video I made at strawberry

[liketrolling]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5U9BlUI...el=RobertG

POSITIVE ION CONTROL (PIC) does it work?

[Jmorfish]

tks for sharing your video Robert...always good info, and fun to 'see' little fishes on the screen...I'll never have a set-up like yours, but it's sure nice to see what you're seeing..I'm more like the blind squirrel out there, finding a nut once in awhile.....

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Robert you sure have a way of proving things out... I always thought the ion control was just a marketing gimmick... Guess you proved me wrong on that one.. Thanks for showing this, I'm sort of bullheaded and wouldn't have believed if my eyes didn't see it... Cool deal... So are all fish attracted to the same voltage or do you change the voltage depending on what you're fishing for? Anyway enjoyed your presentation, it was very informative... Thanks J

[2knots]

Good stuff Robert, thanks for posting

[Bduck]

Positive ion control has been a feature just not in Cannon alone. Other electrics such as Scotty's, Big Jon, Walkers which I have 4 all have this as well. Protroll came out with a Black Box that allows the voltage to be adjusted to the downrigger cable in event of a hot boat. A hot boat is usually an indication of dirty or corroded ground connections on the motor, in the battery compartment, fuse block, or even a simple toggle switch, built up scale on zinc plates installed on motors is one of the biggest issues, they prevent electrolysis damage to those vital areas. Aluminum boats are more apt than fiberglass to become hot but can be prevented with periodic inspections & cleaning. Keeping connections & plates clean you shouldn't need a Black Box but not be ruled out. I do like the feature of the newer Cannon which has a setting that you can adjust the positive ions but the price is way out of range for new downriggers especially since I don't need them. I am a firm believer in the use of dielectric silicone grease for electrical connections.  

[SkunkedAgain]

How do you test for a hot boat? Can you isolate your boat on the trailer, by putting some kind of insulation under the jack and then use a meter between the hull and the ground? Just curious, this is the first time I've had an aluminum hull boat and it's older, so very possible to have a bad connection somewhere.... Thanks Jeff

[2knots]

How do you test for a hot boat?  Can you isolate your boat on the trailer, by putting some kind of insulation under the jack and then use a meter between the hull and the ground? Just curious, this is the first time I've had an aluminum hull boat and it's older, so very possible to have a bad connection somewhere.... Thanks Jeff

You should put it in the water and using a volt meter ( as in Robert’s video) measure between the hull and DR wire, DR wire and weight needs to be in the water. You can check with everything off but also needs to be checked with motors and all electrical items on. Clean your zinc’s beforehand using a stainless steel wire brush

[stan55]

Some use braid instead of wire for their downriggers. Solves the hot boat issue as well as kinking wire. Not a perfect solution but seems to have fewer issues than wire.

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks guys, Alan, sorry what is the zinc's that need to be cleaned? Sorry i'm not sure what you're talking about... Thanks Jeff

[2knots]

Thanks guys, Alan, sorry what is the zinc's that need to be cleaned?  Sorry i'm not sure what you're talking about...  Thanks Jeff

There are usually 1 on each the side of the motor bracket (mine are rectangular) and the “fin/plate” that is on the bottom of the cavitation plate (above the prop 3rd pic) that is used to counter the steering torque caused by the prop. Added some pics my boat has 1 on the bottom of the motor bracket (2ndpic) and 2 other attached to the hull (1st pic)

[Kent]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5U9BlUI...el=RobertG

POSITIVE ION CONTROL (PIC) does it work?

Interesting video Robert.  Catching kokanee is fun, but I think I will take a 9' sturgeon over catching any kokanee.

[Bduck]

Here is the link in which Protroll shows how to test for a hot boat. As Alan said this has to be done in the water. It should be done away from docks & other boats as well. To follow up on the question put out by Robert "does positive ion control work?" YES IT DOES!!!
I have had those gremlins at work creating a 'hot boat' before. 

Pro-Troll Fishing Products - Black Box Book Chapter 3 (protroll.com)

[Kent]

It's unfortunate that there wasn't a way to turn off the positive ions for a comparison.

[GORGEATTIC]

Here is the link in which Protroll shows how to test for a hot boat. As Alan said this has to be done in the water. It should be done away from docks & other boats as well. To follow up on the question put out by Robert "does positive ion control work?" YES IT DOES!!!
I have had those gremlins at work creating a 'hot boat' before. 

Pro-Troll Fishing Products - Black Box Book Chapter 3 (protroll.com)

Will braided line still let positive ion work on downrigger?    I would think no. But need opinions

[Bduck]

Using braided line will keep the ions from traveling thru the line. Another reason for using braid is preventing the line from humming compared to using cable. A drawback back with braid as your trolling it can be chafed dragging along the bottom cutting the line losing your weight with its attachment. There are mountain peaks & valleys below the surface in a lot of our lakes. Having ions is a good thing for attracting fish. I did an experiment by attaching a cable (same size cable that's on the downrigger) to the ground of my boat using an alligator clip to the cable of the downrigger once it was at any depth used. The ground neutralized any ions traveling down the cable, but [i]it became inconclusive to note any other difference it made with exception I would forget to remove the clip from the DR cable during weight retrieval. Here's another thought, how many of you are using a bare uncoated downrigger weight? I do sometimes use SS stick weights, but I also use rubber coated pancake weights or cannon ball weights. If you have the "Hot Boat", with the electrical charge traveling down the DR cable with metal attachments to the weight, just think of that massive weight omitting a larger area of a charge. There is a specific rubber snubber made to attach between the cable end clipped to the weight which helps prevent this weight from being charged. This is what I use on my DR's regardless of what weight I use.[/i]

Scotty #371 Downrigger Weight Snubber with Trolling Snap , Blue : Fishing Downriggers : Sports & Outdoors (amazon.com)

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Alan, so if I'm correct, the zinc's are the hull grounding points... I'll check to make sure they have a clean connection... Thanks Jeff

[2knots]

Thanks Alan, so if I'm correct, the zinc's are the hull grounding points... I'll check to make sure they have a clean connection... Thanks Jeff

Mine only has one zinc that has a ground wire running to it from the motor the other are just bolted to the motor or hull, clean the zincs Not the connections, I use a Drexel with a stainless wire wheel and clean them right on the boat

[wiperhunter2]

Mine only has one zinc that has a ground wire running to it from the motor the other are just bolted to the motor or hull, clean the zincs Not the connections, I use a Drexel with a stainless wire wheel and clean them right on the boat

How often do you need to clean the zincs?

[2knots]

Mine only has one zinc that has a ground wire running to it from the motor the other are just bolted to the motor or hull, clean the zincs Not the connections, I use a Drexel with a stainless wire wheel and clean them right on the boat

How often do you need to clean the zincs?

I clean mine 1 time every year ( spring when I do the maintenance) with the boat only in freshwater, when I was fishing the salt I’d do it twice

[wiperhunter2]

Mine only has one zinc that has a ground wire running to it from the motor the other are just bolted to the motor or hull, clean the zincs Not the connections, I use a Drexel with a stainless wire wheel and clean them right on the boat

How often do you need to clean the zincs?

I clean mine 1 time every year ( spring when I do the maintenance) with the boat only in freshwater, when I was fishing the salt I’d do it twice

OK, thanks