# Calling out all you downriggerers



## americanforkdude (Sep 13, 2007)

So by this summer I intend on having a couple downriggers for the boat. I've been paying a lot of attention to them and talking to a lot of people about them. Seems to me Cannon is the most popular around here. I don't want to spend a lot. I will buy a manual rigger but also want the pole holder as well. 
Here's my ?'s to you people who have experience with downriggers:
Does the length of the boom have much affect on fishing? Is it worth it to buy a longer one?
How are Cannons compared to Walkers?
What size of downrigger weight do you recommend?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

americanforkdude said:


> So by this summer I intend on having a couple downriggers for the boat. I've been paying a lot of attention to them and talking to a lot of people about them. Seems to me Cannon is the most popular around here. I don't want to spend a lot. I will buy a manual rigger but also want the pole holder as well.
> Here's my ?'s to you people who have experience with downriggers:
> Does the length of the boom have much affect on fishing? Is it worth it to buy a longer one?
> How are Cannons compared to Walkers?
> What size of downrigger weight do you recommend?


IMO if you plan on a manual, wait until Cabelas has their fishing sale. They sell the Canon Lake Troll for right around $100 and they throw in a free 8lb ball. I run 2 of them now and have no problems and really like the downriggers.

Secondly, whatever downrigger you buy take off the releases and throw them in the trash. Get a couple Scotty releases and enjoy life. Be sure to pick up at least 1 stacker release so you can fish 2 poles on a single downrigger line (space them at least 12ft apart to help avoid tangles).

-DallanC


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## americanforkdude (Sep 13, 2007)

Thanks for the info. Do they have the sale every year? Sounds like a good deal. Is 8 lbs ideal?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I have used the Cannon Mini-Troll, Lake-Troll, and Easy-Troll manual downriggers. They are all fine, very durable. Easy has a 24" boom, Lake an 18". I use(d) the Mini and the Easy. 

The Minis were travel downriggers, before fishing camps put downriggers in their rentals. Sometimes the cable jumped off the pulley on the Mini.

I have also been in boats with Walkers. They are popular, have a large following. An electric motor kit can be added to their manual series of downriggers, which is a plus. IMHO I don't think they are as durable as the Cannons.

I think the length of the boom is dependent on many factors: number of downriggers (2, 3 or 4), location of downriggers, how high the boat rides in the water, how rough the water will be when you fish, how fast you will be trolling, and the way you stand or sit in the boat to grab the weight. I used the 24" booms on my 12' aluminum. I wouldn't want them any longer, the 18" (Lake-Troll) would have been just fine. I had long telescopic-boom electrics on my big boat. The boat stands high in the water so the long boom keeps the weight from banging the side of the boat when its bouncing around in rough water. The booms were so long it took a hook to grab the weight, so I shortened the booms up.

I like 8lb weights on the Mini, 10lb on the Easy-Trolls, and 10lb fish or 12lb finned-ball weights on my electrics. To keep from getting hung up, I try keep the weight showing on the fish finder screen, tough to do sometimes when it's windy or trolling at "ramming speed" for Lake Trout.

For releases I like rubber bands for most fishing and the Cannon offshore release for the big stuff.


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## americanforkdude (Sep 13, 2007)

Cool, thanks for the input.. I guess my only other question would be how's the best way to mount downriggers on a 14 foot aluminum boat? I've seen some boats with them and can't recall how they were mounted other then seeing they were mounted on the bench and not on the side of the boat? Thanks for the input, i think i'm on the right track.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I made homemade brackets for my old manual Easy-Trolls. They clamped to the gunwales close to a seat or support. The Mini-Troll comes with a C-clamp, usually put on the transom. Cannon makes a nice pedestal mount that mounts on the seat of an aluminum boat, $15 - $20. Walker and Scotty have mounts for small boats, some pretty elaborate, and pricey I suppose.


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## Dodger (Oct 20, 2009)

You got some good advice here, particularly with respect to the Scotty releases.

I don't know of a way to attach an Easi-troll or similar to a small aluminum boat. You are probably going to have to rig something up. You could probably make some sort of wood device that could be clamped to the gunwale. I'd make a platform on the top and with a piece of wood that could be clamped to the gunwale. Then you can attach the rigger mount to the platform with some woodscrews or bolts. Then you can slide the rigger in and out of the mount as you please.


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## wyoguy (Mar 4, 2010)

Cannon makes a small downrigger that ataches to a aluminum boat. The name excapes me. Also KSL classified adds are good place to pick up inexpensive downriggers.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

wyoguy said:


> Cannon makes a small downrigger that ataches to a aluminum boat. The name excapes me. Also KSL classified adds are good place to pick up inexpensive downriggers.


Mini-Troll. Had one, sold it reciently when I ugpraded to Lake Trolls.

-DallanC


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

DallanC said:


> wyoguy said:
> 
> 
> > Cannon makes a small downrigger that ataches to a aluminum boat. The name excapes me. Also KSL classified adds are good place to pick up inexpensive downriggers.
> ...


Scotty also makes one as well..


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Yes, the Mini-Troll comes with a C-clamp and should be mounted on the transom. 

You can easily fashion a C-clamp base onto an Easy-Troll by welding a C-clamp to a 10 gauge metal base. 

I also made brackets for the Easy-Troll that slid into the oarlock socket. Very convenient, but unsafe. Be very careful mounting a downrigger to the gunwales of a small aluminum boat. If you snag the cannonball, the boat will turn perpendicular and the gunwale will tip down into the lake. It can be a bad thing.


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