Weight mold

[EyLayo]

Does anybody have a fish shaped downrigger weight mold they are no longer using? I'm interested in purchasing or possibly renting one if that's your preference. Leaning towards 8 lb, but will consider other sizes. Let me know.

[wiperhunter2]

Does anybody have a fish shaped downrigger weight mold they are no longer using? I'm interested in purchasing or possibly renting one if that's your preference. Leaning towards 8 lb, but will consider other sizes. Let me know.

I just remembered a member that has sold them, Lifeshort

[lifeshort]

Pm me

[BearLakeFishGuy]

I make 12lb pancake weights. They track better than the fish and stay right under the boat for accurate depth and ease of seeing them on sonar in deeper water. I have a few made up right now, so let me know if you're interested.

[EyLayo]

Hey Scott, do you only have a 12 lb mold? It's a bit larger than I'm used to. But I'm open to new ideas

[FishfulThinkin]

I'm also interested in making some 8 pound pancake weights if anyone has the mold? I have hundreds of pounds of lead and I'd be willing to trade lead for the use of the mold? I'm in Provo so PM me if you want to make some weights.

[BearLakeFishGuy]

I'm honestly curious as to why anyone would want 8lb weights instead of heavier ones? Electric downriggers have no problem with weights up to 18 lbs! Hand crank downriggers don't really seem to matter since I can't tell the difference between a 8lb or 12lb when cranking them up. The heavier weights track straight down whereas the lighter weights swing back behind the boat. I've tried all different shapes and sizes and found the pancake style is the best tracking, less resistance, etc. Could someone explain the reason why you use the lighter weights?

Oh, I only have a mold for 12lb weights. They actually come in about 11.7lbs when weighed on a scale.

[FishfulThinkin]

I'm honestly curious as to why anyone would want 8lb weights instead of heavier ones?  Electric downriggers have no problem with weights up to 18 lbs!  Hand crank downriggers don't really seem to matter since I can't tell the difference between a 8lb or 12lb when cranking them up.  The heavier weights track straight down whereas the lighter weights swing back behind the boat.  I've tried all different shapes and sizes and found the pancake style is the best tracking, less resistance, etc.  Could someone explain the reason why you use the lighter weights? 

Oh, I only have a mold for 12lb weights.  They actually come in about 11.7lbs when weighed on a scale.

I have hand crank riggers and I can definitely tell the difference difference between 8 and 12 pound weights especially after 30-40 cycles. Furthermore, my 8 pound weights track straight down at the speeds I troll (<1.7) and I get no blowback so I prefer 8 pound for my purposes.

[lifeshort]

Fish shaped weights track great. I have 10 pound pancake and 10 pound fish shaped track about the same. Both stay in the sonar cone both catch lake trout. Mackinaw I use 10 pound fish. Trout kokanee I use 6 pound pancakes. I think this is a Ford Chevrolet argument

[wiperhunter2]

Fish shaped weights track great. I have 10 pound pancake and 10 pound fish shaped track about the same. Both stay in the sonar cone both catch lake trout. Mackinaw I use 10 pound fish. Trout kokanee I use 6 pound pancakes. I think this is a Ford Chevrolet argument

I have hand crank riggers and I can definitely tell the difference difference between 8 and 12 pound weights especially after 30-40 cycles. Furthermore, my 8 pound weights track straight down at the speeds I troll (<1.7) and I get no blowback so I prefer 8 pound for my purposes.

I agree with what both of you are saying and I take it one step farther, I like using a 4 lb ball weight and have zero issues tracking the ball down to 30 ft. I have both fish weights and pancake weights but I rarely use them, my theory is why use a heavy weight when you can accomplish your goal with lighter one. I don't use weighs heavier than 8 lbs any more, unless I'm fishing with others in their boat.

[BearLakeFishGuy]

Yep, definitely a Ford/Chevy/Dodge argument. I say the same thing but in reverse.....why use a lighter weight? I sometimes troll down at over 100' on Bear Lake and the heavier weight doesn't swing back. I have an 8lb fish weight and it swings back way too far to see in my sonar cone unless I tilt the transducer backward and I don't like to do that since then you are guessing how much line to run out on the rigger to get it close to bottom. I even troll the 12lb pancakes at Willard down 6-10' at up to 3+mph and they don't swing back appreciably. I figure, why switch weights back and forth when a 12lb pancake will do the job in any depth and speed. To each their own. Besides the ChevyFord/Dodge argument, I also at it a "why burn the ditch ever spring argument", but I digress, since that is another argument that no one will ever convince another on....! LOL

Oh, and I don't want to sell my pancake mold.......I use it to make weights to sell. I have link on the "For Sale Board" for these weights with a picture of them.

[FishfulThinkin]

I don't see this as a Ford/Chevy thing but more of a right tool for the job thing. I can technically frame a house with a sledge hammer but I don't want to nor do I want to drive railroad spikes with my framing hammer. I rarely fish deeper than 40' or faster than 1.7 so I don't need 12 pound weights to do the job. As for there being no difference in hand cranking a 12 pounder up, I can assure you that even the manliest fisherman will notice the extra 4 pounds over a day of fishing. I was at Strawberry this morning and hand cranked those 8 pounders up and down over 40 times.! I'd love electric downriggers but as long as I'm using manuals, I'm going to use as little weight as necessary to do the job.

[EyLayo]

Appreciate the input. Thanks to those that offered to help. I'm looking forward to testing out a couple different shapes and weights to see what fits my needs. One thing I'm considering that hasn't been mentioned yet, is the stress placed on the gunnel and mount. In my garage, I was hanging some different weight on the riggers with the booms extended. There was sure alot of flexing occurring even with a stout backing plate. Any math fanatics care to guess the added amount of pressure on the mount with every pound of additional weight? Leverage sure is a fun tool.

[Redrebel]

Appreciate the input. Thanks to those that offered to help. I'm looking forward to testing out a couple different shapes and weights to see what fits my needs. One thing I'm considering that hasn't been mentioned yet, is the stress placed on the gunnel and mount. In my garage, I was hanging some different weight on the riggers with the booms extended. There was sure alot of flexing occurring even with a stout backing plate. Any math fanatics care to guess the added amount of pressure on the mount with every pound of additional weight? Leverage sure is a fun tool.

I have the same argument. I also agree with the 8lb weight being effective enough at lower speeds. It can also be just as effective at higher speeds you just have to calculate your blow back. I have a Lund rebel, hence the screen name. Too much weight and it will rip my downrigger from the boat.

[mtncat1]

Does anybody have a fish shaped downrigger weight mold they are no longer using? I'm interested in purchasing or possibly renting one if that's your preference. Leaning towards 8 lb, but will consider other sizes. Let me know.

i have a 10 lbs fish shaped mold .  i also have some made up i would sell you