MyFishFinder Forum
MFF US Northeast => Maine => Topic started by: fmm1991 on Jul 08, 2018, 12:11 PM
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So I have been using the release that came with my cannon manual rigger, but it doesn’t seem to release, usually I pull it up after an hour or two to find an exhausted fish on the line. Do the releases not work well?
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Depends on the size of the fish. Some of the cannon releases are too stiff for anything under a certain size.
I prefer a Chamberlain downrigger release as you can set them as light as you want while the vertical part can be set very tight.
https://www.fishusa.com/product/Chamberlain-Downrigger-Release
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I agree with taxid. The releases that come with the rigger are pretty rugged. If you don’t jam the line deep in the release and not want the rod really bent, it might work. You have to set the line in lightly
I use Offshore light planer board releases (yellow) on a wire leader or Chamberlain releases. Both work well.
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I use Cannons for both Erie walleye and Ontario salmon without problems.
But, Chamberlains are good releases.
To use the Cannon releases, twist a loop in your line and pinch the pads to the twist.
Then be sure to "cock" the rod by taking up slack and creating a bow in the rod.
The more tight you draw the rod downward toward the cannonball, the less the fish has to pull to release the line from the pinch pads.
Simple.
I've used Chamberlains, rubber bands, Roemers, screw-type pinch pads, and the spring type pinch pads like Cannon sells.
They all work.
I like the Cannon pinch pads for their simplicity.
Especially when I have other guys on the boat.
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Buy Chamberlains...I had a 4” smelt hit my super duper lure while trolling the other day and it released the line from the Chamberlain no problem.
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I use Chamberlain releases for the smaller fish we tend to catch here in the Northeast. You can set them so light that a 3" lake trout will set it off. I am proof, since I caught one this weekend on the rigger that tripped a release. Even so, I have found that it is good practice to check that lure every 20 minutes or so. It's not like leadcore, you can pull, check and reset in about the same time as it takes just to winch in 4 colors of lead.
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Those cannon ones are junk.. atleast for fishing in Maine. I had the same issue. Chamberlain release all the way! Get them from North East Troller.
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Fish USA a website sponsor sells them along with the Chamberlin stacker.
https://www.fishusa.com/product/Chamberlain-Downrigger-Release
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just wanted to give an update. I purchased the chamberlain release recommended. I caught a 6 inch white perch trolling for browns and it released perfectly. I am quite pleased, now if only I can hook into a target species.
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just wanted to give an update. I purchased the chamberlain release recommended. I caught a 6 inch white perch trolling for browns and it released perfectly. I am quite pleased, now if only I can hook into a target species.
Nice! My favorite part of the chamberlain releases is I am now confident I’m not dragging a six inch fish around for hours on end. Before I would frequently pop them off and check which equals less time fishing.
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I run the Chamberlains and this past Sunday I had one downrigger that hadn't done anything in an hour so I popped the line out and reeled it all the way to the boat and never knew there was a 26" togue on it until I saw it and it took off back to the bottom. Absolutely nothing wrong with the release it was just swimming along with the boat.
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I run the Chamberlains and this past Sunday I had one downrigger that hadn't done anything in an hour so I popped the line out and reeled it all the way to the boat and never knew there was a 26" togue on it until I saw it and it took off back to the bottom. Absolutely nothing wrong with the release it was just swimming along with the boat.
Had a lot of that this year. I have been losing faith on these chamberlains after switching from the blacks. Seems like I set them too loose and they pop deep with bigger offerings, tighten them up a tad and then drag fish. Having trouble with the sweet spot for some reason.
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Had a lot of that this year. I have been losing faith on these chamberlains after switching from the blacks. Seems like I set them too loose and they pop deep with bigger offerings, tighten them up a tad and then drag fish. Having trouble with the sweet spot for some reason.
This guy wouldn't have set any release off, I reeled in 150 feet of line and didn't know it was there until I saw it right next to the boat.
I had a bit of a learning curve with them this year. This is the first year I've really used live bait and found that I could back them off a little for a lighter strike, but when I went back to hardware the little extra resistance would set them off, so now I know that when I switch I have to tweek them a little.
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Had a lot of that this year. I have been losing faith on these chamberlains after switching from the blacks. Seems like I set them too loose and they pop deep with bigger offerings, tighten them up a tad and then drag fish. Having trouble with the sweet spot for some reason.
Long leads?
Don't need this when deep.
Mono, or other stretchy line?
Use a non-stretch line, like braid. And snap on a 6-8' flouro leader to it.
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Mono, fairly long leads at times, deep for here.
Short leads on some days, others long leads or you don’t catch em. I can’t agree that going deep you don’t need them.
Never had much of an issue last year, and never found an issue with the blacks for a decade. Might be in my head but I found the brass has really discolored and appears corroded and the adjustment isn’t what it used to. Maybe I’ll soak em and clean them.
It’s not a constant problem, but just don’t feel I’m getting the fine tuning they had or people talk about. Maybe it’s my line and leads, but those haven’t changed over time.
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I have had more Chamberlain "failures" while fishing for togue than anything else. Maybe incorrectly, but always attributed it to the speed I was fishing and the general personality of those fish. I use braid and short leads also.
6 inch salmon pop them, 6 pound togue don't always.
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I have had more Chamberlain "failures" while fishing for togue than anything else. Maybe incorrectly, but always attributed it to the speed I was fishing and the general personality of those fish. I use braid and short leads also.
6 inch salmon pop them, 6 pound togue don't always.
Maybe like the common man, the togue are becoming lazier!
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I have had more Chamberlain "failures" while fishing for togue than anything else. Maybe incorrectly, but always attributed it to the speed I was fishing and the general personality of those fish. I use braid and short leads also.
6 inch salmon pop them, 6 pound togue don't always.
Have you tried playing with the vertical adjustment of the release Jay? I lost a chamberlain this spring on a cinderblock and bought a Blacks to try for 8.95 just for the heck of it. Much smaller to the hand but I can find no fault with the release itself.
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Have you tried playing with the vertical adjustment of the release Jay? I lost a chamberlain this spring on a cinderblock and bought a Blacks to try for 8.95 just for the heck of it. Much smaller to the hand but I can find no fault with the release itself.
I've decided to target 6 inch salmon instead. 8)
I found, and need to play around more with, the adjustments is that there is a fine line between too light and too heavy. Even braid creates a lot of drag when down 100ish feet with a bigger spoon or flatfish. You'd think those togue would suck them in and pop it. As stated by stguy and Turnbuckle, they seem to hit and swim with.