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 Post subject: Downriggers
PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 5:04 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 5:55 am
Posts: 111
Location: Cary, NC
Hello gents,

Just wanted to share my plug 'n play downrigger set-up on the Hobie Pro Angler 14.

No holes drilled in kayak, easy set-up and take down.
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All my fishing (so far) has been freshwater...chasing stripers.
Below are some recent catches over 10 lbs.
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Currently fishing 4 rods. 2 on downriggers and 2 on planer floats. not particularly easy, but allows me to cover a lot of water and is very productive.

Some catches from Nov/Dec of 2012:
http://youtu.be/fLc-fRkjBM0

Downrigger set-up:
http://youtu.be/bED41ZpcrLA

Thanks for looking...
Image


Last edited by joeyb on Wed Apr 17, 2013 5:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 5:09 pm 
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Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 7:35 pm
Posts: 113
Location: Savannah Ga
Nice Set up Looks Great

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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2013 5:42 pm 
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Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:30 am
Posts: 174
Location: Charleston, SC
Excellent rig you got there...

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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 9:48 am 
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Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:29 am
Posts: 421
Nice looking Stripers! I don't understand the reason for using downriggers to target Stripers though.......here in the California Delta we troll using deep or shallow diving lures to target Stripers and for the most part the Stripers are no deeper than 15'. We also cast using top water type lures to target Stripers.


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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 10:49 am 
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Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 5:55 am
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Location: Cary, NC
atavuss wrote:
Nice looking Stripers! I don't understand the reason for using downriggers to target Stripers though.......here in the California Delta we troll using deep or shallow diving lures to target Stripers and for the most part the Stripers are no deeper than 15'. We also cast using top water type lures to target Stripers.


When the fish are feeding...there are many ways to catch them. Downriggers are just an added tool that I use when they are in a negative feeding mode. It allows me to put the bait (artificial and/or live) at the same depth as the suspending fish. Also, it has been my experience, that bigger fish stay closer to the bottom. The downriggers allow me, a more accurate depth control to reach them. Where I fish, that is usually between 25 -40 ft.


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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 1:22 pm 
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Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 8:55 am
Posts: 115
Good set.

Thanks for sharing.

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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 4:23 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2012 12:27 pm
Posts: 58
I found your youtube video of your plug and play awhile back and copied it. Works great. Thanks for posting.


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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 7:29 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 5:55 am
Posts: 111
Location: Cary, NC
Thanks guys!

bassmann wrote:
I found your youtube video of your plug and play awhile back and copied it. Works great. Thanks for posting.

KOOL...glad you are enjoying! ; )


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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 7:04 pm 
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Joined: Sat May 01, 2010 5:03 pm
Posts: 422
Location: Charlevoix, MI
Joey - Very nice looking system! Do you get many tangles when deploying your lines or playing a fish? I tried a homebrew downrigger system on Lk MI last year and found it a bit overwhelming. I was targeting lake trout 70 - 90 ft down. I could not just freespool the fishing line as the downrigger went down because it let out line too quickly and I ended up with a big loop between my reel and the downrigger clip. Had trouble adjusting the drag to prevent that and still let the lightweight "ball" down. Eventually it all seemed too complicated and I went to torpedo divers. This season I am trying lead core. I would definitely consider your system if you think it would be tangle free at those depths.


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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 8:22 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 5:55 am
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Location: Cary, NC
Jim_MI wrote:
Joey - Very nice looking system! Do you get many tangles when deploying your lines or playing a fish? I tried a homebrew downrigger system on Lk MI last year and found it a bit overwhelming. I was targeting lake trout 70 - 90 ft down. I could not just freespool the fishing line as the downrigger went down because it let out line too quickly and I ended up with a big loop between my reel and the downrigger clip. Had trouble adjusting the drag to prevent that and still let the lightweight "ball" down. Eventually it all seemed too complicated and I went to torpedo divers. This season I am trying lead core. I would definitely consider your system if you think it would be tangle free at those depths.


Jim –
Working with everything behind me, took a little practice. With time, it got much easier. When using the 2 downriggers with a rod on each, I don’t have any major issues.

BUT, when I go ahead and add a rod to each rail, things can get a little squirrely. I fish these rods with a planer float to get them out away from the Pro Angler…not difficult to set up, but can get crazy when a BIGGER fish decides to say hello. This system has been productive during the negative bite cycle, and I feel its well worth the trouble to get some bites during this time.

When the fish are active, I only use 2 rods.

Have used many different set ups/techniques for trolling and had success with them. But, this particular set up has been getting me a BIGGER bite and I feel pretty comfortable with it.

Also, the downriggers can be used as power poles/anchors…it works, but that all depends on the elements around you.

Before trying something like this system…check out this simplistic way to get your lure/bait deeper. Have caught fish using them.

http://www.redirig.com/pdfs/how_itworksr175.pdf

Regards, JoeyB (PedalPirate)


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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 3:38 am 
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Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 3:01 am
Posts: 151
sweet system seems u could use rod holders mounted on the mounting boards that way at least the rods would be in front of you...where do I buy that downrigger setup...specifically the cross board etc.?


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 Post subject: Re: Downriggers
PostPosted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:29 am 
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Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 5:55 am
Posts: 111
Location: Cary, NC
Jude wrote:
sweet system seems u could use rod holders mounted on the mounting boards that way at least the rods would be in front of you...where do I buy that downrigger setup...specifically the cross board etc.?


Hey Jude,

I currently have the option to mount the downrigger rods from the mounting boards, side rails and behind me. My preference is behind me, as this leaves room to cast at breaking fish ahead of me while trolling or add planer board rods off the rails as mentioned above.

Did not buy this system...I made it. There is a YouTube video link (in the original post) that shows it in more detail.

Good fishing...


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