Was reading an article about kings and the guy was talking about using a poor man’s downrigger.
Anyone used one of these?
Would it work to take about 50 feet of downrigger line, tie it off to a gunnel cleat, attached the weight ball, attach a release clip 3 feet or so above the ball, drop the ball down to the desired depth, run the bait from the clip about 40 feet ( or whatever distance) behind the ball?
What are the problems you run into with this idea?
ive done that quite regularly from my kayak paddling through menhaden schools just off the beach. rig downrigger with paracord, tie to cleat, start trolling!
Instead of he release clip, thread several snap swivels on the top of the line before you drop it down. Use a rubber band to clip your line to the snap swivel, then just send it on down the line. Keeps you from having to haul the ball up every time. Planer on a handline can be used similarly.
What lures do yall run and what weight with the ball to speeds, I just got a 10lb ball and a high speed planer and want to run some deep lines at the ledge. Any info could reduce the trial and era for me.
I used to use a window weight on 400# mono with snap swivels and rubber bands. First time I saw a downrigger and watched all the pumping up and down, I thought about a patent. Too much work.
I used the largest planer I could find vs a down rigger ball. Goes deeper sooner. I’d also reccomend getting an old school hand line reel…it’s nothing more than a circular piece of plastic to coil the line onto. It’ll save your hands fo sho!