08-30-2006, 04:19 AM
i use the black offshore releases almost exclusively. the shasta one is alright, but i replace it with an offshore when i use the shuttle hawk. they do take some experimentation and there are a few things to keep in mind. the diameter of the line, type of line- mono vs flouro vs braided, condition of the pads, depth of line placement, weight or pull of lure or bait, speed of boat, size of fish youre going after, etc, etc.
ive been able to get pretty good consistency from the offshore releases. it took some experimenting and requires adjustments as the above conditions change, but i really like how quick i can get them set and down. but, if your having success with rubber bands- id stick with what is working for you. half the battle is finding things that work for YOU.
a couple of notes on the shuttle hawks, in case you decide to give them a try-
to get them to dive correctly you have to make sure the holagram is facing upward. once you put your line in the release you need to give it upward pressure to change the angle that the hawk is sitting in the water. this is what makes it dive. keep the pressure on it until you feel it stop. this is where a good reel comes in handy. once its down you just put it in the rod holder and make sure the slack is all out. it will stay there until the fish takes your lure and the angle on the shuttle changes. keep in mind that if your lure/bait is pulling too hard (like pop geer or sometimes a quickly trolled rig can do) the rig will pull the angle of the shuttle down and cause it to not dive. hope this helps. take care, bkidder
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ive been able to get pretty good consistency from the offshore releases. it took some experimenting and requires adjustments as the above conditions change, but i really like how quick i can get them set and down. but, if your having success with rubber bands- id stick with what is working for you. half the battle is finding things that work for YOU.
a couple of notes on the shuttle hawks, in case you decide to give them a try-
to get them to dive correctly you have to make sure the holagram is facing upward. once you put your line in the release you need to give it upward pressure to change the angle that the hawk is sitting in the water. this is what makes it dive. keep the pressure on it until you feel it stop. this is where a good reel comes in handy. once its down you just put it in the rod holder and make sure the slack is all out. it will stay there until the fish takes your lure and the angle on the shuttle changes. keep in mind that if your lure/bait is pulling too hard (like pop geer or sometimes a quickly trolled rig can do) the rig will pull the angle of the shuttle down and cause it to not dive. hope this helps. take care, bkidder
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