Lurecharge

[Rain City]

I'm still firmly on the fence in terms of does a black box make a difference or not. Leaning to the "not" side of the discussion. However, I have seen hot boats not be very catchy. Over the years I have bonded everything (engines, thru hulls etc). Also played with various combo's of zincs.

Over the journey I have reduced my boat's trolling voltage (good to test well away from other boats in a marina) from around 0.78 down to 0.53. At 0.53 the boat now fishes more consistently. Is it the voltage drop, or is it fishing techniques over the years that have changed up the catching success? I'm not sure which it is, but feel more confident that my boat isn't leaking voltage and I have effectively removed that factor from the fishing equation. In my experience fishing success is often directly related to your belief that the gear you are running is deadly. Fishing confidently makes you more successful IMO.

I 100% agree in the confidence thing. It's like a mental vibe that you have to send down that line into the deep and onto the tip of that lure. Almost like you're physically present with your gear, seeing the terrain and knowing that's where a fish would be and you're challenging him to come get it.

 

[RiverBoy]

I 100% agree in the confidence thing. It's like a mental vibe that you have to send down that line into the deep and onto the tip of that lure. Almost like you're physically present with your gear, seeing the terrain and knowing that's where a fish would be and you're challenging him to come get it.

man….that totally turned me on…..

 

[brutus]

Ya, I am one that don’t really think electrical current has to much to do, 30-200ft down 50- 100ft behind the boat with braid, don’t think any voltage make it down there,gear , location and fish being there as more impact then current imo,. I mean if your battery cables are in the water behind your boat it can’t be good . When the fish are around every boat comes back with limits, they all dialed in at the same voltage ??? Give me a break

 

[PEETZcanada]

I fish with electricity all the time. My metal spoons are tuned, my plugs are tuned, my metal flashers and dodgers are tuned. When I had boats, I always used wire on my riggers. Today I do what I mentioned in the first sentence because i can controlthat aspect whilst i am a guest on other folks boats.. At times I also use electricity for lings and halibut when drift jigging. I'll never personally use braid on my riggers when I have another boat. But hey, there is no wrong way to fish as long as you are catching.

 

[brutus]

I fish with electricity all the time. My metal spoons are tuned, my plugs are tuned, my metal flashers and dodgers are tuned. When I had boats, I always used wire on my riggers. Today I do what I mentioned in the first sentence because i can controlthat aspect whilst i am a guest on other folks boats.. At times I also use electricity for lings and halibut when drift jigging. I'll never personally use braid on my riggers when I have another boat. But hey, there is no wrong way to fish as long as you are catching.

I’ve never use electricity for bottom fish ( mostly Hali, and believe me I’ve put the hurt on Hali over the years, none of them glowed in the boat . Again I think it’s a hogwash belief, but it’s my opinion, do what works for you all good.

 

[IronNoggin]

There very much is a reason that all of the high-liner West Coast Troillers use wire, advanced versions of "black boxes" and tune their boats electrically. I'd love to see a few of the naysayers attempt to compete with one of them.

From my own hand's on experience, it can and does make a major difference in the catch rate.

Cheers

 

[Marley]

There very much is a reason that all of the high-liner West Coast Troillers use wire, advanced versions of "black boxes" and tune their boats electrically. I'd love to see a few of the naysayers attempt to compete with one of them.

From my own hand's on experience, it can and does make a major difference in the catch rate.

Cheers

My friend just bought me one of the Pro Troll black boxes. He got it for 20 bucks brand new in box. I was debating installing it but I am going to give it a try. My boat is aluminum with wire on the down riggers and I always seem to catch some fish but I will be interested to see if it makes a difference that I can detect.

 

[Aquaholic]

My friend just bought me one of the Pro Troll black boxes. He got it for 20 bucks brand new in box. I was debating installing it but I am going to give it a try. My boat is aluminum with wire on the down riggers and I always seem to catch some fish but I will be interested to see if it makes a difference that I can detect.

Check the boat’s natural voltage before putting the box on. My aluminum boat with wire on the downrigger‘s was right between the preferred coho and chinook range, so that’s what I have stuck with.

 

[Aquaholic]

An example of some preferred voltage readouts for three types of salmon. It has been a while, but I believe mine was in between the Chinook and Coho numbers.

 

[PEETZcanada]

I’ve never use electricity for bottom fish ( mostly Hali, and believe me I’ve put the hurt on Hali over the years, none of them glowed in the boat . Again I think it’s a hogwash belief, but it’s my opinion, do what works for you all good.

Yup, that's why Cooper pipe jigs work so well and no bait or scent required.

I actually don't care what you or anyone thinks in regard to what I do.

I don't make products for sale that target the use of electricity, but I do produce products that can be compatible in the process so that I can apply my knowledge to the success of my fishing.

In the early 70s UBC published a paper regarding the benefits and effects of electricity to catch or detract fish biting. The paper was primarily focused on the commercial salmon trolling fleet. It was science based and held with repetively provable results.

There is no wrong way to fish as long as you are catching fish. Education is a never ending process for me, it is actually part of the habitual routine that I carry on regularly in my hyper focus in paying attention to detail.

All good,
Cheers.

 

[Aquaholic]

Yup, that's why Cooper pipe jigs work so well and no bait or scent required.

I actually don't care what you or anyone thinks in regard what I do.

I don't make products for sale that target the use of electricity, but I do produce products that can be compatible in the process so that I can apply my knowledge to the success of my fishing.

In the early 70s UBC published a paper regarding the benefits and effects of electricity to catch or detract fish biting. The paper was primarily focused on the commercial salmon trolling fleet. It was science based and held with repetively provable results.

There is no wrong way to fish as long as you are catching fish. Education is a never ending process for me, it is actually part of the habitual routine that I carry on regularly in my hyper focus on paying attention to detail.

All good,
Cheers.

I remember an old Jacques Cousteau episode where they had a shark in a concrete tank where the shark was acting erratic all the time. Turns out it had a voltage charge they did not know about that was affecting the shark. Cousteau talked about fish and electrical fields long ago.

The UBC paper is a great reference, and I believe Bill Haymond did a summary take on them, maybe a quicker read for those interested.

 

[CBsqrd]

I'm in the electic-skeptic camp. Maybe big voltages might have an effect, but for the small differences in voltage that a black box makes I don't believe it.

I wanted to see what the science actually said and went back and pulled up that UBC research paper. By no means does it give a definitive answer. It is a Master's thesis, not a peer reviewed (and critiqued) paper. The sample size was too small to be meaningful and the methodology had lots of room for improvement.

I'd say the reason that "top boats / highliners" used them was that the same captains who would be willing to spend money on one for that small improvement are probably the same captains that are putting the time and effort in to do lots of small things (keeping - and referring to - record of what works, finding the right areas/lures/depths/tides/etc.) that are going to improve their catch. Also, thinking you have a degree of control over what is a system with many variables is comforting. And if the boat next to you out fishes you one day and the captain is bragging about his black box, then spending a bit of cash to get one and then suffering from confirmation bias when you have a good day later one is going to make you feel good about your purchase (but if you had a bad or average day, its easy to blame on something else).

 

[Copper Moon]

Yup, that's why Cooper pipe jigs work so well and no bait or scent required.

I actually don't care what you or anyone thinks in regard to what I do.

I don't make products for sale that target the use of electricity, but I do produce products that can be compatible in the process so that I can apply my knowledge to the success of my fishing.

In the early 70s UBC published a paper regarding the benefits and effects of electricity to catch or detract fish biting. The paper was primarily focused on the commercial salmon trolling fleet. It was science based and held with repetively provable results.

There is no wrong way to fish as long as you are catching fish. Education is a never ending process for me, it is actually part of the habitual routine that I carry on regularly in my hyper focus in paying attention to detail.

All good,
Cheers.

I believe that paper was written by Dan Nomura, recently retired president of Canfisco

 

[PEETZcanada]

I'm in the electic-skeptic camp. Maybe big voltages might have an effect, but for the small differences in voltage that a black box makes I don't believe it.

I wanted to see what the science actually said and went back and pulled up that UBC research paper. By no means does it give a definitive answer. It is a Master's thesis, not a peer reviewed (and critiqued) paper. The sample size was too small to be meaningful and the methodology had lots of room for improvement.

I'd say the reason that "top boats / highliners" used them was that the same captains who would be willing to spend money on one for that small improvement are probably the same captains that are putting the time and effort in to do lots of small things (keeping - and referring to - record of what works, finding the right areas/lures/depths/tides/etc.) that are going to improve their catch. Also, thinking you have a degree of control over what is a system with many variables is comforting. And if the boat next to you out fishes you one day and the captain is bragging about his black box, then spending a bit of cash to get one and then suffering from confirmation bias when you have a good day later one is going to make you feel good about your purchase (but if you had a bad or average day, its easy to blame on something else).

I have never owned a black box i personally don't totaly feel that they are needed unless some unfixable issues are involved. Which is a rarity.

All my efforts and consideration are at the flasher or dodger to the lure and without flasher and dodger. I primarily use spoons and plugs in larger profiles and then, my favorite overall is drift jigging.

There have always been opposition on both sides of the fence. I don't discount any anglers ideas, thoughts or actions that they have made to catch fish. If anything I pay attention, listen and observe what they are doing. I may, or may not choose to deploy what I have learned in the process. if it fits the way I personally angle, then I might use it.

Again, there is no wrong way to fish as long as you are catching.

All good,
Cheers.

 

[islandboy]

Yup, that's why Cooper pipe jigs work so well and no bait or scent required.

Google search:
"Copper pipe jigs are effective fishing lures, especially for halibut, lingcod, and rockfish in deep water, due to their ability to mimic the electrical field of prey fish. The combination of copper and lead in a saltwater environment creates a galvanic reaction, producing a small electric pulse that is detected by the fish's lateral line. This electrical stimulus, along with the jig's jerky motion, attracts fish to investigate and strike."
Interesting as I just made some copper pipe weights.

 

[ClintR]

Black boxes were developed by commercial fisherman. These guys fish to feed their families. If they didn’t work…they wouldn’t use them.

 

[brutus]

I'm in the electic-skeptic camp. Maybe big voltages might have an effect, but for the small differences in voltage that a black box makes I don't believe it.

I wanted to see what the science actually said and went back and pulled up that UBC research paper. By no means does it give a definitive answer. It is a Master's thesis, not a peer reviewed (and critiqued) paper. The sample size was too small to be meaningful and the methodology had lots of room for improvement.

I'd say the reason that "top boats / highliners" used them was that the same captains who would be willing to spend money on one for that small improvement are probably the same captains that are putting the time and effort in to do lots of small things (keeping - and referring to - record of what works, finding the right areas/lures/depths/tides/etc.) that are going to improve their catch. Also, thinking you have a degree of control over what is a system with many variables is comforting. And if the boat next to you out fishes you one day and the captain is bragging about his black box, then spending a bit of cash to get one and then suffering from confirmation bias when you have a good day later one is going to make you feel good about your purchase (but if you had a bad or average day, its easy to blame on something else).

Like you I don’t think that the average Joe fishing with braid and tuna cord way down or back really affects catch rates, the believers will say otherwise, in Nogs defence in commercial setting running charged up 1/4” cables with hundred of hooks might make a difference , don’t know never been there lol. Personally not going to invest in a black box for my 10 chinooks a year, have no problem filling my tags every year. Also putting this out there, just for the sake of it,back in the day row boats and small boats cutplugging for tyee? No black box ??? No sounders or anything electrical ??? They were doing pretty good ???

 

[brutus]

Google search:
"Copper pipe jigs are effective fishing lures, especially for halibut, lingcod, and rockfish in deep water, due to their ability to mimic the electrical field of prey fish. The combination of copper and lead in a saltwater environment creates a galvanic reaction, producing a small electric pulse that is detected by the fish's lateral line. This electrical stimulus, along with the jig's jerky motion, attracts fish to investigate and strike."
Interesting as I just made some copper pipe weights.

I’ve never used one, more of the bait guy,I will check the voltage on my extra large herring before I send it down next time, just being sarcastic at this point lol. You guys want to use juiced up gear all the power to you, as long you catch fish

 

[Marley]

I’ve never used one, more of the bait guy,I will check the voltage on my extra large herring before I send it down next time, just being sarcastic at this point lol. You guys want to use juiced up gear all the power to you, as long you catch fish

I am undecided if they work on not. But after I install it and catch my first fish it will definitely be because of the black box lol.

 

[PEETZcanada]

Like you I don’t think that the average Joe fishing with braid and tuna cord way down or back really affects catch rates, the believers will say otherwise, in Nogs defence in commercial setting running charged up 1/4” cables with hundred of hooks might make a difference , don’t know never been there lol. Personally not going to invest in a black box for my 10 chinooks a year, have no problem filling my tags every year. Also putting this out there, just for the sake of it,back in the day row boats and small boats cutplugging for tyee? No black box ??? No sounders or anything electrical ??? They were doing pretty good ???

It's actually 5/64" to run 60+ lbs balls and 1/16" wire depending. Sport wire is much thinner.

As to the old days, there were a lot of gear fisherman using lots of dissimilar metals in the beginning that caught an awful pile of big fish. Obviously bait is a good natural mimic, but I use hardware, not bait. To each their own.