BaitDropper

Also look for the artificial plastics that some sell for the head starters, instead of using dead bait. I haven't tried them yet, but considering getting a couple to try out.

Head starters........ These, for those when I mentioned them on another thread are what I use as a live bait alternative. I'll get fresh Garfish, cut there beaks off, pre rig and vacuum freeze, as I have with a couple more ready for my mid week fish. You can of course use other fish for the purpose, I just like the success I've had with Garfish. I've used head starters for about 10 years now and in all honesty, have skipped over the live bait search on many occasions and gone straight to the head starters. I've caught everything from Kings, salmon and even Mahi. the head starters allow you to troll the same speed as lures and when I use them on the down rigger, speed is not an issue, basically as fast as the down weight stays relatively straight down from the boat. The blue version is un weighted, that's the puppy I like on the down rigger, trolling out the back, makes it bounce around crazy skipping on the surface. The other is a weighted version, which will nicely sit below the surface while trolling. They produce a really nice action and stay usable for long periods and in my opinion are a good option amongst Xraps and the likes. MY success rate in all honesty, has been as good as live bait, both down rigging and on top. There's a chain connected to the hook, which makes them a strong enough set up to have many hours of them in the water, the head piece, pushes thru the eyes, which again, doesn't seem to weaken them at all. I separately Vacuum seal them, just pull them out of the freezer and there basically all set to go once thawed. Anyways, just thought I'd show them in case some hadn't seen or heard of them before.

That's a bugga Mark, The good O'l weather always changes things... At least you got out.. PS. Na I was asking Paddy the question about rubber bands/ Du Bro clips..... Our methods are very similar.. Myself, I recon rigging the live bait is worth the effort with a rubber band, the live bait lasts a heap longer. I even wind in and put the livie in the tank, rubber band still attached and re use same one an hour later... worth the extra effort and I think that extra bit of shock the rubber band gives, with zero in the braid line, helps too.

So you use Du Bro clips to attach the main line to the trace off the weight then ???

Look forward to your next report Mark... Yeah, my other weight is a 6lb, I may set that one up as well and take with me, your right, the 4lb one can drag a bit. After taking the photo yesterday, I realized, when I removed the De Bro clip, I just put on a snap swivel, but it on backwards, so I've just re crimped a new leader off the weight .. Yeah, there's a heap of ways to set up, as I said, what ever works is the best way... I was looking at the prices of the down riggers yesterday, they've near doubled since I bought mine, 12-13 years ago. I like them, because nothing much can go wrong with them and there tuff..... I'm going to head out next week, so I'll get some action shots on the down rigger !!! ( hopefully 😁) goodluck

Pictures ( now that it's working for me ) are better than trying to explain.. Mark, the weight in the picture is a 4 pounder, I'll use this on most occasions, my other is a 6lb er, which I'll swap to if currents are running. I removed the Du Bro clip, main braid line with clip attaches to top of weight, I then crimped up about a meter of 80lb mono, which attaches to the underside of the weight, then I attach rubber band to main rod line then direct to clip at the end of the Mono from the weight. I like to have a good 3 to 5 meters of line past the trace from the weight, sometimes way more, up to 10 meters.. It's good to play with the length some times, but when dropping a lure, I definitely run much more line out from the weight.... But as I said, it's what ever set up works best, for what your fishing for, is always best..

Hey Mark, Yes, do what works for you I always say. My low drag comes from my early dealings with big kings back in NZ, so I've used that theory from there. I have 2 down rigger weights, from memory, there only 5lb.. I put a new rod holder closer to the back so the boom arm was well past the motor. When down rigging for marlin with a lure on, I'll use my heavier gear and won't put it in the down rigger rod holder, works OK and I feel safer with that set up. But in regards to the weights, yeah I'm sure mine are 4 or 5 lb, and because, especially with live bait, your cruising along at snail pace so 5 odd pound is ample for me. As far as the Gar's go, to be honest, I go down and buy them from the local fish mart, I am never able to catch them, in fact I've had little success collecting live bait, I pre set up 4 or 5 of them and freeze them with the Vac sealer, with the head starters already attached, you can troll them along side X raps on the surface, the set up makes them sturdy enough, so without live bait, I immediately have options. Maybe I should get out of bed earlier to get into some more serious livebaiting 😁, or I'm in the completely wrong locations.. Down in Melbourne, I used my Down rigger a heap, it's mainly sandy bottom, so I would set up the weight so I was basically bottom bashing with it, and I had a ball with that method following the channels after big winter snapper. Be nice to have an Elecky version, But I'd rather put my coin into other things. There a great addition to the " fishing Arsenal " but do take a bit of getting used to, or getting a method of using them especially when solo for sure, I have a small bait well with a lid on both corners of my boat, the one on the side I use the down rigger, I foam lined, so the down rigger weight just drops inside for storage, if you follow.. keeps everything tucked away when moving about and easier to dispatch everything when I want to use it..

I always set up with rachet on and minimal drag, I used to use those de bro release clips, but found that no 14 rubber bands better, especially for live bait. I found, that when the initial take happens, a lot of the time the fish hasn't taken the hook, it's there second attempt after the first take that seems to be when they get hooked, so I like them to take the bait first with out to much resistance. I don't no how mark sets up, so that is only my opinion or way, but it works for me. As per Marks method, live bait, definitely rubber band thru the eye socket, bait seems to last a lot longer if your careful. But with the Head starter set up, and thawed garfish, I think with that method, it's just the action of the head starters that make it work. But less drag for me is way better.

Hey Fab, Ironically, her indoors was quite impressed and has put in an order for one !! Go figure 😁, what for, I have no idea... Yes, after seeing one of my internationals nearly go for a dive, from a height challenged deckie while he attempted to put it in the rocket launcher !! I saw it in slow motion and just managed to reach over behind him and grab the rod itself... I wasn't annoyed at him as such, but alot of my other reels are modded up Penns that I've spent hours modifying them, so I would have been just as guttered if it was one of those. That was enough to prompt me to make rod storage " idiot proof" 🤪... And in all honesty, doing a lot of solo fishing, I figured it to be an advantage as well, it gets hectic on your own with a decent fish on..

Great write up Mark and congrats on your catch. It looks as thou you have one of those downrigger shop downriggers ??? I have the same.. I luv the down rigger fishing, in all honesty, it is one of the most productive methods( for me).. What I have done, as I'm still unfamiliar with all the live bait haunts locally ( still learning the area), is I have set up with Garfish, with the head starters, frozen and ready to go and they are working out to be near as good as live bait itself. I'll always try for live bait, of course, but the o'l garfish with beaks cut off set up in a head starter rig, is working wonders. Sounded like a successful day was had by you..

Ok,, It's working again !!! Can't for the life of me see why it didn't re set, I previously re changed the settings in my phone to " most compatible ", but it still wouldn't work. It seems to re set back when my Iphone gets up dated, so I've made notes this time, as it's bound to happen again.. Many thanks for assistance. SO, anyways, above was my first attempt at " platting ", to see how this paracord performed, I will use stainless D clips after I become more accomplished in the art. The paracord is rated to 270kg, very easy to Plat, only about $9 for 30 meters from the local green store, you just have to master achieving the end desired length... I had a near miss recently, when a deckie couldn't quite reach the rocket launcher with one of my game set ups and near lost the whole lot over board 😗.... I've never used them in the past, but as there cheap as chips if you make em yourself, I thought I'd have a go. I'm making a lanyard for rods in the rocket launcher and also a few sets to clip on to the rods I troll with, including my down rigger set up. Quite quick to make up in all honesty..

I went back over history, and last year the same thing happened to me on here, it was Heic instead of jpeg format, it appears I changed the setting and it worked again. I cannot find that setting to change it this time. I'll keep searching, very very strange.

Hi All, Sorry, I had visitors, so I couldn't return to this post... I'll try switching the phone off and on and try again. The above photo, was taken a few years back, all my old photo's will upload ok, any new photo taken, wont. I seem to re call this happened to me a while back, and I managed to change something in the phone settings and everything worked again. I'll try the phone off and on first..