Scotty Depthmaster Downrigger with Gimbal Mount? (Hobie Outback)

Hey everyone,

I've recently become addicted to salmon fishing from my kayak. At first, dropping lead balls on the ocean floor only bothered me a little bit. I wrote it off in my head, saying that it was only a small "drop in the bucket" if you will. Now here we are a couple/few years later, and I don't like how frequently I'm buying lead balls from Bay Tackle only to turn around and deposit them on the ocean floor. Not only does it irritate the environmentalist in me, it's also taxing on my wallet. Since I plan to keep chasing salmon for many years to come, I need a cheaper and more sustainable option.

I've decided to spring for a Scotty Depthmaster downrigger, primarily because of the breaking system and ability to run weights in the 6-8 lb range . I recently saw this video on YouTube of a guy (likely on NCKA or NWKA?) demonstrating how he modified the Scotty Gimbal downrigger mount to fit in the rear moulded-in rod holders of his Outback. I like this option because it wouldn't interfere with the beloved milk crate that holds all my spare rods, net, gaff, etc.



Before I start dropping money on the parts, I am curious if anyone has actually experimented with this setup on the water. Does it hold steady? Does it rotate around when you don't want it to? Any problems, tips, pointers, etc, for this mounting option?

I am also considering the "milk crate with lid" mounting option, but would prefer to have the down rigger along the rail for ease of use. And I like my milk crate the way it is...

Anyway, I'd love to hear everyone's experiences/thoughts with either of these mounting options. I am also open to other mounting options, but I am only medium-crafty. I don't have access to fancy shop tools like lathes, CNC machines, welders, etc; just a good selection of simple hand tools.

Thanks in advance,

~Alex

I use that downrigger on my Adventure and love it. But, I modified it by shortening the boom (which is not trivial), and mounted it beside my right thigh.

IMHO, if you have to contort your body each time you want to raise or lower the ball, you're likely to get sick of it pretty quickly. So, you might want to think about trying to rig it in a more convenient (i.e., forward) location.

Thanks for the tips, Nowhereman.

I agree it might get old reaching around behind me all the time. I'm trying to keep the rails relatively clear for easy re-entry, and also trying to avoid drilling any new holes. Seems like I'll probably have to sacrifice on something...

Which mount did you use to stick yours by your thigh?
 

Thanks for the tips, Nowhereman.

I agree it might get old reaching around behind me all the time. I'm trying to keep the rails relatively clear for easy re-entry, and also trying to avoid drilling any new holes. Seems like I'll probably have to sacrifice on something...

Which mount did you use to stick yours by your thigh?

You'll be sorry you asked...

My overly-detailed description is here:
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=53335.0

The short answer is that it's a custom mount, mostly using parts that came with the depthmaster. It's not nearly as difficult as it might look. Really, the only challenge was the part that I mounted insider the water bottle holder. And one nice thing is that the only visible thing that's permanent is the Scotty mount, and that's inside the mesh pocket, so it's out of the way.

The place I've got it located on my Adventure is super-convenient. I haven't gone swimming yet with the DR mounted, but I'm confident I could still self rescue from the side with the DR, and in the worst case, the other side is still clear.

Finally, you might want to search for "pmmpete" on the NWKA group. He's got tons of good info---he's mounted several different downriggers on various Hobies.

who needs a milk crate when you're back area is filled with salmon?



the video is from Kardinal_84 on here.

Everytime i watch this video i just want to head out and fish

Fishcomb- Love that video... Some day I'll visit Alaska.

Nowhereman - That downrigger install is VERY slick, but I think it's a little more than I have time for right now. I'm gonna have to give this one some more thought...

I like pmmpete' setup with the Cannon Lake Troll (shown below), but my kayak is arranged exactly opposite since I fish left handed. The crank would be on the wrong side of the downrigger for me if I put it on the port side.

I may look into some way of using the front flush mount rod holder... Much to consider...

Here's how I rigged my Outback - 3 flush mount rod holders on each side of cockpit.  Provides a good deal of flexibility as I'll use the different positions depending on the type of fishing.  I usually use an AI on the salt for salmon but have trolled in FW with the Outback using a small Scotty DR mounted in the rear flush mount with a rod holder in the middle flush mount - works good.  Good luck!

Good stuff, Bird. I'm also a fan of the Scotty flush mounts, but they won't handle a "full sized" downrigger like the Depthmaster.

I think I might be able to fix myself an inexpensive but solid "Gimbal mount" using these four pieces shown below. This way I can give it a try in front or behind my seat without spending $60+ on the actual Scotty gimbal mount that I'd have to take a hack saw to anyway.

Hmm...

Anyone recognize the guy in that YouTube video I posted above? I'm curious to hear his thoughts on that downrigger setup after (hopefully) trying it out on the water.

Well, I'm picking up a Depthmaster from West Marine today.

I'm first going to try the milk crate mount, similar to this one:



It'll be quick, easy, and cheap since I already have the parts. And I've been meaning to add a lid to my crate anyway. Win win...

If I don't like the downrigger behind me, I'll dive into some of the trickier mounting options... I'd really like to avoid any additional stuff on the deck or rails in front of me.

It seems like most people aren't winding up the DR after they hook up. I've only read a couple accounts of fish wrapping up the downrigger wire/braid, and I think the risk of this can be minimized quite a bit by letting the fish run early and keeping the fight away from the boat. This makes me less worried about being able to grab the handle behind me and wind up in a hurry while fighting a fish.

I run mine on a PA on the platform behind seat on dowels with rubber feet...

I like DR behind i count clicks to gauge depth. With salmon rarely running more than 80 ft which is only 40 cranks. Easy to get up while fish is running just keep tension. I run mine on port side so crank with right hand. You can apply down pressure on drop lever to slow descent, and stop. Then slide back in lock position. I use 6lb ball with DR braid so i can snip it if i get hung up...

Quote from: SmokeOnTheWater on April 04, 2014, 09:43:00 AM

Hey Alex, the outback should be plenty stable to run a downrigger without outriggers.  Like others have said, try the deep 6 method first and when you're ready, try the downrigger on a calm day.  Now lets go catch some fish!




Was that meant for the other guy? I'm already happy with my DD6 for 0-60 feet deep and 1.5-lb balls for deeper than that. Both methods caught me salmon last year, and I have no interest in adding a downrigger for salmon fishing.

Might be nice to have a DR for trout or koke trolling at some point, but that's a different game entirely. (From Alex B )

Changed your mind I see. That's what I expressed on my post... Tired of lead weights falling to the bottom of the ocean. I consider these type of things more now that I've gotten older.

Alex

It seems like most people aren't winding up the DR after they hook up. I've only read a couple accounts of fish wrapping up the downrigger wire/braid, and I think the risk of this can be minimized quite a bit by letting the fish run early and keeping the fight away from the boat. This makes me less worried about being able to grab the handle behind me and wind up in a hurry while fighting a fish.

Even with the DR next to my thigh, I find it difficult to crank the ball up more than a few turns while trying to deal with a salmon. I'd think if you've got the DR behind you, it'll be next to impossible to do anything with it. Maybe I was just lucky, but the salmon I got didn't go anywhere near the DR line.

I should mention that pmmpete at NWKA (who has a lot more experience with a DR than me) insists you should crank up the DR before you fight the fish. However, he fishes for trout and kokanee, not those berserking ocean salmon...