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I have a question about trolling with the Off Shore Tackle snap weights. I have a Hobie PA14 and I'm not using a down-rigger. My reel has a line counter and my fish finder is pretty accurate with measuring my speed.
Now how am I supposed to use these weights? I've heard guys clipping the weights on the line a couple feet from their dodger or pop-gear. Or i've heard people letting out say 30 feet of line, then they snap on the weight, then let out another 30.
The chart I'm using says 70 feet back with a 3oz weight will get me 30 feet at 1.5 mph. What does feet back exactly mean? I'm sorry I'm incredibly new to trolling and I'm trying to wrap my head around all of this.
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"The chart I'm using says 70 feet back with a 3oz weight will get me 30 feet at 1.5 mph. What does feet back exactly mean?"
Not knowing what chart you are using nor the context, I can only take a reasonable shot at it. Feet back could mean one of the following: Line out measured from the end of your rod, or line out from the attachment point on your down rigger, or line out from the attachment point on you planer board.
"I've heard guys clipping the weights on the line a couple feet from their dodger or pop-gear. Or i've heard people letting out say 30 feet of line, then they snap on the weight, then let out another 30."
You don't have to think of those two statements as contradictions. They may be mutually exclusive in this context, but look at them as complimentary techniques that can both be effective in different situations.
The first statement is just what it is, and the second statement is the 50/50 method that many Snap on weight fishermen use for that technique.
As a general rule of thumb, there does not have to be any set in stone rule to any given fishing method - you can be as creative as it takes to catch fish - if it works, it works.
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Fishound is correct with his comments. The other day we were trolling for kokanee with three oz weights, we were letting out 70 ft and we were getting down to around 30 ft going 1.5 mph. We had our weighs about 5 ft from our lures, then let out 70 ft of line but if you let out 70 ft and added your snap weight and let out another 70 ft it should be the same thing. Now I'm talking about using a lure that does not dive, if you are using a diving lure, your depth would be different.
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Thanks for the reply
Yeah I understand there can be many different ways of doing this. I attached some charts that show what I was looking at. Redneck outfitters was one and then I finally found one that offshore tackle makes that explains things pretty clearly with the 50/50 method.
Just always looking for ways to do things better with the setup I have.
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We have been using the clip-on weights a lot this year and caught more fish than using the downriggers, picked up the Cabela's kit last year on clearance for $8 on a whim. With the 4 ounce weight we were down 35 feet and caught multiple kokanee a few weeks ago.
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Wow, you got a great deal at that price, not sure what Cabela's normal price is but when I checked on one a Sportsman's it was around $50[crazy], so I made my own.
When you are using them for Kokes, how close do you put them to the lure? or do you just follow the 50/50 method.
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[quote wiperhunter2]Wow, you got a great deal at that price, not sure what Cabela's normal price is but when I checked on one a Sportsman's it was around $50[crazy], so I made my own.
When you are using them for Kokes, how close do you put them to the lure? or do you just follow the 50/50 method.[/quote]
I usually have about 70-100 feet behind the weight, gives the fish a chance to check it out after they scatter from the boat.
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Yes but how close do you put the weight from the dodger or lure?
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[quote wiperhunter2]Yes but how close do you put the weight from the dodger or lure?[/quote]
70-100 feet back from the weight as mentioned. It goes like this, I let out 70-100 feet of line with the lure attached to the end, clip on the weight, then let it down 40 feet or so depending on blowback.
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OK, got it. The reason I was asking was, Stan55 and I used a method this year that works for him, where you just put the weigh 5 or 6 ft in front of the dodger and lure, then you let out 70 to 100 ft. Seems to work well that way too.
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Good info here.
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