Little Rigger On My Hobie Outback

[iMick]

Anyone here use a downrigger on a kayak?

Just installed a Scotty Laketroller on my yak.

Can't wait to get out there with it, I'm finding it hard to sleep with all the excitement and anticipation ... I keep getting visuals of a 20kg Jew smashing a 7 inch paddletail shad in 40 foot of water

Mick

Edited July 29, 2010 by iMick

[arpie]

..... or a nice kingie!!!.... Get ready to HANG ON!!

I have a small downrigger, but haven't fitted it to my yak ..... yet!! I am thinking of a removable setup in one of the rear rod holders. I'd be going more for bass or trout, I think, not being an offshore yakker! I throw up too much!

I have heard of some terrific captures using down riggers tho. Just gotta be careful of underwater snags/boat anchor lines/other people's trolling lines!!

Good luck - look forward to reading your reports using it!

Cheers

Roberta

[iMick]

..... or a nice kingie!!!.... Get ready to HANG ON!!

I have a small downrigger, but haven't fitted it to my yak ..... yet!! I am thinking of a removable setup in one of the rear rod holders. I'd be going more for bass or trout, I think, not being an offshore yakker! I throw up too much!

I have heard of some terrific captures using down riggers tho. Just gotta be careful of underwater snags/boat anchor lines/other people's trolling lines!!

Good luck - look forward to reading your reports using it!

Cheers

Roberta

I reckon it'll work great on the Bass once the suns up and for trout it's an essential.

I was towed around by a 35cm Bream the other day, so imagine how fast a 1m King could move you. Happy days!

Mick

[Football]

nice setup

[iMick]

nice setup

Thanks mate.

[ElwoodBlues]

That looks awesome. I cant wait to read about the captures using the down rigger.

[kingiemaster]

Anyone here use a downrigger on a kayak?

Noice set up. I like the bomb storage.

I'm a big fan of down rigging for Kings in a kayaks, canoe in my case. No Jews, yet.

My catch rate from the canoe in 2008/09 was over 85% and over 70% this season just gone vs the boats rate of just over 60%. Fishing around the Spit/Seaforth etc I reckon kayaks can outfish boats thanks to the stealth factor. So much so that when the weather warms up and Spit fires up I'm going fish from the canoe rather than boat for at least a few weeks.

Tips

Replace the wire cable with white 2mm waxed cord. A roll of it cost all of $2. Less drag, less noise, easier to break if you get snagged. Best of all you can mark it with texta in 5 and 10 metre or foot (to match your sounder) intervals eg one a mark for 10 , 2 marks for 20, 3 marks for 30 etc with a small single marks at 5 foot/metre intervals in between.

Before you start fishing practice winding up the bomb and turning the drag knob on with one hand.

When you have fish on keep the rod in the holder, let the fish run until you are ready and in position (ie in the open and/or/but out of the way of other boats etc) and then wind the bomb up. If you go for the rod too early you'll find yourself in world of pain trying to fight the fish, wind the bomb up and get out of the way of moorings and boats etc all at the sametime.

Shorter rods can help when it comes time to bring the fish in.

[iMick]

Noice set up. I like the bomb storage.

I'm a big fan of down rigging for Kings in a kayaks, canoe in my case. No Jews, yet.

My catch rate from the canoe in 2008/09 was over 85% and over 70% this season just gone vs the boats rate of just over 60%. Fishing around the Spit/Seaforth etc I reckon kayaks can outfish boats thanks to the stealth factor. So much so that when the weather warms up and Spit fires up I'm going fish from the canoe rather than boat for at least a few weeks.

Tips

Replace the wire cable with white 2mm waxed cord. A roll of it cost all of $2. Less drag, less noise, easier to break if you get snagged. Best of all you can mark it with texta in 5 and 10 metre or foot (to match your sounder) intervals eg one a mark for 10 , 2 marks for 20, 3 marks for 30 etc with a small single marks at 5 foot/metre intervals in between.

Before you start fishing practice winding up the bomb and turning the drag knob on with one hand.

When you have fish on keep the rod in the holder, let the fish run until you are ready and in position (ie in the open and/or/but out of the way of other boats etc) and then wind the bomb up. If you go for the rod too early you'll find yourself in world of pain trying to fight the fish, wind the bomb up and get out of the way of moorings and boats etc all at the sametime.

Shorter rods can help when it comes time to bring the fish in.

Great tips there mate.

I'm gonna let the wire rust a bit first then change it with Braid or something,

Took it for a test run the other day (with my new Shark Shield) around the spit and it worked very well, and could see the bomb line perfectly on the sounder, couldn't be happier.

I've been contemplating what to do when a King hits me and dives for cover, I think you're right move forward and get that bomb up and then work the fish.

Using the drag and winding with one hand was very natural surprisingly.

My next mission is to buy some sheet Neoprene and make a kingy bag for keeping a feed.

Mick