Downrigger

The best price I found on the Scotty 1073 is $65.99 from alltackle.com. At $4.00 per cannonball its not too bad, 16.5 balls. Has anyone seen a better price? If so where. I don't mind the extra rod trick but the downrigger looks like a good option for placement on the x factor. Hawk since you may be adding one to yours let me know if you might want to hook up both, since you've already done all the work on my yak.

The lowest I could find was LFS marine up here in Seattle for $54.50. Not the fastest in the world but super cool people so a great transaction... great price too!

http://www.lfsmarineoutdoor.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=119

Z

I have a dealership with scotty and buy little things like mount brackets etc... nothing beats wholesale but Scotty makes you buy everything by the case. I don't need 12 downriggers and don't think I have a market for them but if 11 of you wanted them I'd pass on an NCKA discount. Otherwise I'm looking for a deal on one myself.

Ken I can mount it for you lickety split bring the contraption with you to the cove.

Actually I just looked it up and the price Z quoted is wholesale. I don't know how a guy stays in business doing that very often but it is the best deal out there. I only need to purchase 6 instead of twelve and would match that price to hook us all up.

I just emailed Sc X factor about my downrigger that is brand new but that I decided not to use after all and would be willing to sell. If he isn't interested, for a mere $65 some other lucky NCKAer could have the Scotty Laketroller downrigger with bracket mount (#1073), a mini snapper (18") leader with stacking snap (#1046), two 3-lb. fish shaped weights, and the line replaced with braid. Let me know if you're interested. I'll be at the AOTY event at Aquan Sports on Sunday and paddling Loch Lomond in Scotts Valley on Monday.

(I know, I know. This post should be in the classifieds!)

Janice aka "Big J"

that I decided not to use after all

Just curious Janice, what led you to change your mind?

Michael

Swellrider,

Nope,  I like the thought of not having to drill more holes in my Yak than I have too.  Remember, a Yak is only a piece of plastic.  If it started to leak and your are way off shore.  Your more than a little messed up.  Sorted like the guy down in La Jolla with the clear plastic bottom Yak.  He had to float and swim for 18 hrs.    (Not, really a option up here.) Then, he gets to shore and it a military base and they won't let him entry.  Had to wait for the Coast Guard to recused him.

My god, guys on this site are worry about the weight of a 12 volt battery vs AAA or AA batteries for the fishfinders and I guess a big downrigger add no weight?

Ken kickfish

One other point I would like to bring up is that on Coastside.  I remember reading of guys trolling for salmon on boats and have the downrigger ripped off the boat because of a whale or big shark.  Or, atleast losing the downrigger weight.

So, the guy that using 150 lb. braid on the downrigger.  I would down size. I think I would used 30 to 50 lb. at max.  Which is what I do used.

Ken kickfish

Kickfish, I think there is another Ken posting on this thread. I might have confused the two of you. You bring up some really good points. A whale grabbing your bottom rig attached to 150' braid or wire could make for a very unpleasant day.
I wouldn't worry too much about drilling holes in the yak though. They are all essentially perforated pieces of plastic with holes filled in By hatches and screws. On my Installs I go to lengths to waterproof each fitting and screw. Were my kayak to break completely in half 5 miles offshore I would still be OK because she is stuffed stem to stern with inflatable flotation bags and packed with rigid foam blocks. I'm dressed for immersion and have redundant communications and signaling devices. My name should be "AJ SQUARED AWAY"

Wow glad to see such discussion on a topic. I have taken Janice up on her offer to part with her downrigger and plan to have it installed in time for the COVE. Zeelanders placement looks perfect there is even enough room to add a five ply marine plywood under to give extra comfort when hooking up a whale or seal. Thanks to all. As a side note just got back from a walk down to Sunny Cove near the SC Harbor, no wind, gentle swell. Hope it stays that way until Saturday. Sandabs beware!

Ok, I just have to chime in on a couple things

1) The Scotty downrigger probably weighs within ounces of what "an old rod and reel" weigh.

2) The Scotty downrigger probably costs very similar to what "an old rod and reel and line" cost, if you don't happen to own old tackle and need to go find some..

3) It is dead simple to adjust the "drag" on the Scotty, so that when a whale or the bottom grab you, you aren't subjected to a sharp jerk. You just need enough tension to stop the weight from sinking. Use braid, and you can cut yourself free in seconds. I too use fairly light test - 50 lbs.

4) The Scotty downrigger can be disassembled, rinsed clean, and reassembled within 5 minutes. Without tools.

5) Four 3/16" holes mean absolutely nothing to the structural integrity of your kayak. If they did, all kayaks would be subject to catastrophic failure. Think about it - flush mount rod holders, and the associated 2" diameter holes, plus four fastener holes. Holes for side handles. Holes for hatches. Holes for padeyes for your seats. The list goes on and on.... DO USE SECONDARY FLOATATION !!!!!

Now, if you have the old rod and reel to jury rig a downriger,  or even if you just want to go KISS and rest the rod on your thigh, more power to you. But I wanted to speak to some of the advantages of the dedicated downrigger.

Scott

Kickfish setup works fine obviously as he has been pulling in trout with that setup for awhile now.

But there is one more advantage to the Z's setup that has not been mentioned, although it is fairly minor if you won't be paddling very far.

the further back you can put the downrigger line in, and the closer you can get it to the keel line, the less it will want to turn the kayak as you move.

Z has his behind his seat.  Kickfish has his at his feet. so from the point of view of tracking, Z has an advantage here.

he could even clip on, and then reach around his stern, put the pole in the holder on the opposite side of the yak.
this would tend to pull the ball even more directly under the kayak, which means you are going to track pretty straight with that thing on there.

It all depend on how far and fast you want to paddle as to whether this will matter much to you.

the further back you can put the downrigger line in, and the closer you can get it to the keel line, the less it will want to turn the kayak as you move.

Z has his behind his seat.  Kickfish has his at his feet. so from the point of view of tracking, Z has an advantage here.

Word!

Z Have you noticed if your DR cable "sings" while trolling?  My little scotty LT I have had mounted on my little 12alum. boat, while trolling under elect motor power, the cable would "Sing" pretty loudly!  I think a lot of the cable noise was amplified through the alum hull.  Faster I went, the higher in pitch the cable would sing.  Cable was out maybe 50, 60 feet.
  Maybe that's another reason to change out the SS cable for some nice braid.
  Just wondering if maybe this cable noise happens on plastic hull as well, before I install one on my new OB.

Z Have you noticed if your DR cable "sings" while trolling? 

No notes JP. W/ the thickness, singing, and supposed electrical problems w/ cable I changed it out right away.

the further back you can put the downrigger line in, and the closer you can get it to the keel line, the less it will want to turn the kayak as you move.

As to this, J's right on point. Especially when you're trolling the big blue and deal w/ current.

90% of my yakfishing is trolling and have tried many different ways to keep my gear down to where I need it and IMO nothing is more important than getting the DR as far back on the yak as possible. IMO the most difficult aspect of long range trolling is fighting the lateral pull of your gear.

I started w/ my rod in the front flush mount RH and the lateral pull was very evident. I experimented w/ rod placement & I found a lot less pull the further back I put the rod. I analogize this w/ pulling a rod from the tip or the middle. From the tip it's very easy to bend the rod, from the middle more difficult. In the same way the further back the DR is on the yak the less leverage it has in pulling it laterally. Of course the absolute best solution is to have the DR on your keel but the access problem cancels that out solution. A member of NWKA, mattK, actually has his DR running through a scupper so it's directly on the centerline of the yak. He has a small rope w/ a loop around the DR line so that he can retrieve the DR weight/release clip. I think it's a really ingenious solution. The only problems I do see is the wear on the kayaks hull from the DR line and also the DR line becoming weak from the friction when rubbing on the scupper. 

Anyway, long story short, I found that w/ the DR behind the seat and to the side you get much less lateral pull and great access.

Z