Fish-Hawk.Net

Now that I am finally off the Canadian Governments payroll... EI (woo hoo found a job ) I'm looking at downriggers in the Le Baron's catalogue. I've used electric ones in other boats but have no experience with the cheaper manual models. Are they a pain in the butt or ok for occasional use? If I'm fishing alone and can't reel the fish and cannonball in at the same time is this asking for trouble?

I've never lost a fish to the cannon ball wire yet, but it's bound to happen sooner or later.

I use Cannon Easy Troll 2 manuals and I absolutely love them. No problems here and not interested in upgading to electrics either.

Hey Hoserrrrrr.

Use the manuals bud, I predict they'll give ya big Popeye forearms sooner of later, if not, bursitis old man.

If you fish alone, the electrics with auto stops are the way to go. That's if your worried about the fish wrapping around the cable. He still has the prop to wrap around and you still have to play him and net him and drive the boat I run manuals and don't have a problem, never lost one to a cable yet (knock on wood). Then why fish alone

Hoser wrote:Now that I am finally off the Canadian Governments payroll... EI (woo hoo found a job ) I'm looking at downriggers in the Le Baron's catalogue. I've used electric ones in other boats but have no experience with the cheaper manual models. Are they a pain in the butt or ok for occasional use? If I'm fishing alone and can't reel the fish and cannonball in at the same time is this asking for trouble?

The only reason I moved to electric riggers was I mostly use them at 100+ feet for lakers in the summer and my father has a heart condition so it is alot easier to get the rigger balls up quickley from deep depths...other wise I had no problems with the manuals.

Cheers'

-et

As you mentioned,if your fishing alone,it can be rather difficult getting the ball up,while fighting the fish.

Electrics are nice,flick a switch,ball stops at the auto-stop bead,no problem.

IMO,fishing solo,tough to beat electrics.

H.I.H.

Electrics...are faster easyer....highly recommend them....guys that use manuls love them, because thats what they have, I have had both, and elecrtics are they way to go

Big O when your dead and gone how much did you tell your wife you paid for the electrics Just kidding!

I agree with Mark his riggers work awesome BUT i have used some manual riggers that are quite a pain in the butt... If you can afford electric go electric just make sure u get the auto stop...

I hear ya Phil there is quite a few upgrades that i have done in the last few years and i wonder how the hell i lived without them and why it took me so long to figure it out!!!

I'll tell you after I've used my Propacs a while

electrics are great so you can be free to do more than one thing at a time lower more than one line at a time or bring them all up at a time etc. But for the price it may not be worth it to you! Scotty, Cannon, and Big Jon make some pretty nice ones

My neighbor and i jsut got into downrigging last year and we bought some relatively inexpensive manual downriggers and they did a fine job. we caught many great fish and didn't have to mortgage the house to do it.lol

I run two manual Scotty 1090's. Hasn't been a problem yet, I suppose if you want to bring the ball up while fighting, loosen the drag and let the fish swim. Then again, I've never done it alone.
But I love my manuals, won;t be getting electrics any time soon.

CD