Anyone use the small portable downriggers?

[Hoffer]

Hi all-

Heading to Canada this Spring and the lake we are heading to has good lake trout fishing. We wanted to try downrigging for them - but dont really want to commit to the heavy duty permanent mount downriggers...just looking at the less expensive "mini" downriggers that clamp on. Anybody have experience with these? and if so...if its OK to mention here lead me to the right brand :-)

Thanks for any advice.

[traveler]

You bet...the little Canon's work just fine. bring a couple small pieces of 1X2 to shim with depending on the rails of the boat. I use mine often for rigging the top 20 feet, deeper not so good as they have a small ball. I think I replaced mine with a 6 lb. actually, I'd have to go check for sure...

[PerchJerker]

They work good. Biggest issue is cranking the balls up and down on the smaller riggers. Traveler makes a good point about shimming and having a good surface to get a solid mount to ....

[Surface Tension]

The backing plate is good advice. 1/4" plywood works well there.

Cannon Mini Troll is what I've used and they work but they are limited. 4lb ball is what they recommend but you can use a 6 lb. That will give you less blow back, increase your practical depth range, increase your hookups because of the strike relation against weight. If there is a chance you'll ever what a full size downrigger your half way there as far as price goes.

[Hoffer]

Hey guys thanks for the advice. Surface, with your experience have you used these mini downriggers with the 6 pound weight and been able to go down further than 20 feet or so..I was hoping to get down further than that. realistically if I cant get down much further than say 20 or 30 feet I will just try trolling with a 3 way swivel and lead core line to get down...but I think a downrigger would be more fun. thanks again.

[traveler]

Mine is a 6 lb. If you're trolling slow, 30-40 feet is doable. I suppose you could even go a little deeper then that, but I'm usually in the top 20 feet anyway. I do prefer the rigger to the other options though, it's pretty slick once you get used to it.

[Surface Tension]

40 ft would be easily be very doable. Trolling speed makes a big difference. Lighter thin spoons like a Finn spoon generally take less speed to get the action out of them. Attractors like flashers, dodgers, and cowbells will create drag but the blow back won't be to bad if your shallow.

When targeting suspended lake trout, the blow back and discrepancy on depth because of the blow back isn't a huge deal. When you start targeting lake trout hugging the bottom, less blow back and precise depth control is more important. In Northern MN inland lakes during mid summer its common to target lake trout in 70' of water tight to the bottom. You'll struggle doing that with 6 lb balls, doable but it'll take some getting used to and time to get dialed in. If this is something you might be doing at some time you'd be best to step up to Sport trolls and run 8 or 10 lb balls. One note if you got that route, depth indicators change from a dial on the pulley(useless) to a numerical counter on the frame, the later is what you want.

You could go with any full size rigger, Big John, Cannon, Scotty, Penn, and so on. You can find them used a lot of time also.

Cranking up a 6 lb ball is easy. I have four manual riggers on my Lake Superior boat running 10 and 12 lb balls. During the late summer/fall pattern its not unheard of to be targeting lake trout on the bottom in 200-250' of water.

[Hoffer]

Surface-

Thats great stuff!! I am a real newbie when it comes to the downriggers...

What do you mean by blowback??

Also, we will be in a canadien lake trout lake - avrage depth where we fish is probably 100 feet and we will look for suspended trout in say 60 feet of water or so...

If you dont mind me asking, what type of lures or set ups do you find work the best when downrigging?

Again, a real newbie to the laker fishing especially trolling for them. We tried to do some jigging last year and we would like to get more mobile this year rather than stationary jigging if that isnt working.

Just a few "go to" lures would be greatly appreciated and colors as well..the lake we fish is very clear.

Thanks again for your help on this post!

[BUSHWAC]

Are you going to have your own boat? If so, bite the bullet and put on a little nicer unit that you will have forever. You are going to want 10# balls to troll 60ft. I put the small Cannons on my 16ft lund and use them on a regular basis.

[Hoffer]

Yes we will have my boat up there...just trying to go economical...would like to have 2 riggers going - one for each of us...and dont want to spend that much on 2 new nicers ones - although I really should. I just dont know how much I would use them - maybe once a year on a trip like this. Plus, we may have an opportunity to borrow a family members portable ones...

By the way, why cant you use a heavier ball on the portable ones - are they just too small?

[skinnylee]

check on e aution site we buoght two electic for just over $100

[tacklejunkie]

I used those little portables once and sold them

they may be ok for 20-40 feet but if you need to go deeper they didnt work so well on lake superior

better to get the permanent ones. i have walker laker models that are more permanent and work better and didnt break the bank

[Surface Tension]

The water resistance against the ball will make it swing behind the boat. Water resistance against the cable will make a big bow. The more cable out the more resistance. That is blow back. A heavier ball = less blow back.

So you have less depth control, you won't be able to track your downrigger balls on your sounder, a 6 lb ball at some point will become useless. Slowing down to get less blow back isn't an option because you'll need the correct speed to give a particular lure action.

Cannon recommends using 4 lb balls with a mini. I don't think they'd hold up to a 8 lb ball. Using 6 lb balls is pushing it.

What lures, I have around 100 spoons and that many stick baits for trolling the Big lake. If I had to pick a few of each for inland lake trout. Hmm, I mentioned Finn Spoons (brass) I'd have some Flashbacks in emerald Shiner, pink lots a dots, yellow clown, 57 chevy, popsicle. Luhr Jensen Coyote Spoons. Stick baits- Bomber long A's. If your going out of a resort you might want to ask them some of their favorites and then pick them up before your trip.

[SM1]

Hoffer-

If you can borrow for free thats one thing. If you are looking at buying some for your boat I would also recommend going with a smaller permanant model like the cannon easi-trolls.

Here's why: (Using cannons as examples and buying them at a big name store with the bargin cave) AT $170 each for the easi-trolls, included is a 8 lb. ball (~$20) line release (~$15) rod holder (~$20)and reliable depth meter (priceless). If you subtract the ~$65 off the price you will only be about $30 more per rigger than if you went with cannon mini trolls($75 each). The ~$65 worth is stuff you will need anyway and you cant downrig without it.

Once the bases are mounted for the easi-trolls, taking the rigger on/off takes 1 second. I know a guy can always buy bigger/spend more, but I have 4 riggers on my boat with two of them being easi-trolls and I absolutely love them.

If you get yourself some riggers, you will soon find out that they can be used much more than just your one laker trip per year. For ex., pulling shallow diving cranks or shad raps down on a 20 or 30ft flat mid summer. So many other uses. Good luck!

[PierBridge]

I'm glad I found this thread.

What do you guys think of Cannon Magnun 10 electric downriggers.

I can get a pair with bases, Gimble mount, weights, rod holders for a good price from a friend. They are about 5 years old but in MINT condition!

Thanks Pier!

[PierBridge]

What do you guys think of Cannon Magnun 10 electric downriggers.

Guess I found the answer...

FM Downrigger thread

[Surface Tension]

PierBridge, they're good downriggers. If your getting them at a good price I'd go for it.

[solbes]

I have a Cannon Mini and it works great for fishing walleyes at the top of the thermocline (25-35 feet). I have a much bigger selection of lures to run at this depth with the 'rigger. I think I have a 6 lb ball, but need to check. It might be an 8? Anyway I've only used it 2 or 3 times. Its on my list of things to use more frequently this year once the thermocline sets up nicely.

[Down Deep]

I have a small downrigger that I use for lake trout fishing early in the year. I use a 6# ball with it and normally don't go more than 40 feet. One thing to watch for is to make sure you grab the line when the ball reaches the surface. With the short boom that ball can fly around and find the inside of the boat pretty quickly. All in all it meets my needs, but then I use it on an occasional basis.

[Outfitter17]

Pierbridge,

I have a set of the Cannon Magnum 10 electric downriggers, I bought them a few years ago and never really tried them until this past season. I can tell you that they are fantastic, just push a button and go fishing, no cranking to mess with.

I have fished with the crankup style and my electric ones are a dream to work with.

If you don't take them from your friend, let me know and I will gladly take them off his hands.

[PierBridge]

Thanks guys!

The replacement cost, if I'm adding it up correctly is pretty insane.

I forgot to mention 4 St. Croix Pro glass trolling rods will be included in the deal also.

I wasn't really interested in the Downriggers at first but after learning they can be used in 20-30 feet of water made it a little more appealing and it may just lead to some real Downrigging fishing which has always been a goal of mine.

Thanks again!