I have the disc weights for really deep trolling, like 250' plus offshore. You can bend the fin a little to make them track a little apart but I think they tend to do it anyway and then pull back even farther. They are spendy but I still like the lead 15# balls with a fin. I have trolled offshore with 12 pounders down to 280 with 12s. I slow way down and fish with bait then to make sure they hit it and swallow the bait to make a sure hook up. This is of course for summer big kings or Tyees. This year the big hogs were off of the Washington coast down 400-420 on the bottom. Those that had the 20 pound balls with 500 feet of DR cable or 15 pound with dacron in place of the DR cable got them. Those that didn't-didn't.
Downrigger Ball
- Thread starter otter
- Start date
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Bravefart
Guest
Cheap fix, worth a try for your round downrigger balls.
Read somewhere where you screw a short piece of nylon rope to your ball this should stop it spinning. Never tried it but it should work.
Davie
Read somewhere where you screw a short piece of nylon rope to your ball this should stop it spinning. Never tried it but it should work.
Davie
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The Penguin
Guest
My guide uses some type of nyolon line - braided dark green material between the ball and the SS never has trouble
also easier to grab when you need to bring it aboard
also easier to grab when you need to bring it aboard
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battaglino
Guest
The fish shaped weights also allow you to bend the tail out to help with the currents. I have been trying to finds a bigger fish mold but no one seems to make one so I used the dremel to get it up to 12 lbs. Can downriggers work with 20lb balls? If so what kind are you using. I think my cannons are rated to 15lbs and I have run my friends top of the line scotties and they struggle with the 15lbers.
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mfurtado
Guest
I went to the Langford Walmart and they're all out as well as the Town & Country store. They said they might be getting some more in around a week or so, so check back.
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wetbeaver
Guest
scottys with a 17 pound ball pull 194 feet per minute and with a 20 pound ball 185 feet per minute so they are rated for a 20 pound ball it just takes a while. hard on the mounts,pullies,clutch brake,spool and the side of your pour boat, I have put a stop to using 15 pounders on my boat and called er quits at 12 pounders plenty of weight
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mthornton
Guest
There is a used tackle shop in Campbell River called "Ideal Tackle". I believe he sometimes has used cannonballs for quite cheap prices. Also try the buy sell and trade, there are some people in there that are getting rid of stuff such as cannonballs. Just a suggestion!
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wetbeaver
Guest
langford to cambell river now those are some expensive balls I have shaped weights and regular round ones for sale here in naniamo.
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blueorca
Guest
battaglino, I have been using the shark shaped (fish?) 10 pound weights for three years now. Track closer to verticle than anything I've used up to 15 pounds.
Expensive though.
Expensive though.
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wetbeaver
Guest
yeh anytime e-mail me
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battaglino
Guest
Thanks Blueorca, I am looking forward to giving them a try this next year. How deep did you fish them? I have a mold I picked up on ebay for $40 and 500lb of lead my dad got from the police range so the cost should be the propane to melt the lead and the time. Since it is winter I will make the time maybe I need to sell some too. Thanks agian. Joe
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Melting lead is a stinky,somewhat smokey process
and the fumes are very noxious.
make sure you melt in a well ventilated place
outside being the best bet.
and the fumes are very noxious.
make sure you melt in a well ventilated place
outside being the best bet.
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blueorca
Guest
Fish on the ECVI at over 280' for winter feeders and down to 180+ in the Johnstone Straits with currents up to 18 knots.
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battaglino
Guest
Craven that is good advise I would only castoutside and I wear a gas mask too. It looks kind of funny but you can't be too safe. The lead has been cast and filtered so not too much smoke. The main problem with lead is injesting it so you really need to wash you hands after handling it.
Blue orca,
That is really deep we fished winter harbor this year and we where 160 to 200 and I thought that was too deep but we kill them. If we don't get rain this weekend I'll try to cast some. Where the ones you used painted? I have seen the painted ones on ebay that they have painted and though that is a pretty good idea.
Blue orca,
That is really deep we fished winter harbor this year and we where 160 to 200 and I thought that was too deep but we kill them. If we don't get rain this weekend I'll try to cast some. Where the ones you used painted? I have seen the painted ones on ebay that they have painted and though that is a pretty good idea.
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blueorca
Guest
Mine aren't painted and are made by a fellow from south Vancouver Island (Duncan?) who brings them up to the tackle shops in Courtenay and Campbell River. I have lost a couple in the last three years so now have 6 of them because they aren't always available.
Now as for deep, I have friends who were slaying Sockeye this year at 70 fathoms. I don't even know if my downriggers would be acurate at that depth.
Now as for deep, I have friends who were slaying Sockeye this year at 70 fathoms. I don't even know if my downriggers would be acurate at that depth.
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battaglino
Guest
Blue Orca,
That is just crazy someone on this web page was taking about picking up springs at 400 feet. I think my cannons downrigger go down to 999 but I have never been deeper that 230. I alway worry when I get that deep something is will happen to the downrigger and I'll have to pull it by hand. I have never had that happen with my downrigger but have had it on a friends boat. I think I still have scars from that. I am thinking about trying the new braided line this year on one of my downriggers to see how it works. My friend had it on his and it seemed to fray after just a couple of days of fishing but I guess you just cut off the botton and retie it. It is pricey and I still have 4 reels for 400 feet of brand new steel lines I purchased last year.
Where do you fish out of?
That is just crazy someone on this web page was taking about picking up springs at 400 feet. I think my cannons downrigger go down to 999 but I have never been deeper that 230. I alway worry when I get that deep something is will happen to the downrigger and I'll have to pull it by hand. I have never had that happen with my downrigger but have had it on a friends boat. I think I still have scars from that. I am thinking about trying the new braided line this year on one of my downriggers to see how it works. My friend had it on his and it seemed to fray after just a couple of days of fishing but I guess you just cut off the botton and retie it. It is pricey and I still have 4 reels for 400 feet of brand new steel lines I purchased last year.
Where do you fish out of?
Dogbreath
Well-Known Member
One serious potential problem with fishing deep is that the cables can cross and tangle-then you are well and truly buggered</u>.
Happened to a friend of mine one time-they ended up cutting one cable to save more problems.
But if fish are that deep we have to find a way to get at 'em.
Happened to a friend of mine one time-they ended up cutting one cable to save more problems.
But if fish are that deep we have to find a way to get at 'em.
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battaglino
Guest
Bug
I have had that problem once we used the finned balls after that and extended the arms of the downriggers and have not had a problem since. The Cannons go out to 6 feet. I have read that the fish downrigger wieghts tails can be bent and they will track out I'll let you not if it really works.
I have had that problem once we used the finned balls after that and extended the arms of the downriggers and have not had a problem since. The Cannons go out to 6 feet. I have read that the fish downrigger wieghts tails can be bent and they will track out I'll let you not if it really works.
