Downrigger for inflatables?

I posted this earlier on the inflatable site, but thought I should post this here as well for us inflatables that fish as well. Possible downrigger easy install for my Hobie IS 12 inflatable. Had it out last weekend and seemed to work great, no tipping, no feeling at all of any out of balance with a 3 pound ball. Definitely going to try the 4 pound ball next. The previous post from earlier today:

I'm still new to the Hobie family and just recently tried my Is-12 inflatable. I have set up my fish finder and more importantly I have figured out a way to install an easily removable downrigger (Scotty Lake Troller) to my IS-12. I had it out a couple of days ago on a lake (Gull Lake in eastern Sierras) and it worked fantastic. I had the Scotty Lake Troller with a 3 pound ball. It was so stable I will be going to a 4 pound ball. Anyway, I permanently mounted a Scotty Mount onto a glued up rectangular PVC plastic frame which I then covered with foam insulation. It is mounted on my right side (My depth finder/transducer is on left). The lake troller fits into the mount and I kept the ball on deck until I started a troll. My biggest problem (at this point I think it's solved) was to figure out how to hold the Lake Troller in place and firmly mounted. I ended up using 4 round patches with D rings glued to the floor for securing the plastic rectangle mount. The patches are about 3 inches across. How did I secure the mount to the rings? Gear Ties-these things are amazing! These are rubber covered wire coming lengths of 6 inches, 12 , 18 and 24. I secure my milk crate with two gear 18 inch gear ties. Just twist a few times and secure. I digress. The plastic mount is secured with 6 inch gear ties which you can tighten down. Twist and twist till they are super tight. These things don't come loose!

It supported the downrigger and ball no problem. My longterm concern is the glued on patches, right now they are great and no problems coming up.

I will take a few photos but I am really pleased with how this worked the first time out. I wanted a bit over a 100 feet that the lake troller provides so I secured braid to a shortened cable to give me about 125 feet depth.

BTW: these gear tie things I used to secure the inflated 12 footer to my car rack back and forth from the lake short drive ( no way I would do this on a freeway), I also have them just twisted /secured to strategic spots on the kayak. I secured my tackle box on top of the right tube with a gear tie attached to the secured crate. The simplicity and multiple uses of these things are amazing. The only place I have found them are in Home Depot or on line.

Thanks

Beachpotato

Interesting you need more weight and cable to fish Gull Lake......I thought it was around 80' max??

I use a Scotty Depthmaster in my PA-14 and typically fish, in the 25-40' depth range for German Browns and large Rainbows here in Oregon......I use a 2.5# lead weight and have never caught a fish trolling below 50' depth.....I see an occasional large fish displayed at 125', but never hooked one, when trolling down there for some unknown reason....the deepest hole in the lake I fish is 180' deep.

I have used a 4# lead weight and decided the extra drag did not buy me any more success than the 2.5 # weight.....so, I save my energy moving the 4# weight around as I normally cover 7 to 8 surface miles at 1.7 mph average trolling speed.

Now, if you were fishing in the ocean at 200 or 300', 4#'s would be "light weight"!

Good luck trolling in the Sierras.....I loved fishing the June Lake Loop area lakes as a teenage, 55 years ago

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

Gull lake probably isn't even 80 feet deep right now (water level down a bit) in the eastern Sierras. I just wanted to try this (new downrigger setup) out, it was my first opportunity. Where I will be using it the most is Lake Tahoe in the spring, summer, fall. Fishing Mackinaw trolling can be easily below 100 feet. I won't have that much line on the Lake Troller but about 125 feet. Caught a nice 8.4 pounder at 180 feet this last summer (not in kayak). On Tahoe even the kokanee were down at 80-100 feet this year. I'll have to try the 4 pound weight. I really wanted to add the post that it is possible, and how I rigged a downrigger on an inflatable.

It was my first time in the June Lakes Loop area, it was gorgeous and we'll definitely go back there. The 4 lakes were all within about 25 minute drive which was convienient. Never saw so many people in the Sierras with cameras in my life. Fall colors and all.

Thanks Doctor good fishing.