Downrigger setup

Joined: Jun 08, 2008 Posts: 4

Hi,

This is my first post. I'm looking for advice on what I need to make a sea trolling rig to fish at 3 - 10 metres while moving at 2 and 6 knots.

On my past trip I tried a diving vane but it wouldn't take the bait down despite every adjustment I could think of. I’m now thinking about a separate line with a 3lb weight, down which I could slide my end tackle on a clip that would release if a fish strikes. I've come across an American website offering ready-made rigs that seem to do this, but am a bit doubtful about how they work. Is there a simpler solution?

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 12:09 pm

I have just seen a tip where you connect your hook trace to a rubber band , put the band on a paper clip and you can clip it on and slide it down the rigger line while its down. The rubber band breaks if you get a fish and you don`t need to lift the rigger weight to re-bait just put a new band and clip on and slide it down.
So simple it might even work !

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 1:06 pm

There are commercial downriggers available on the market that wouls suit your needs but unsure who supplies them. You could check on Googlle. keith

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:30 pm

try ebay mate they might hve them im not shure big grin

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:49 pm

There is a downrigger listed at £25 on ebay. Hope this helps. keith

Joined: Jun 08, 2008 Posts: 4

Thanks for the advice.
I found something called a paravane (much more solid looking than what I've tried before) on ebay which seems just the job - no weights, and with some kind of depth setting function. Elsewhere someone reported using them while sailing in Scotland and at £4 it seems worth a try.

Not sure what that £25 item was, but that's quite a price for some terminal tackle!

Joined: Jun 08, 2008 Posts: 4

sniggle wrote:

I have just seen a tip where you connect your hook trace to a rubber band , put the band on a paper clip and you can clip it on and slide it down the rigger line while its down. The rubber band breaks if you get a fish and you don`t need to lift the rigger weight to re-bait just put a new band and clip on and slide it down.
So simple it might even work !

I think I must have seen the same thing before I came across the commercial version. It does sound simple but I could just see myself with tackle popping off the line all the time, messing around trying to figure out the perfect piece of elastic etc etc. If I lived somewhere I could do this when I wanted it'd be my kind of thing - I hate fishing gadgets. But this is a pretty special trip and cursing quietly over my fishing gear never goes down to well with the family confused

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 6:39 pm

Well worth every penny if you catch fish. keith

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:30 pm

[quote="spooner"]"But this is a pretty special trip " Go on gissa clue , what and where someone on site will have the answer.sniggle

Joined: Jun 08, 2008 Posts: 4

[quote="sniggle"]

spooner wrote:

"But this is a pretty special trip " Go on gissa clue , what and where someone on site will have the answer.sniggle

Greece, renting a very small sail boat.

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 7:37 am

I think a good quality paravane is the thing for trolling under sail if only for the fact that they are more portable, plus if you do hit a snag while tacking the brakes and reverse gear on sailboats are rubbish . A leadhead shad freelined well back from the boat ought to produce something.