[bigjay]

Tried to get out for high slack but the boat needed new plug so didn't get out until an hour after. Fished from 1:30 - 3:00 from around between the two last markers for Spanish bank almost to the shipping lanes. Used dark green and white 4" apex and 4" green and yellow/silver coyote spoon both with not flasher. Fished around 80' - 120'. Nothing. Wind and current were not helping the fishing. At least I learnd how to stack lines... next stacking with flashers.
On the way in I amost ran into a Eagle that was fighting a seagul for a fish. It swooped down into the water in front of my boat that was going 30 mph... actually had to throtal down and avoid it!!! Oh, yeah this was in Van. Harbour... great city.
Have fun, Jason

 

[Coventry]

Winter Springs

Thanks for the report BigJay,

My little boat has been in for servicing too, so I haven't been out in nearly a month, if it hadn't been for some decent steelheading this last weekend, I'd really be in rough shape!

Do you have any comments/experience about downrigging using tuf-line? I was chatting to a guy down in Steveston who swears by it. He reckons the super thin diameter and zero-stretch is the way to go, especially this time of year when we have to go deep and typically use lighter sticks.

Look forward to your input

Coventry

 

[bigjay]

I have it on a little lake troller on my sail boat that I have used only a few time... still have wire on my rigger on inflatable. I will change one day but not until I lose the wire on something or it breaks. The line cost about the same as the wire... but on days with wind and current like to day the diamiter has got to be a bonus - I was putting 165' out to get to 120'.
Have fun, Jason

 

[Coventry]

Winter Springs

No, I meant using tuf-line on your reel instead of mono, not to replace cable on your downline.

 

[bigjay]

I have used braided line but not on a on a down rigger rod... only fishing from shore in Australia, balloon fishing. I found it twists up really good and you don't want to cast it to much. I probably will spool up with no stretch once this line is shot... I use a very light mooching rod and it is hard to get of the rigger at depth.
Have fun, Jason

 

[Fishaholic]

k heres a story, this summer i have two buddies both guides, they fished beside each other for the day, same spot, same gear, same depths. one had 10 springs on with a limit of springs to 36lbs (6 i think) the other had 2 on and lost one. that night the guy with the 2 hits pulled his boat changed all the zincs and cleaned the battery terminals block grounds and whatever else he could find, the next day again both with charters same deal fishing together both of them doing relatively the same releasing anything under 20lbs. like i say electrolisis is a magor part of catching fish and you going to loose that when you take off the steel line. i could see the braided line fishing a little better with the thinner diameter and im not going to say you will not catch fish with the braided line but it deffinatly wont be as easy as one with steel line and a boat set up properly

thats the story (didnt notice the line on rod part :lol: )

 

[skunked]

braided line

i have tried tuff line on my rods to the rigger the big problem is the clip will not hold the line under tension to slipery or to small a dia for the rigger clip . i solved this by adding 10ft of mono before my spoon with a swivle . this only works when you run your spoon and flasher seperated.i like doing this so i can run one flasher in the middle of to spoons ..

 

[dog]

finally a forum for the salt.

Hello fellow salt water fishermen. First post for me here. I've been reading FWR and Fish BC for almost a year. It sure is nice to find a new area/forum where you know almost everyone is into fishing in the chuck for Salmon. Every post looks interesting, although I'm too tired to figure out what you are all trying to say about tuff-lines on your reels and riggers, and electolosis, but on that note...

do you think there is any point in a black box to deal with electolysis on a little 16'double eagle with a 70hp main, and an 8hp kicker. I troll in Vancouver Harbour, and T10, and occaisionally Sandheads, based out of Steveston. A freind told me I should ground my two motors to each other to catch more fish. Any comments?

Best Regards, Mike.

 

[Guest]

I have a black box on my boat I cant say if its made a difference or not but I thought every bit helps.If you think your boat is fishing hot (too much current around your boat) you can test it with a multimeter attached to your deep line cable and the neg on your boat.Make sure you have every thing turned on as if you were fishing , motor running,fishfinder on,downriggers in the water,exc. There is also a book called 'Fishing with electricty'.

 

[kisinana]

I built my own black box because my boat voltage was almost 0.8 volts. not to hard to do with an electronics background. I have noticed a difference in fish hits and caught.
Here is a simple setup. It is quite easy to bring your voltage down. I originally used just a small pot (rheostat) and a multimeter because your voltage will change dependant on water salinity. ie in front of a river or inside a small bay with not a lot of water movement. You run a wire from your negative on your battery to the slider on the pot and from the other side of the pot a wire to a "S" hook sliding on your downrigger wire between the pulley and the drum. Place your voltmete set on DC volts across the pot and trim pot to approximately 0.65 volts. Check it about every 15 minutes.
I should have mentioned these parts are available at Radio Shack or any Electronics parts store. Pot should be 100 ohm 10 turn and about 10 watts

 

[bigjay]

Good to see another person who fishes the chuck, welcome Mike. Unfortunately there aren't to many that get on the water often. I'm hoping to get out Monday and Tuesday... probable by the fisheries station to start, any better ideas?
If you see a 15' Bombard RBI with Pro 50 Yahamha, it is me.
Have fun, Jason

 

[Fishaholic]

Re: finally a forum for the salt.

do you think there is any point in a black box to deal with electolysis on a little 16'double eagle with a 70hp main, and an 8hp kicker. I troll in Vancouver Harbour, and T10, and occaisionally Sandheads, based out of Steveston. A freind told me I should ground my two motors to each other to catch more fish. Any comments?

Best Regards, Mike.

.

what do your lines fish now?

 

[Fishaholic]

I built my own black box because my boat voltage was almost 0.8 volts. not to hard to do with an electronics background. I have noticed a difference in fish hits and caught.
Here is a simple setup. It is quite easy to bring your voltage down. I originally used just a small pot (rheostat) and a multimeter because your voltage will change dependant on water salinity. ie in front of a river or inside a small bay with not a lot of water movement. You run a wire from your negative on your battery to the slider on the pot and from the other side of the pot a wire to a "S" hook sliding on your downrigger wire between the pulley and the drum. Place your voltmete set on DC volts across the pot and trim pot to approximately 0.65 volts. Check it about every 15 minutes.
I should have mentioned these parts are available at Radio Shack or any Electronics parts store. Pot should be 100 ohm 10 turn and about 10 watts

you could also switch to steel lead clips to drop voltage

 

[Coventry]

Black Box....

I have a 15 ft welded aluminum with 25 horse Honda. I was told that the aluminum boat and motor combination would act as a large battery once running so I got geared up with the black box. I used the black box for about a month last Summer and, honestly, I catch more fish without it. Complete waste of money (and we think we're smart because we can fool feeding salmon with a flasher! :roll: )

 

[greg]

The Secrets of Fishing with Electricity...

This is and excellent book by Ollie Rode.
I tryed to find a site that had it for sale but no luck.

Aside from ensuring all the zinks on the boat are in place, the most valuable information I got from the book and then used on my boat was the addition of a "Bonding wire".

I ran one piece of braided copper bonding wire (the same as you use to ground a breaker box) from the negative terminal on the battery to the transom & then the entire length of the boat. (Be sure to use metal clips to attach the wire.)
I then attached a copper wire from the kicker to the kicker bracket & on to the bonding wire. at the other end, another lead from the bonding wire to the negative of my insutrument panel.

I know this was probably overkill but... I then attached the negative side of all the lights and fixtures (Bow, Transom, Running light, downrigger plugin, and bilge pump) to the bonding wire.

I can honestly say this has helped me catch more & bigger fish. Especially Springs.
Apparently the bigger the fish the more sensitive they are to current.

Hope it can help somebody out there.

Somewhere around here i have a copy of it and will do my best to find it and actually quote some of the tips and tricks referenced.

Good Luck

Greg

 

[dog]

volts

I have never checked the voltage on my little boat, and I just added the 8hp kicker which may change things, but I will bring a meter to check it next time I go out, which will probably be the week of Feb 19.

 

[Fishaholic]

like ive said on the old forum springs are the tell tale. if you catch springs you will catch sockeye anything else doesnt so much care unless your fishing negative. and for the black box, i wouldnt buy one, i make my boat fish what i want the old way. i do how ever know people that have had to buy black boxes for aluminums that were fishing .9 - 1.0
greg, do you know how much of a difference the bonding wire made (volt wise)

 

[dog]

bonding wire

Bonding wire...No, no volt tests yet. I have not grounded the two motors yet, and may not if the meter reads ok without it when I get out there and check it. I don't really anticipate anything unusual, except lots of attention to my beautiful new lures. I think I did ok last year, especially considering the small amount of hours I actually trolled.

 

[Fishaholic]

if you think you are doing well compered to other boats around you, i would check the voltage just to know what it is. try anything to see if you can make it better but if it doesnt fish change it back. little stuff can make a big difference. 2 seasons ago i had one of the downriggers set up with the metal clip the other 2 with plastic, the spring count for that 1 downrigger was like 6 to 1 all summer (guess what one i fished 8) ) didnt matter what i had on. now i fish all metal clips and its pretty even.
boats fish better at different voltages too, i cant buy a spring at .65 on my boat? im usually in the mid 4's and do as well as people fishing .7?? works for my boat

 

[dog]

Feb 12 Vancouver Harbour. Quiet.

I trolled 1pm to 3pm on the flood, Sunday between Stanley Park and Jerico. No keepers. 1 very undersize but fat juvenile spring on the top line on a glow Army spoon 5' behind the sacred dodger. Top line was 20 feet above the rigger ball at about 75 feet. I seem to have better luck when trolling a little on the fast side with that set-up.

Checked the voltage whiched fluctuated from about 0.55 to 0.75 according to a quick check with a crappy meter. That was measured from my neg battery terminal to the rigger cable. What difference would that voltage make to my hootchie and spoon over 50 feet down the line and 30 more feet back. Anyone really believe it effects the bite down there below 50?