflectiveness, like around 30 feet. so if you are fishing lower than that, it just looks grey.

  3. #28
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    Jan 2009
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    OR.
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    246

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    Quote Originally Posted by BROWNBAGGER View Post
    Red is the first to loose it reflectiveness, like around 30 feet. so if you are fishing lower than that, it just looks grey.
    Sounds like a Grey Ghost to me! I like em...

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Carmichael (Sacramento)
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    7

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    Hi I have personnal used all types. If your fishing line is closer to the weights (10 ft or shorter), I like to use the sharks, I use pancakes when my fishing lin is further than 10 ft from the weights. I also use cannonballs, I have the molds for 8, 10 and 12 pounders but personally overall the pancakes work the best for me. If the water has lots of structure I use the cannonballs as they are cheaper after I make them I buy rubber paint from Harbor tools and dip them. Big bob

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Blackfoot, Idaho
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    509

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    Hey Twisted Lines, I just couldn't take your advice and went ahead and used the Plasti Dip. First hand experience to share - Don't brush it on! The directions say it can be brushed but it sets up too fast to obtain a smooth and consistant coating. I resorted to lying the pancake weights down and pouring each side at a time. I let them set about an hour before turning them over and coating the other sides. Actually I'd recommend letting them set overnight before turning them over to complete the job. The end product came out as a smooth, solid finish that has held up nicely even bouncing over the bottom a bit. I coated both weights with one can, about $8 total. I'll report later to let all know of my success with RED.

  6. #31
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Bend, OR
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    26

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    Quote Originally Posted by jzell View Post
    Just got my pancakes and gave my 8# balls to Fish-on-bend in Central Oregon.

    Might have to add some tape.

    jz
    I am the proud owner of jzell's balls.

    I mainly use 10 lb pancakes, but I'm not against using a buddy's balls in a pinch. I see less blow back with the pancakes, but not a lot less. The balls seem easier to handle than the pancakes. I sometimes use the balls if I know I'll be trolling less then 50 feet down. I bought the pancakes mainly for chasing macks in 100-300 feet of water.
    Its bad luck to be superstitious.

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Yoncalla, Oregon
    Posts
    22

    Default Downrigger Weights

    I have been using ball weights for years and would like to try using the pancake type. I recently purchase a Danielson eight pound pancake downrigger weight at the local Joe's going out of business sale. I was thinking that I surely could find one more eight pound pancake weight. I am having a heck of a time finding a matching weight. Could some kind soul out there point me in the right direction?
    IH
    Fish are where you find them

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Silverton, Oregon
    Posts
    867

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    I saw some yesterday at fishermans marine in Delta Park but I don't know what the weight was, looked like 8 or 10 pounds.

  9. #34

    Cool

    10lb sharks in crome all the way baby!!!

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Western Washington State
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    14

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    Ok guys, I am new so I got questions. What is blowback?
    I will be using my Penn manual (600?) downriggers with an 8 oz lead ball. Apparently I need to rethink the set up. Also, I still have stainless steel cables on them. Should I be changing over to monofiliment or Dacron or what?

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Silverton, Oregon
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    When you get to depth, say about 40 feet on, your downrigger weight does not hang directly verticle from the boom. You will see the cable angle backwards due to the forward motion of the boat. This is the blowback. The deeper or faster you go the more blowback you get. This can affect your actual depth as the further the blowback the shallower (sp?) your weight is. In my opinion this is not a factor unless you are really really deep.

    I run cable on one side and braided on the other and notice no difference in hook ratios. I will be switching the cable to braided on both this summer as it is easier to repair on the water than the cable if something bad happens.

  12. #37
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Western Washington State
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    14

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    Thanks for the update. I suspected that is what it was referring to.

    Going to work on my boat today so I can fish later this week.

  13. #38
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    1

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    Does the weight of the ball increase the chance of the clip releasing when a fish strikes?

    EX: A four pound ball would take a larger or stronger strike too release compared to a 10 lbs ball.

    Does the weight or back pressure from a larger weight allow the clip to release sooner than a weight with less weight of pressure?

  14. #39
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Bend, Or.
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    1,843

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    Quote Originally Posted by JT.ca View Post
    Does the weight of the ball increase the chance of the clip releasing when a fish strikes?

    EX: A four pound ball would take a larger or stronger strike too release compared to a 10 lbs ball.

    Does the weight or back pressure from a larger weight allow the clip to release sooner than a weight with less weight of pressure?
    The clip size, tension setting, and the size of the fish has more to do with the clip releasing. In my opinion having the fish not release from the clip and lifting up the rod to do so sometimes allows the fish to get a better hook-set. You want a weight heavy enough to where you don't get alot of blow back to get the best accuracy from the counter on the downrigger especially when trolling deep. Also, the use of ball trolls produces alot of blow back, and going to a heavier weight will help keep the ball more vertical. When fishing up high going to a heavier weight will help to be able to see your ball on the fishfinder. The cone angle of the sonar is narrow up high, and a more vertical ball will help keep you in the sonar range.
    Last edited by SilverBullets; 06-23-2009 at 03:40 PM.

  15. #40
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    Jul 2009
    Location
    Idaho
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    707

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    Quote Originally Posted by Silver Bullets View Post
    The clip size, tension setting, and the size of the fish has more to do with the clip releasing. In my opinion having the fish not release from the clip and lifting up the rod to do so sometimes allows the fish to get a better hook-set. You want a weight heavy enough to where you don't get alot of blow back to get the best accuracy from the counter on the downrigger especially when trolling deep. Also, the use of ball trolls produces alot of blow back, and going to a heavier weight will help keep the ball more vertical. When fishing up high going to a heavier weight will help to be able to see your ball on the fishfinder. The cone angle of the sonar is narrow up high, and a more vertical ball will help keep you in the sonar range.
    +1 The right clip is important. I prefer to do a manual release due to the hookset being better and more control over the fish. I run 10 lb. pancakes that I respray yearly with plastidip and add holographic tape to the fins.

  16. #41
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    Jun 2009
    Location
    Idaho
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    133

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    Quote Originally Posted by MMM View Post
    +1 The right clip is important. I prefer to do a manual release due to the hookset being better and more control over the fish. I run 10 lb. pancakes that I respray yearly with plastidip and add holographic tape to the fins.
    +2 on the manual release. That way you are in control of the slack.

  17. #42
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Sacramento Ca
    Posts
    41

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    Does anyone know were you can get a pancake mold for 10 lb weights
    I have, four-10 lb ball weights that I could melt down
    I look about a year ago and did not find any then.
    Someone must be making them.
    Stan

  18. #43

    Default

    Newbie here...first post :)

    So did a search on down-rigger weights and viola I'm here. So a quick intro:

    I've caught only about 6 fresh-water trout in my life (German Brown and Cut-Throat on the Snake River back in the early 90's when I was stationed up there in the Navy). I'm a SE fisherman (Bass and saltwater).

    Family is heading up to northern NM (Lake Heron) the first week of Aug. Been reading up on Kokanee and we really wan to land some to put on the dinner table. We will not have a boat, but will will be able to fish deep, just need to work at it a little more :)

    Using this rig (Father-in-Law's):



    So, our plan is to use a make-shift down-rigger (really just a rope, tie-off, weight, and release rig). I "think" 30-35' is going to be the sweet spot first week of Aug.

    So 10 pounds seems a little heavy for us no? Any suggestions on rigging for us?

    Thanks,
    Roy

  19. #44
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    Jan 2009
    Location
    Utah
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    How about a heavier fishing rod and a linecounter reel as a make shift downrigger? For my small boat or canoe, I have a 12" boom, C Clamp mount Cannon downrigger with a 4 lbs weight.
    2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually, 21' North River Seahawk

  20. #45

    Default

    Thanks for the quick reply SuperD...the 4lbs sounds more manageable. I'll be sure to share this link with my father-in-law. I have zero down-rigger experience but at least he has used them in the past (CA). Talked with him just yesterday and we were discussing just using a heavy line/weight/tie-off, as in no down-rigger at all; just know what depth we want before heading out and do it old school.

    See this 1 week stay at Heron Lake in NM isn't just about fishing, it's a family stay, we just need to get to 35' and catch a few Kokonee to put on the dinner table :) Probably won't be back in a very long time :)

  21. #46
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    Jan 2009
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    Utah
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    Issue with a heavy line and a light weight will be blow back. The drag of the line in the water will create a 45° in the rope and you won't be at the depth you want unless you do your algerbra and have a lot longer rope.
    2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually, 21' North River Seahawk

  22. #47

    Default

    Yep and I precisely follow you...kind of like knowing the pulls out when using planes like the pink lady etc. So, I'm a rookie, heck not even that, so I can only speculate...hummm...let's see:

    Sailing kayak will have varying speeds depending on wind and what the operator does with the sail. So to make this easy, I would need to know the median speed for trolling for Kokanee...what about 3 knots with a +/- 1 knot variance?

    If we use a 4# down-rigger disc/ball and want to achieve a 35' depth at 3 knots using a typical dodger/flasher with a wedding ring setup wonder what sort of hyper-bolic that would create and thus what length we would really need? May have to compromise too for lower speeds so the lure doesn't plummet to Davy Jones locker :)

  23. #48
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    Jan 2009
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    Utah
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    Koke speed is between 1.0 and 2.0 and chances deminishing from 1.5 to 2.0.
    2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually, 21' North River Seahawk

  24. #49

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    Okay so really slow. I guess the real question now is if the down-rigger will really be at a 45 degree angle at this speed and depth?

    I calculated 40' of down-rigger to maintain 35' depth at a 30 degree angle.

  25. #50
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Canby, OR
    Posts
    12

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    I wonder if there would be any interest if a loan or rental program was set up to borrow various downrigger weight molds? I have a lot of lead but I don't want to buy several mold to try for only three or four balls. I would be willing to pay for postage and maybe a small fee to use the mold.

    Bill

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