Chamberlain Downrigger Releases

[wall3y3]

I just wanted to give a quick shout-out for the Chamberlain downrigger releases.  I have been using Keith Chamberlains releases for a number of years and I prefer them over anything else I have used.  There are two models, one that attaches in line by the ball and a stacker release that attaches to the cable.  His stacker releases were designed to work best with a particular diameter of 150 lb cable.  I just got new cannons and apparently, their new 150 lb cable is thicker than their old 150 lb cable.  The releases I had been using for years did not slide all that well on the new cable.  I sent an e-mail to Keith and he told me to send him my releases and a cable sample.  Not only did he adjust the releases for me but I got a personal call from him today thanking me for the cable sample.  Honestly, I don't think I have had better customer service on anything in my entire life.  Keith is a super nice guy and his product is awesome.  He puts them together himself - made in the USA by a very deserving small business.  https://www.downriggerrelease.com/

[Therapist]

He has taken Black's release and modified it a bit. Black's has been the best one out there for years. You can adjust these to handle 4-6 lb line w/o breaking it.

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-MARINE-PROD...B07C271M6C

Will have to try Chamberlin's to see which is better. !!

[wall3y3]

He has taken Black's release and modified it a bit.  Black's has been the best one out there for years.  You can adjust these to handle 4-6 lb line w/o breaking it. 

https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-MARINE-PROD...B07C271M6C

Will have to try Chamberlin's to see which is better.  !!

A few things IMO that make Chamberlains better than the Blacks.  The release tension and the up tension from the rod are independently adjustable on the Chamberlain.  Very handy as you can really load the rods yet still have a very light release.  The release tension is determined by the magnet gap which is fully adjustable.  Also as far as I know Blacks does not make a stacker release.  Like I said in the original comment the stackers are designed to run on 150 lb cable, although I have heard of cases where Kieth has personally adjusted stackers to run on braid for people.  The stackers are unlike anything else out there as they release and slide to the ball when they hit the pulley on the way up.  You kind of have to use them to see, it's kind of sketchy the first few times, it seems like they would fall off but I have been using the same set for a number of years, never lost one.  Superslick, having used them I don't want to stack with anything else.

[MACMAN]

After I ordered mine, he called me a couple weeks later to see how I liked them and if I had any questions. I agree, super nice guy and great service. I also agree they are they best release I’ve used- by far. I bought the stackers at the end of last year, but have yet to try them out. Looking forward to it.

[Therapist]

I was selling Blacks back in the late 80's. I am not saying that they are better, just that they have been around for a long time. Chamberlin looks like he has added some fine tuning to the Black's design. They may be better, may not !! Just saying Black's has been around for a longer time. Chamberlin's look to be pretty pricey also. All in all, what ever floats your boat !!

[dubob]

I used them for a while about 10 years ago and quit using them after about 3 years.  The separate adjustments for the fish hit and the rod pull is a very nice feature, no question.  But there are a couple things I didn't like and I went back to using the Off Shore clip releases.

The first thing that I didn't like was the fact that when using braided line vs mono line, the number of twists needed to prevent the braided line from slipping is a bunch more - like maybe a dozen with braided as opposed to 6 or 7 twists with mono.  Just tedious for me.  It may not bother you or others.

The second thing i noticed is that I tend to use the same setback for my DRs and the constant twisting and rod pressure on the line being twisted in the same foot or so of line leads to a flattening and weakening of the mono in that twist area.  This in turn causes line breaks and tackle loss.  And at the cost of dodgers plus lures running between $10 to $15 a pop, that adds up.  I started noticing the line breaks the second year of use and then started checking the line and I could feel the flat spots when pulled through my fingers.  Early in the third year after a half dozen line breaks, I stopped using the Chamberlains.  Sold them on eBay a couple years ago to an ocean fisherman.

I do admit that they do work slick.  But for the reasons I stated above, they don't work for me.  YMMV!  ?

[wall3y3]

I used them for a while about 10 years ago and quit using them after about 3 years.  The separate adjustments for the fish hit and the rod pull is a very nice feature, no question.  But there are a couple things I didn't like and I went back to using the Off Shore clip releases.

The first thing that I didn't like was the fact that when using braided line vs mono line, the number of twists needed to prevent the braided line from slipping is a bunch more - like maybe a dozen with braided as opposed to 6 or 7 twists with mono.  Just tedious for me.  It may not bother you or others.

The second thing i noticed is that I tend to use the same setback for my DRs and the constant twisting and rod pressure on the line being twisted in the same foot or so of line leads to a flattening and weakening of the mono in that twist area.  This in turn causes line breaks and tackle loss.  And at the cost of dodgers plus lures running between $10 to $15 a pop, that adds up.  I started noticing the line breaks the second year of use and then started checking the line and I could feel the flat spots when pulled through my fingers.  Early in the third year after a half dozen line breaks, I stopped using the Chamberlains.  Sold them on eBay a couple years ago to an ocean fisherman.

I do admit that they do work slick.  But for the reasons I stated above, they don't work for me.  YMMV!  ?

I have used braid,  mono, and fluorocarbon and have not run into any issues with the number of twists the release needs or line breakage.  I give three twists and clip, works every time for me.  If I had three-year-old line that is breaking my first instinct would be to blame the line,  not the release.

[dubob]

I have used braid,  mono, and fluorocarbon and have not run into any issues with the number of twists the release needs or line breakage.

I'm in no way trying to dissuade you or others from using Chamberlains.  They actually make a good product; it just doesn't work for my method of fishing.  I learned my method from a Lake Michigan charter boat captain.  I use a ton of bend/pressure with my rods for maximum hook set pressure on release.  And as I recall, the Chamberlain instructions back then were for 6/7 twists of the line.  I set my fishing reel drags to get the amount of bend in my rods that I wanted.  I could not get the rods to the same bend using braid without going to at least 11/12 line twists.  The braided line would slip without more twists.  Braided line slip is even worse using regular pinch clips.  Therefore, I don't use braided line for DR trolling.  It's great for bass fishing and for deep water jigging where you really don't need or want any line stretch.

I give three twists and clip, works every time for me.

If you're happy, then I'm happy for you - know what I mean Vern?

If I had three-year-old line that is breaking my first instinct would be to blame the line,  not the release.

Ahhh - I never said I was using 3-year old line.  I said I used the Chamberlain releases for 3 years.  My line gets replaced every spring.  And I use good quality, major brand line.  I can see now from my original post where you may have thought the line was used over multiple years - my bad.  I switched to the Chamberlains mid-season the first year, so line breaks weren't common.  Second year they started occurring mid-season and I noticed but didn't really connect the dots.  The 3rd year I noticed earlier in the season and did connect the dots.

If you like them and your fishing methods work with them, by all means, use them.  I just wanted to let others know that there may be some conflicts using them based on how they are used.  Life is good and tight lines and lots of tugs to you.    

[Bduck]

I have always liked braid but found it does not work as well for trolling on DR's but longlining works fine. I used the yellow offshore releases which worked out for a while. My Walker Downriggers all came with a terminal release (a clincher & release all in one), There is an adjustment screw like the Blacks release or Chamberland has which worked in the same manner with line twists. I did not like this setup as I could not get the right adjustment for release. Mostly they felt to tight and I had to assist in release when a fish got on and sometimes it was hard to get to release. Because of this I would lose fish. Then I started noticing as the adjustment screw was loosened, I started losing the adjustment screws while fishing as they would be to loose and free spin from release. I had to purchase thumb screw replacements but that didn't solve the issue. So I went to the Black's release and been happy with these ever since and using Fluorocarbon line. The one release I did find that worked ok for braid was from Shasta Lures, a red release adjusted using a small screwdriver and line twists. 

This image is the Walker Release, It SUCKS

[wall3y3]

I have always liked braid but found it does not work as well for trolling on DR's but longlining works fine. I used the yellow offshore releases which worked out for a while. My Walker Downriggers all came with a terminal release (a clincher & release all in one), There is an adjustment screw like the Blacks release or Chamberland has which worked in the same manner with line twists. I did not like this setup as I could not get the right adjustment for release. Mostly they felt to tight and I had to assist in release when a fish got on and sometimes it was hard to get to release. Because of this I would lose fish. Then I started noticing as the adjustment screw was loosened, I started losing the adjustment screws while fishing as they would be to loose and free spin from release. I had to purchase thumb screw replacements but that didn't solve the issue. So I went to the Black's release and been happy with these ever since and using Fluorocarbon line. The one release I did find that worked ok for braid was from Shasta Lures, a red release adjusted using a small screwdriver and line twists. 

This image is the Walker Release, It SUCKS

Based on your post I think it may be possible you were not aware that the chamberlain release has two independent adjustments.  The wing screw adjusts the up pressure (from the rod) and the knurled brass knob adjusts the release pressure (magnet distance).  This is one of the features of the chamberlain that I think sets it apart (the other being the way the stacker disengages the cable and slides to the ball on retrieval).  I set mine so that I can really load up the rods but the release is barely enough to keep my presentation from triggering a false release.

[BearLakeFishGuy]

I troll with braid exclusively since I found it give me a better hook up percentage, especially with kokanee. I vary my set backs behind the balls depending on the depth and/or conditions I am fishing. I run as short a 20 feet back and sometimes as much as 175' back. I use the medium off-shore pinch clips in the medium setting. I twist my line 3-5 times and have never, ever had any slip issues. With that said, I tried the Chamberlin releases. They are OK, but are just too technical to get adjusted like I can with putting the line either further or not-as-far into the clip pads. Plus I've had the braided line tangle around the metal parts of the Chamberlins. Anyway, they are quality....but too technical for me, especially in the cold weather I troll in. I found that ice forms on the wires of the Chamberlins when I get the balls out of the water while fighting a fish. Then I have to bang the clips or breathe warm air on them to get them to work again. Glad they work for you, but they are not my choice. I like pad clips with moving parts.

[liketrolling]

Me I like the big scotty release after that the off shore 
I have bought a lot of release's but keep going back to scotty


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkJjL10l...rmistLures

[Bduck]

I have always liked braid but found it does not work as well for trolling on DR's but longlining works fine. I used the yellow offshore releases which worked out for a while. My Walker Downriggers all came with a terminal release (a clincher & release all in one), There is an adjustment screw like the Blacks release or Chamberland has which worked in the same manner with line twists. I did not like this setup as I could not get the right adjustment for release. Mostly they felt to tight and I had to assist in release when a fish got on and sometimes it was hard to get to release. Because of this I would lose fish. Then I started noticing as the adjustment screw was loosened, I started losing the adjustment screws while fishing as they would be to loose and free spin from release. I had to purchase thumb screw replacements but that didn't solve the issue. So I went to the Black's release and been happy with these ever since and using Fluorocarbon line. The one release I did find that worked ok for braid was from Shasta Lures, a red release adjusted using a small screwdriver and line twists. 

This image is the Walker Release, It SUCKS

Based on your post I think it may be possible you were not aware that the chamberlain release has two independent adjustments.  The wing screw adjusts the up pressure (from the rod) and the knurled brass knob adjusts the release pressure (magnet distance).  This is one of the features of the chamberlain that I think sets it apart (the other being the way the stacker disengages the cable and slides to the ball on retrieval).  I set mine so that I can really load up the rods but the release is barely enough to keep my presentation from triggering a false release.

I am very much aware of the way Chamberlains work and have used them, I do like the way they work. For me the expense was too much especially when getting caught up dragging bottom in our mountain lakes. I have lost my share of cable, DR weights along with releases. Black's is working for me which I'll stay with them. Now with the added stick weights for those situations, I have not hung up on bottom situations.