I am looking into mounting an electric downrigger on a 272 Sailfish. Just curious to see if anyone else has done it, and if so what are the specifics (location, hardware, etc.). The one I have is a Penn with the 24" shaft, I think I will need to extend it to 48" to clear the transom. Thanks!
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Downrigger Mount
- Thread starter Desperado
- Start date
yankeecause
GreatGrady Captain
I have 2 Big Jons mounted on the back corners of my Gulfstream, use backing plates and check before drilling for any wires or obstructions. I have 4' booms to clear the swim platform. Joe
Amigo
Well-Known Member
Here are a lot of optional items for mounting downriggers. On the Great Lakes many of the down riggers are mounted on swivel bases 4" high. The bottom of the swivel base slides into a track.
The track is a very heavey support spreading the force along the gunnel. With a track you can easily dismount the downrigger and slide a black or white step pad into the track.
http://www.teclausa.com/bert/products.html
The track is a very heavey support spreading the force along the gunnel. With a track you can easily dismount the downrigger and slide a black or white step pad into the track.
http://www.teclausa.com/bert/products.html
jekyl
GreatGrady Captain
I have a scotty electric with telescopic boom and we tow a 3lb ball.
I got a metal shop to weld a stainless bracket on top of a stainless tube that fits into a vertical stainless rodholder with gimbal type slots on the base of the tube.
The Rodholder is mounted near the rear of the gunnel and allows me to swing the downrigger all the way round.
I didn't want brackets or more holes on the gunnel. The vertical rodholder takes up no space and still keeps the gunnel nice and clean of line tangling stuff!
I got a metal shop to weld a stainless bracket on top of a stainless tube that fits into a vertical stainless rodholder with gimbal type slots on the base of the tube.
The Rodholder is mounted near the rear of the gunnel and allows me to swing the downrigger all the way round.
I didn't want brackets or more holes on the gunnel. The vertical rodholder takes up no space and still keeps the gunnel nice and clean of line tangling stuff!
Hoghunter
Well-Known Member
yankeecause said:I have 2 Big Jons mounted on the back corners of my Gulfstream, use backing plates and check before drilling for any wires or obstructions. I have 4' booms to clear the swim platform. Joe
Ditto, I have 4 Canon's with 5 and 6 foot booms mounted to my 305 Express. 2 on the aft corner's and 2 right behind the forward rod holders. I used very large oversize 1.5" diameter heavy stainless washers or a backing plate where access was available.
Make sure you check before you drill. I troll with 12 and 15 lb. weights and it has always worked fine for me.
Amigo
Well-Known Member
Jekyl,
Take a look at this -
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true
This is a 25 degree gimbal mount. I'm not sure if they are available any other way. I used these mounts for a couple of years before permantely mounting my riggers.
Take a look at this -
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true
This is a 25 degree gimbal mount. I'm not sure if they are available any other way. I used these mounts for a couple of years before permantely mounting my riggers.
jekyl
GreatGrady Captain
Thanks Amigo,thats identical to the one I had made for my first manual scotty. In fact the rigger is still bolted to it I just don't use that manual d/rigger anymore. The new one is vertical and the base of the scotty is hinged.
Because we don't use the rigger all the time I wanted to be able to make as little impact on the gunnels as poss.
Because we don't use the rigger all the time I wanted to be able to make as little impact on the gunnels as poss.
Amigo
Well-Known Member
Jekyl,
How fast do you troll with the 3 lb. ball? For salmon the speed range is 2.5 MPH give or take a few tenths.
I fished with a guy out of Kona who commercial fished for tuna. He had a commercial downrigger and a 30 lb ball. When that ball came out of the water he grabbed it in a hurry before it banged into something.
How fast do you troll with the 3 lb. ball? For salmon the speed range is 2.5 MPH give or take a few tenths.
I fished with a guy out of Kona who commercial fished for tuna. He had a commercial downrigger and a 30 lb ball. When that ball came out of the water he grabbed it in a hurry before it banged into something.
jekyl
GreatGrady Captain
G'day amigo. I just weighed the ball and it is 10lbs . We troll for juvenile black Marlin with either dead baits at 5-6 knots or else "livies" at dead slow. ie 1-2 knots.
We are fishing in 100ft usually with the ball at 30 - 60 ft. or more.
We are fishing in 100ft usually with the ball at 30 - 60 ft. or more.
billydoos fishing always
Active Member
We up here in vancouver canada use the scotty electrics and I mounted mine on gimbles,they work excellent! When salmon fishing we use a 15 lb cannon ball no issues with this set up.
downrigger position
I agree with the gimbile mount. I have used on my boat on the great lakes. Nice to be able to move in and out when not in use. You can also add other rod holders to the gimbile mount that contains the downrigger. Ram has a nice rodholder that can be positioned any way.
Something I would also recommend is positioning the boom to the side of the boat rather than off the back. Sounds like you are considering straight back. Maybe different in saltwater fishing but here in the Great Lakes where our main method is trolling with downriggers, I really think it best to keep the back of the boat clear as when fish is on when trolling it dropps to the back and that is were netting takes place.
I agree with the gimbile mount. I have used on my boat on the great lakes. Nice to be able to move in and out when not in use. You can also add other rod holders to the gimbile mount that contains the downrigger. Ram has a nice rodholder that can be positioned any way.
Something I would also recommend is positioning the boom to the side of the boat rather than off the back. Sounds like you are considering straight back. Maybe different in saltwater fishing but here in the Great Lakes where our main method is trolling with downriggers, I really think it best to keep the back of the boat clear as when fish is on when trolling it dropps to the back and that is were netting takes place.