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[Spawn Sack]

Curious what downriggers ya'll recommend for lake trolling. Trying to decide between the Scotty "Lake Troller" series (no. 1073) and the "compact manual" series (no.1050 or 1060).

IMO one of the bigger "manual downriggers" (no. 1080 or 1085) would be too big/long for this application.

Plan is to mount two on whichever new 12 foot john boat I buy. Will be used occasionally for trolling for kokanee and sockeye.

One point worth noting is if you go with the Lake Troller size they mount to a standard Scotty flush mount or side mount female end.

The Compact Manual series need to affix to a full size no.1036 plate. If I went this route I would have to have 2 additional brackets made to mount the no.1036 plate to. I am aware you can also get the right angle side gunnel mount (no.1025) but I'm just not a fan of these.

http://scotty.com/product/no-1073-la...bracket-mount/

http://scotty.com/product-category/f...l-downriggers/

http://scotty.com/product/no-1036-mounting-plate-only/

[Easywater]

I have used 1060 downriggers with the 1015 mount:
http://scotty.com/product/no-1015/

You will also need the 1010 sliding deck:
http://scotty.com/product/no-1010/

[Damien]

A bit of a loaded question, but I'll play along.

The lake trollers are really only good for lake trolling (under 4lb ball max).  So not sure when/where you'd be able to use that for sockeye, maybe on osoyoos lake?

They work great at places like Alouette, but can be a bit of a pain if you going down below 75ft as they wind up pretty slowly.  From my experience that is about the max depth that I have targeted them at Alouette or trolled other big waters like Chilliwack Lake etc.  Of course there are instances where you may want to be deeper, but it is rare. 

With that said, the 1050/1060 would be better for deeper.  I used the Laketroller on my smaller tin boat, but they dont fit over the gunnel shape on my 14' tinny. (I have two Laketrollers kicking around somewhere that I'd sell if I can find them).

I use a single 1060 now on my Glastron with a 1025 right angle mount, which is family fun a ski/tube/chillax boat first.  I sold my scotty electrics as I just didn't want to bother running wires etc. 

[Spawn Sack]

Question: so I have decided to go with the Scotty #1073 Lake Troller downriggers. Not installed yet as the boat has not even been built yet. But when I do take possession of it these are what I plan to install/use.

These downriggers do not have a rod holder on the boom; you have to use a separate rod holder. No big deal.

Do you think it matters if the rod holder is installed above (towards bow) or below (towards the stern) the downrigger?

To me it makes more sense to have the down rigger above the rod holder on the gunwale. Why? Well....obviously you want your fishing line ahead of the downrigger ball when it is down in the water, so to me it just seems like when you are trolling everything will straighten out nicely in the water. Nice bend in the rod angled slightly towards the stern. However if the downrigger is below the rod holder it seems like the rod will want to bend towards the bow when you lower the ball, but the forward movement of the boat will force it to rear of the boat. In other words this way it seems that your gear will be fighting the water, whereas with the rod holder below the downrigger your gear will be working with the water.

No?

[Spawn Sack]

A bit of a loaded question, but I'll play along.

The lake trollers are really only good for lake trolling (under 4lb ball max).  So not sure when/where you'd be able to use that for sockeye, maybe on osoyoos lake?

They work great at places like Alouette, but can be a bit of a pain if you going down below 75ft as they wind up pretty slowly.  From my experience that is about the max depth that I have targeted them at Alouette or trolled other big waters like Chilliwack Lake etc.  Of course there are instances where you may want to be deeper, but it is rare. 

With that said, the 1050/1060 would be better for deeper.  I used the Laketroller on my smaller tin boat, but they dont fit over the gunnel shape on my 14' tinny. (I have two Laketrollers kicking around somewhere that I'd sell if I can find them).

I use a single 1060 now on my Glastron with a 1025 right angle mount, which is family fun a ski/tube/chillax boat first.  I sold my scotty electrics as I just didn't want to bother running wires etc.

For sockeye trolling this would primarily be in Babine Lake. I visit the fam every late summer and typically there is a sockeye opening. Troll for them with a dodger and bead(s). Typical depth 15-40 feet. Not much deeper. Have use the wee lake trollers on a few different tin boats and had no issues with them. Yeah, I could go with the compact manual but I think they are a bit overkill and that much father to reach over the gunwale on a small boat to grab the line clip. Plus the lake trollers pack down a lot smaller. Cost/benefit I plan to go with these. Most of the time the boat will be used for fly fishing anyway. Just occasionally when gear trolling I'd like to have downriggers instead of going with an inline banana weight or jet diver or similar.

[Hike_and_fish]

Head to Abel Auctions this Saturday

[GordJ]

Head to Abel Auctions this Saturday

Shhhhh, you’re only supposed to tell your friends.

[wildmanyeah]

Shhhhh, you’re only supposed to tell your friends.

It got spammed all over Fraser valley fishing addicts Facebook page that is far more active then this site.

[Damien]

I think people have already started lining up.  Wait to see how much of the stuff winds up on Craigslist.

You will want the rodholders mounted somewhat close to the rigger, and you want the rod hold fore of the rigger.

The exact distance depends a little on the size of boat, length of rods you will use most often and how far from the transom you are mounting.  About a foot will be about right though.  You don't want to be winding your rigger and have your hand/arm hitting the rod holder, right?

Test fit, then test fit again.  Have an extra set of eyes and hands with you before you start drilling.  And use stainless hardware.

[Spawn Sack]

Thanks good tips Damien. Does it matter if the rod holders, separate of the downrigger, go above (bow side) or below (stern side) the downrigger? Seem to make more sense to me for the separate rod holder to be affixed to the gunwale BELOW the downrigger. No?

[Damien]

Not for me, I answered this question above.  I prefer the rodholder on the 'bow side' of the rigger.

PS I have two clamp mount Scotty LakeTrollers.
http://scotty.com/product/no-1071-laketroller-with-portable-clamp-mount/
Means you would only have to drill holes of your rod holders, (or use the scotty oarlock mounts).

Cheapest I can find is  are $110 each + tax.  I will sell both for $150, barely used as I don't use my tin boat for trolling anymore and have full sized riggers on my fiberlass boat.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/67661/scotty-portable-lake-troller
https://www.amazon.ca/Scotty-Laketroller-Display-Packed-Downrigger/dp/B001M4HSF8

[Spawn Sack]

Thank you Damien but I want the type that permanently affixes, not clamp on. Also not sure about the old lake trollers, but the new ones don't have a line counter! That is a deal breaker for me. Who wants to remember how many turns up/down they are all day? It would drive me nuts.

Instead think I'll go with 2 compact manuals. The 1050 or 1060.

[Spawn Sack]

I have used 1060 downriggers with the 1015 mount:
http://scotty.com/product/no-1015/

You will also need the 1010 sliding deck:
http://scotty.com/product/no-1010/

Any opinion of the #1015 mount vs the #1025 mount?

Both work with the #1010 quick slide deck mounting bracket that comes with the compact manual downriggers

http://scotty.com/product/no-1015/
http://scotty.com/product/no-1025-right-angle-side-gunnel-mount/

[Spawn Sack]

Actually just had a thought. The #1010 quick slide deck mounting bracket, that comes with all of the compact manual downriggers, can be mounted direct to the boat/gunwale. A #1015 or #1025 mounting bracket is only required if you can not affix the #1010 bracket to the boat (narrow and/or uneven gunwale, or whatever).

The gunwales on the boat I'm buying are not wide enough to accommodate the #1010 bracket, but the guy who is building it said it is not problem to weld on a extra bracket(s) to accommodate Scotty stuff, or really anything as long as it's "do-able." Of course he is going to charge me extra $ to do this, but probably not much more than the cost of buying the additional Scotty #1015 or #1025.

The fewer additional brackets and crap I have to put on/off my boat and possibly lose or break, or drop overboard, the better.

Not sure if anyone has heard of Journey boats out of Kamloops but that is what I am buying (11"6 model). Same beam and bottom dimensions as a Spratley. Was going to buy a Spratley but I don't like that the 12 footer has no front row bench seat. The 11"6 Journey has 3 bench seats which is what I want. A bit more $ than a Spratley but they are built to order so you can get exactly what you want.

https://flyguys.net/journey-boats