Rigger clip mounting

[Fisher_dude]

I know there’s a bunch of different ways that guys like to attach their clips to their rigger lines but I haven’t seen this one yet. After a couple incidents where my knot from my braid to my gangion didn’t set off my auto stop and my clip jammed in my pully, I surmised that I had to figure something else out. I run the Neptune green braided leader line from PNT for my shock cord. Can’t remember if it’s the 176lb or the 265. I use knots for attaching everything. I had seen a picture of a guy using crimps to stop his clip line from going anywhere but I didn’t want to waste crimps and possible damage the line and creating a weak spot. After some contemplating, I remembered back to my rock climbing days where we used a knot called a Prusik. Its whole design is to stop itself from sliding up or down line. Bingo. No more snaps needed and if the main attachment knot doesnt set my auto stop off, the Prusik will. It’s small enough to go through the ball retriever and the pully with no issues. I run my line pretty long so when the rigger stops, it leaves the ball under the water so it’s not flopping about. The knot also makes it easy enough to change the distance from your ball if you want to run a dummy flasher down lower. It also doesn’t affect the breaking strength of your main line. Anywho, I hope this helps someone or sets off an idea for an improvement in your head. That’s an 18lb ball hanging from the knot with no slippage.

 

[jackfish]

Nice solution!
After jamming a clip and having to disassemble the rigger pully to get it free, I also went to a different solution.
Been using non Scotty version of this: https://harbourchandler.ca/scotty-sure-stop-pro-for-60-downrigger-boom/
Never had a missed stop since switching to this method. My favorite is a version that Harbour Chandler makes themselves and is cheaper.

My only additional customization is to add a safety to the clip, in case the main attachment pops off. But your prusik solution looks brilliant and secure!

 

[scotth]

I know there’s a bunch of different ways that guys like to attach their clips to their rigger lines but I haven’t seen this one yet. After a couple incidents where my knot from my braid to my gangion didn’t set off my auto stop and my clip jammed in my pully, I surmised that I had to figure something else out. I run the Neptune green braided leader line from PNT for my shock cord. Can’t remember if it’s the 176lb or the 265. I use knots for attaching everything. I had seen a picture of a guy using crimps to stop his clip line from going anywhere but I didn’t want to waste crimps and possible damage the line and creating a weak spot. After some contemplating, I remembered back to my rock climbing days where we used a knot called a Prusik. Its whole design is to stop itself from sliding up or down line. Bingo. No more snaps needed and if the main attachment knot doesnt set my auto stop off, the Prusik will. It’s small enough to go through the ball retriever and the pully with no issues. I run my line pretty long so when the rigger stops, it leaves the ball under the water so it’s not flopping about. The knot also makes it easy enough to change the distance from your ball if you want to run a dummy flasher down lower. It also doesn’t affect the breaking strength of your main line. Anywho, I hope this helps someone or sets off an idea for an improvement in your head. That’s an 18lb ball hanging from the knot with no slippage.

Definitely looks like a good solution! Just curious what knot do you use to attach the braid to the tuna cord?

 

[Fisher_dude]

Albright knot.

 

[Whole in the Water]

I just attach the rigger clip with a stainless Scotty Coastlock clip to the eye of the swivel that connects the downrigger ball. I make the rigger clip line 5-6 ft. long and it never comes off or gets lost. I never take them off the rigger so I always know where they are.

 

[wildthing]

Gangion or tuna chord to downrigger braid loop to loop double over hand in the thick stuff and 3 on the braid or you can just use a crimp if your happy with a chuck of metal running over the pulley wheel each time .....but each to there own mine is 15lbers 150lb 16x strand braid to 300lb kevlar was using the green ganion at 200lbs but the 300lb stuff is more than half the dia

 

[Rain City]

Well I finally set it up. Pretty damn slick. Used one of those fancy knots on a small loop and then kept the stock clip mono and looped it on there. First stage is where I'd fish from, keeping the ball in the water. Second stage is exactly where I can tip it up to hang the ball.

 

[Fisher_dude]

can’t go wrong with that. I might have to modify mine to match yours now.

 

[searun]

Simplest way is to put a swivel onto your lanyard and lock it into place using a crimp about 6 inches up from the cannon ball. Connect your scotty clip to the swivel using a dual lock.

 

[Rain City]

Simplest way is to put a swivel onto your lanyard and lock it into place using a crimp about 6 inches up from the cannon ball. Connect your scotty clip to the swivel using a dual lock.
View attachment 111493

I prefer "mine" (I copied other members) for a few reasons:
- less hardware
- clip runs up into the wheel easily
- nothing to attach, clip stays on
- enough space to allow for a dummy before the clip, which I do often
- ball stays in the water while the clip comes up high enough to grab

Having the lengths bang on so that the two stages are perfect for two different purposes is what the real game changer is for me. No thinking whatsoever.

 

[Squire]

Simplest way is to put a swivel onto your lanyard and lock it into place using a crimp about 6 inches up from the cannon ball. Connect your scotty clip to the swivel using a dual lock.
View attachment 111493

I just rigged something like this on one rigger to try for the season but I put one crimp against the protecter tube about 6” above the ball and another up another 6” and the swivel rides between them. I swapped out the big snap on the clip line for a quick-change swivel and snap to attach to the swivel on the shock cord.

I got the idea from suggestions on the forums and thought I would also try a dummy flasher off the ball on that side. I bought some of the KoneZone daisy chains at the boat show several years ago and planned to just attach the two biggest flasher blades to the eye in the fin of the ball thinking a spoon or anchovy wouldn’t tangle up that way.

I never got out as much as I had planned to this season and when I did the fishing was good enough not to mix things up. I did notice that the clip was harder to retrieve from that position closer to the ball with my short gaff and the extended boom.* (I typically retrieve the clip with the gaff and stick it in the boom-mounted rod-holder before I let my line out the right distance behind the boat).

*Edit to add the pro to the con: The swivel freely spinning around the shock cord means the clip line is never wrapped around it.

 

[Squire]

I prefer "mine" (I copied other members) for a few reasons:
- less hardware
- clip runs up into the wheel easily
- nothing to attach, clip stays on
- enough space to allow for a dummy before the clip, which I do often
- ball stays in the water while the clip comes up high enough to grab

Having the lengths bang on so that the two stages are perfect for two different purposes is what the real game changer is for me. No thinking whatsoever.

Do you tie the clip line directly to that loop so it’s on semi-permanent then?

 

[Rain City]

Do you tie the clip line directly to that loop so it’s on semi-permanent then?

Yup just looped in. Permanent but not.

 

[searun]

I just rigged something like this on one rigger to try for the season but I put one crimp against the protecter tube about 6” above the ball and another up another 6” and the swivel rides between them. I swapped out the big snap on the clip line for a quick-change swivel and snap to attach to the swivel on the shock cord.

I got the idea from suggestions on the forums and thought I would also try a dummy flasher off the ball on that side. I bought some of the KoneZone daisy chains at the boat show several years ago and planned to just attach the two biggest flasher blades to the eye in the fin of the ball thinking a spoon or anchovy wouldn’t tangle up that way.

I never got out as much as I had planned to this season and when I did the fishing was good enough not to mix things up. I did notice that the clip was harder to retrieve from that position closer to the ball with my short gaff and the extended boom.* (I typically retrieve the clip with the gaff and stick it in the boom-mounted rod-holder before I let my line out the right distance behind the boat).

*Edit to add the pro to the con: The swivel freely spinning around the shock cord means the clip line is never wrapped around it.

I just lift up the boom to get grab the clip, takes a second - using a gaff works too. The swivel as you mention removes any tangles and I can quickly change out the clip lanyard if needed - although that very rarely happens. On the clip end I have the same set up with a spiral swivel that allows me to quickly change out the actual clip. Scotty clips these days don't last very long before they get too weak to effectively hold the line.

 

[Rain City]

I just lift up the boom to get grab the clip, takes a second - using a gaff works too. The swivel as you mention removes any tangles and I can quickly change out the clip lanyard if needed - although that very rarely happens. On the clip end I have the same set up with a spiral swivel that allows me to quickly change out the actual clip. Scotty clips these days don't last very long before they get too weak to effectively hold the line.

I keep a pack of clip ends for the same reason. Loop knots work wonders for easy removal of anything as well.

 

[Squire]

I'll probably try the loop on the side I'm still using the snap clip next season and compare what works best for me.
With my boom extended lifting it swings the ball right into my hand at the gunwale. I was just hanging it on the boom hook until an incident early in the season. A guest swung the boom back in line with the gunwhale for a quick move and unknown to me the weight of the ball was partly supported by it. A bounce at about 20 mph sent the ball overboard - Bang!Snap!
We now have a saying before we get underway, "balls in?" I have recessed cup holders right below and behind the downrigger mounts where the ball goes before the boat goes now.

 

[Fisher_dude]

I prefer "mine" (I copied other members) for a few reasons:
- less hardware
- clip runs up into the wheel easily
- nothing to attach, clip stays on
- enough space to allow for a dummy before the clip, which I do often
- ball stays in the water while the clip comes up high enough to grab

Having the lengths bang on so that the two stages are perfect for two different purposes is what the real game changer is for me. No thinking whatsoever.

I agree with him. I have no hardware on mine. Just knots.