[#005050]Does anybody know how to test the positive Ion control on electric downriggers? I use Cannon Mag 10s and know the positive ion helps attract fish, but i don't know if altering the output would help or not??[/#005050]
[#005050]I've researched the "downrigger" archives and can't find an answer to this...[crazy] anybody??[/#005050]
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look around in some kokanee forums they talk about that all the time. there's even a black box you can get to put out the right ohms for lolanee. just start googleing kokanee and you should find something. later chuck
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OK, thanks for the tip.
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[cool][#008080] OK, just got back from "googleing" all the info I needed and thought I might share it, if anybody might be interested.[/#008080]
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[#008080]When electric downriggers are put in the water, they create positive ions. If these ions are not in the range that fish normally like, ( .065) they will be repelled rather than attracted. Many things on your boat can effect the ion output. one in particular is mounting a trolling (kicker) motor that is not grounded to the boat or main motor...I didn't know that. Also, Cannon Mag 10s automatically emit .7 in order to activate the short stop feature where the weight stops as it breaks of the water...not good.[/#008080]
[#008080]You can check your output with a volt meter or you can control your output on multiple downriggers by using the Cabelas "black box" that attaches to your wire.[/#008080]
[#008080]I also learned that if you get it right, fish will be attracted to the downrigger wire near the boat so...you should be trolling with relatively short leads off of your releases.[/#008080]
[#008080]i just ordered the black box, I'll let you know how it worked out...[:/][/#008080]
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I have had some trips where a fellow angler on my boat fishing with leaded line was far more effective than me using my downrigger. This has been extrememly frustrating to me, because if one can precisely control the depth one would hope that would be more effective than guessing with leaded line. When that has happened I have often wondered if I was putting out some type of repelling current (I don't have a black box). Then the next trip out I would catch fish after fish on the downrigger, so who knows what is really going on.
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[#000080]Youre right...that's why I am going to spend the $100 to make sure i know what's going on in the future [cool][/#000080]
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ive been reading about it for a few weeks now. and have talked to other realy good trollers about this subject. before i spent the money i wanted imput. some say its very important others just say its bs. i shure would love to see it showed on video. ive also read that the current can be dropped other ways as well. hevy plasic connectors from cable to small ext cable then to ball. they also say lead uncoated should be coated. tons moore info if you look 4 it.[fishin]
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Yup, little things like an uncoated downrigger ball will make the difference, as well as battery connections, stereo installation, etc.
I'm going to make sure I know...[pirate]
Oh well, if it doesn't work, I'll use it for an anchor..[:p]
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If you use the braided downrigger cable you dont have to worry about it. By the way, this is the first year I'm using the braid and I dont like it. As for the truth in the black box...I have no idea. Some charter boat captains on the Great Lakes use it, some dont. Their success rates dont vary much. They do fish for Salmon with the lures as close as 3 feet behind the ball, so maybe it could help??
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Quote:By the way, this is the first year I'm using the braid and I dont like it.
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 4]I'm curious as to why you say that. I switched last year and love it. Absolutely no more line hum. What's not to like about that?[/size][/#800000][/font]
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I love that there is no line hum, mine appears to be wearing at the connection, it doesnt spool up as smooth as cable, and I have had it come off the wheel twice, which requires taking the wheel assembly apart. I do need to fish more to make a real judgement. This summer has not been good to my habit.
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I fish my lines far enough behind the ball that ions, coatings etc are all completely irrelevant. I guess if someone is fishing a gang-ball it might matter but I've yet to be convinced its that big of a deal. I've had 100 fish days and 10 fish days with identical setups only a few days a part.
-DallanC
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i fished my lines back but wasnt getting the bites or the #,s of bite the guys going less than 20 ft had last sunday. my next trip i try a short and a long on a stacker. then ill try it again with the lines reversed. not to mention i get to pay a whole lot moore attention to the details. ken
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[quote CROSSINEYES]i fished my lines back but wasnt getting the bites or the #,s of bite the guys going less than 20 ft had last sunday. my next trip i try a short and a long on a stacker. then ill try it again with the lines reversed. not to mention i get to pay a whole lot moore attention to the details. ken[/quote]
thats how I do it, 1 short, 1 long per ball. 4 lines total on balls. Then usually I run out a top water rod or two for lazy cutts and bows.
-DallanC
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[#004080] OK, just for the record....I got my black box, motored up to Hebgen Lake in Montana on Friday, hooked up all the gizmos to the black box and read the output. It was .530....[:/] Adjusted the output to .650 and caught fish better than ever before...whether it was the output or my fishing technique, or the weather, or the good beer, I don't know, but at least I know that I can dial in the perfect ions now.[/#004080]
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so did you fish at .530 first on this trip ? then dial in or just dial in? that will be a good test 4 the black box i think. fish 15 min,s with it off. then turn it on and repete. i would do that for like the first 2hrs. then count up your bites. not fish. dang i wana get one butt still am not convinced.[:/] ken see ive talked to both people who beleive and others that kick butt without one and call bs. hope you have another trip comming up soon. for you and me. lol
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[#000080]Well......I guess you just never know for sure. I fished on Friday without it and did ok, but Saturday and Sunday were red hot with it on. Could be many factors including the bug hatch and wild weather. Who knows for sure.[/#000080]
[#000080]It's just like buying G Loomis versus a Donal Duck toy rod. They will both catch fish, but which one has the advantage. I'm just glad that I can now dial it in the way I want it when I want it.[/#000080]
[#000080]Sometimes I like to fish a long ways behind the ball and sometimes I like to fish short so I can make sharp turns. In those cases, I am going to make sure that I'm attracting rather than repelling.[/#000080]
[#000080]It would be fun to drop the camera down and try dialing up different numbers to see if it makes a difference. Maybe I'll try that experiment and let you all know what happens...probably will attract Carp!![/#000080]
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carp. lol dont put that out there. [sly] hmmmm??? [fishin]
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