Downriggers - What is your experience.

[Danno]

I have started trolling more and have been running planers and flatllines the past 2 summers. I thinking of going to downriggers, I have already decided that its going to be electric.
I keep reading about positive ion control, this is on the Cannons and Walkers. That seems to have some creditability, anyone got any experience on this subject, please offer it up.

[richmake]

Walkers and cannons are great but have a huge look at scotty's...they are all anyone uses on the west coast...

[Andaman Andy]

I have started trolling more and have been running planers and flatllines the past 2 summers. I thinking of going to downriggers, I have already decided that its going to be electric.
I keep reading about positive ion control, this is on the Cannons and Walkers. That seems to have some creditability, anyone got any experience on this subject, please offer it up.

Been using planers on tow lines over here, rubber bands & swivels with coast locks each end.
This method has been very effective here and problem free (Except for a king or Hoo bite off)
I would not use down riggers for trolling lures, the laws of physics kick in the faster you go and they rise up in the water column..... planers get the job done better period.
For live bait on the other hand, this is the way to go and what they are best for.
As always just my 2 cents

[Danno]

Thanks for the response guys, I did look at Scottys. I only had two concerns 1) if this positive ion thing works you had to buy a separate unit for that; 2) they're belt driven not gear driven. But I'll go back and look again.

I have been using Sea Striker high speed planers, instead of the double snaps I use metal shower curtain rings, these work great and are cheap. I have been running the same for my flatlines. I did learm my lesson in August about keeping the rubber bands out of sunlight, the uv breaks them down fast.

Have you ever used your downrigger for bottom fishing, I was out with a friend last Spring, we used it to drop bait with outweight on our lines. We pulled in some nice grouper and AJs.

[johnnydeep]

I have had cannon digitrolls for years and have had no issues with them at all.
I have heard and seen a few problems with scottys...but there is a buttload more of them also. Personally I like the digitrolls and no one else makes 'em. As far as the positive ion control it can really help, and they have been pretty well proven to work

[FishMagnet]

I use downriggers almost every time I go out trolling and I cant tell you how many times that they save the day and produce fish. I have electric Penns and they work OK. I have tried planers and wire line but I can put more pressure on the hookset with downriggers compared to planers, and I enjoy fighting the fish I hook much more than I do when I hook a fish on wire line. One of the most incredible fishing memories I have is that of a huge wahoo over 100 lbs grey hounding across the water after we hooked him. He would never have done that with wire line. I don't know much about the science of positive ion and if it really works, but you definitely won't have that with planers or wire line.