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Since several folks on this site have mentioned either buying or going to buy downriggers, it might be a good time to reissue my warning from a few years ago. After dropping your ball to the desired depth, feather your drag control knob so that it just barely stops the descent of the ball. Too often people crank the drag tightly and then, if they hook the ball up on the bottom, the cable will pull the back corner of the boat down, thus swamping the boat. This seems to be something that people don't often think about, but apparently leads to many boats every season getting swamped. Mike
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Thanks for the tip Kodiak. We're always talking about fishing tips but do not often discuss safety. As a new boat owner, boating tips are very appreciated.
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Thanks for that tip. I hadn't ever though of that hazard, but it makes sense.
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Kodiak1, good call! Another thing to think about is to leave the clips open on your d-rigger balls when trolling on or near the bottom in snaggy places. It is better to lose a ball than sink your boat. I had an experience on Pend d' Orielle where I stuck a ball and while I was trying to get it broken free the wind came up, with waves to about 4 feet. It was a very dangerous situation. Eventually the arm broke on my downrigger, and I had to cut the downrigger cable. The replacement arm was 125 bones, plus a new cable, and ball...expensive experience. Luckily I didn't swamp. If I had left the clips open, I would have lost 1 ball and that would have been it...
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All good suggestions...can never play it too safe. Thanks guys.
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Mojo,
Hadn't ever thought about opening the snap. Don't you worry about losing the ball? I suppose it wouldn't typically happen. Good advice. Mike
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Good thread,, thanks for the tips, any more tips would be appreciated.
I will be useing downriggers for my first time this year and never would of thought of that until i was swimming.[shocked]
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