RANT: where do the bases go?

[Seahunt]

@ Seahunt, never seen the scotty but the lifting boom makes it really user friendly. i actually like how the bigjon/fishlander boom bounces in a fair chop as i catch more off the long bouncing boom than i do with my shorter one. theres two big problems with bigjons though, salt eats them and parts are expensive. since i stopped leaving them on the boat when fishing the salt ive had zero problems. i would probably go scotty as well over the cannons though because of the lifting boom, makes it easier to leave the ball in the water, set up a clip on the cable, and drop the boom away from the transducers

Exactly! Scotties are salt friendly, not that I use them in the salt. Mine come off with just a few set screws or big hand knob set screws.
I was on Cook inlet AK trolling a few years ago for silvers before we jigged Halibut.
Not sure if it was coincidence or not but that boat used Scotties.

Can't really speak about parts or service as I haven't needed any. I do know you can buy parts from many online outlets. Particularly on the west coast where they use them on the salt for salmon. I did buy a spare belt about 10 years ago but it's still new in the package. 

I can see where the BJ "bouncing boom" would help if you're fishing tight to the ball.
I've also seen and heard about busted BJ booms. I have a handful of friends that "used" to own BJ's.


I own 4 of the Scotty 1116 Pro or Captain packs. Not sure if that model is still made?  They have double rod holders that I added Vectors (now Trax tech's) to for the additional versatility.

If this link comes out, you can get an idea of how a Scotty works vs. the older style other riggers.
Once you fish with a Scotty you'll never be happy with the "others". 


https://youtu.be/xJPTvfsmuvw     

[fishlessman]

yup, close to the ball and the mount i made gives it even more additional bounce. the fishlander version of the bigjon has the lift and turn holders similar to the trax tex and i added 2 saltys each side to run flyrods on the downriggers as well. havent had any problems with the electric ones but my older manual big jons gave up the ghost leaving them on during salt water trips, the parts from big jon to bring them back was half the price of new riggers. never broke a boom, did bend one once and just bent it back in the driveway, its an easy part to make anyways

[dickbaker]

  Back to Jetho's issue we still need to decide what is best of his boat.  Jethro!  What do you have for a boat??
Dick

[fishlessman]

Back to Jetho's issue we still need to decide what is best of his boat.  Jethro!  What do you have for a boat??
Dick

unless he upsized i think its a 14 foot starcraft. i would put a small electric on it and a manual clamp on for use on other boats as well as this one. then upgrade the manual next year  i find manuals to be clunky and frustrating, almost need three hands to use i do own a clampon manual but use it on a boat with an electric trolling motor on smaller lakes

[Dispy]

PM sent Jethro.

[Jethro]

unless he upsized i think its a 14 foot starcraft. i would put a small electric on it and a manual clamp on for use on other boats as well as this one. then upgrade the manual next year  i find manuals to be clunky and frustrating, almost need three hands to use i do own a clampon manual but use it on a boat with an electric trolling motor on smaller lakes

Correct, it's a small 14' Starcraft SF140DLX side console with a 25hp. It's a single wall aluminum boat. I have a couple of Cannon Mini-trolls but I recently used some full size riggers on my buddies boat and they are so much better that I need to upgrade. I also want to be able to use an 8 or 10lb ball and the mini-troll is really only suitable for a 4lb ball. But I am not in a hurry. I'd love to get electric riggers but they are too expensive for me even on the used market.

[Seahunt]

For a "thin walled" boat like yours these make a pretty good mount for rigger bases.

There are plenty of manual riggers out there.

https://youtu.be/sDhwJfsdx6w?list=PLDEDFBBAC55896EB5 

[Jethro]

Wow, the Scotty electric looks amazing. I need to save my pennies.

[Mac Attack]

I would stay with the 8# cannonball.
Unless you will be dropping it below 50' on a regular basis, the 8 will work fine.
I have fished downriggers since the late 70's.
Both manual and electric.
Trust me when I say that cranking 10# balls up from 50+ depths gets old quick.
The 10's will have less blowback, but the difference above 50' gets marginal the shallower the ball.

Your call though.

Now, if you do end with electric riggers...............get 12-15# balls.
But be sure you mount that rigger solidly to the boat.
   

Good luck.
Mac

[Seahunt]

Wow, the Scotty electric looks amazing. I need to save my pennies.

You can put manual mounts on those bases.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend clamp on riggers for manuals or electrics.

[Jethro]

You can put manual mounts on those bases.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend clamp on riggers for manuals or electrics.

I will not be mounting full size riggers with clamp on mounts. The Cannon Mini-Troll I have is a clamp on and I had to fabricate this wonky block of wood which has a hole in it and a screw with a T-nut to hold it to the gunwale. It's a real PITA to mount on there, but with the Mini-Troll the back and forth motion of reeling up the ball just works the clamp loose. Can never get it tight enough, loosens up every time I reset. Although I am using Black's releases now, so maybe I'll be resetting less. The block of wood makes it SOLID but I can't load or launch my boat with it mounted because of my load guides and again it's brutal for a fat guy like me to mount it while it's in the water. SO NO CLAMP ON'S FOR ME! Actually one of the big reasons I want full size down riggers, also the 4lb ball falls off my fish finder at more than 45 feet, so I need bigger balls. Yes, I just said that.

[Mac Attack]

I've run up to 12# balls on my boats over the years.
My 16.5' Lund currently has 4' long Cannon Unitrols on it and 8# balls.
I can mark both balls down to about 75' up to about 3.5 mph using the 83 mhz part of my 83/200 transducer on my Lowrance HDS-5 or the 8.
The 200 mhz looses the ball around 40-45' at 3.5 mph.
Also please understand that I rarely lower them deeper than 50-60' because I simply don't want to crank them back up from deeper.
Even though we run in 100-130' of water, we are trolling for walleyes and they suspended up higher.
Anything deeper I just don't mess with anymore.
And I always rotate my riggers out on a 45 when trolling, so the balls are like 10' apart.
The transducer is mounted on the starboard side.
I do lose the port ball before the other, but it's negligible.
Years ago when I trolled more for trout and salmon in Lake Ontario we would run higher speeds.
As high as 4.5-5 mph when searching for fish.
But we also had a 50 mhz transducer that would mark them.
And the balls were 10 and 12 pounders.

Hope this helps.
Mac

[dickbaker]

Jethro,     Why is so important that you can see the rigger ball?    I run flashers directly off my ball and would rather have it out of the transducer cone so the I can see fish.   The rigger should register your approximate depth.    I'm assuming that you plan to do a great deal of deep water trolling?    You might also think about  installing a trolling board on the back that would handle the rigger mounts as well as extra rod holders.
A pair of Eagle Feet Clamps from T&L Products , in Michigan, and a 2" by 6" treated Plank can created to fit your boat and carry any rigger mounts as well as all the rod holders you want.
Dick

[Dispy]

's.


I own 4 of the Scotty 1116 Pro or Captain packs. Not sure if that model is still made?  They have double rod holders that I added Vectors (now Trax tech's) to for the additional versatility. 

Indeed they still they make them SeaHunt. Overton's has the 1116 Pro Pack, including the swivel bases and dual road holders for a bargain price,as compared to most Cannon models...Two electrics for the price of one electric Cannon

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Scotty-1116-Propack-60-Telescoping-Electric-Downrigger&i=83910

[Seahunt]

Even cheaper and a great place to get all things Scotty and much more.  

These people FISH!

johnssportinggoods.com/product/downriggers/scotty-downrigger-1116/