Fishing Forum

I want to see how you have mounted your downriggers. Post some pictures if you would.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I have a 2004 Targa DeepV16 with rounded gunnels. I have 2 Cannon 5STs mounted on the corner gussets where the transom and side meet. Noticed last year that one of the gussets has a 1 to 2 inch crack where it is welded to the transom on one side. Need to get that welded up this spring. Sorry, not pictures at this time.[/#800000][/font]
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I would like to see a few pics when you get the time. thanks.
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I have a Tracker Targa with the VersaTrack and some pretty nice downrigger brackets. Do you have the VersaTrack on your boat? I'm sure I have some pics on file, if you'd like to see them. Let me know. Liketrolling has the same boat with a different type of brackets.
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Go to www.walleyecentral.com and ask on the boat forum. You should get a ton of response.
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It's a 2009 and it does not have the versitrac. post some pics if ya would anyways.
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My brackets are made by Phischon Engineering, called Trackstar brackets, I think I have the "downrigger combo". About $70 each. They're really well made, but obviously they're made to fit in a track. https://www.phischon.com/shop/
If your gunwales aren't real solid, or there's really nothing to mount the riggers to, you might consider using a heavy board that goes all the way across the stern of the boat, attach that some way to the boat and the riggers to the board. It takes up some room, but gives you a good solid place to mount them, and you could make it removable.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Originally, I used some 12"[/#800000][/font] [url "http://www.iboats.com/Cannon-Aluminum-Mounting-Track/dm/cart_id.015887398--session_id.225008807--view_id.484272"][font "Comic Sans MS"][#0000ff]mounting plates[/#0000ff][/font][/url] [font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]that were screw mounted to the top of the rounded gunnel. Now I use the plates for my RAM rod holder bases.[/#800000][/font]
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I have a 2005 Targa 17 and I had trouble finding some mounts that I liked. 2005 was before they had the versa track that they have now. My gunnels are very narrow and I didn't really care to go with the "clamp" on style either. I had purchased Big Jon downriggers already and found the best option for me was to go with a cannon mounting track from amazon. The screw holes on the cannon tracks were just narrow enough that I could get them into the gunnels pretty good. I was able to drill completely through the gunnels and run bolts with locking nuts on the underside (with washers) to provide more surface area and a more secure installation. I then purchased the cannon 4" fixed base pedestals that slip in and out of the cannon tracks for easy dis-assembly when I am fishing without downriggers. Plus there is a range of attachments that can be purchased to fit in the tracks, like extra rod holders. The attached picture is the only one I have handy until I can get to the storage unit to take some detailed photos. Hopefully you can get the idea. Let me know if I can help out any other way.
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I have a 2008 targa 175 and have mounted down rigger brackets on the top of the gunnel. The gunnels are about 6" wide so I was able to bolt a standard 4" cannon bracket through the gunnel. Then I cut a plate of hardwood just a little narrower than the gunnel and about 16" long and put in on the underside of the gunnel. The mounting bolts went through the plate. I also used large fender washers and lock washers. Hopefully all this makes sense. Sorry I don't have any pictures.
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I did something similar on a prior boat that I owned; however, I made the plate out of approximately 1/2" aluminum. It was light, strong and spread the weight of the down rigger over a large area.
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It seems to be working pretty well. Last summer I snagged the bottom with the weight. It was hooked up so tight I thought I was going to have to cut it off. The mount on the boat handled it well.
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