Downrigger Ball Size and Blowback.

[@sirtango1]

Depends on the depth and current too. Speed and depth are the biggest factors. Pancake vs cannon ball shape plays a big part too. The deeper and faster you troll the more blowback you have. I usually use a 10lb pancake weight in 120’ of water @1.5-2mph for lake trout. Even downrigger cable size and fishing line diameter play a role. Stackers and even the type of bait or lure being trolled have an impact. It pays to have an assortment of weight sizes and types. Excellent video on the 4 & 6lb weights and speeds!

[@TheMightyBluegill]

Thanks for the helpful info and the nice comment.

[@slacktide_angler]

Thank you. Finally a realworld test instead of forum anecdotes. I think I'd be able to deal with some blowback from a 4lb weight on my pedal kayak.. I think what matters to me is that it stays within a 77kHz sonar cone.

[@TheMightyBluegill]

Thanks so much for this feedback! I'll tell you I lose them on my electronics which I think I mentioned in the video. If I'm trolling around one and a half miles an hour they stay on, but beyond that they tend to disappear. it's also worth noting that I'm typically trolling pretty deep as well. Thirty feet is typically the shallowest.

[@slacktide_angler]

@@TheMightyBluegill what frequency is your transducer? I changed the settings on my Striker 4 to 77kHz vs the default 200kHz to get a larger 45deg. cone specifically for this reason. I wish I could run a 6lb, but its just too much for my pedal kayak. Would a torpedo or fish-shaped weight help with blowback?

[@TheMightyBluegill]

@@slacktide_angler I need to look at changing my frequency. It is default. Probably the 200.

[@TheMightyBluegill]

@@slacktide_angler So far I have only used the traditional round weights with a little bit of a fin on the back. I have been reading a lot of forums about the different kinds of weights. The three basic kinds are balls like what we're talking about, pancake weights which are like flattened balls, and the fish-shaped torpedo weights. Opinions are strong on both sides, but from what I can gather the pancake weights and fish shaped torpedoes tend to have a little less blowback but can get bent fins and not run straight. That is an advantage for some people who like to bend them to make them swim out to the side of the boat. finally there is a guy on eBay who makes both kinds and I asked him about this and I will post his quote below. His name is Jose Caballero. I was asking him about the difference between the fish weights and the ball weights. Personally, I think they’re the same. However, my buyers prefer fish 99:1. One thought is they are easier to steer away from boat by vending (bending the) tail. Another thought that they cut through water a little better (narrower and longer). Finally, I think it’s BS but others say a fishy shape is more interesting and less repellent to target fish. I use whichever I have on hand at the time.

[@fossilfuel71]

Swap the cable out for braid. Less resistance, less hum and you can then drop the 6lb down to a 4lb if you want.

[@TheMightyBluegill]

Great advice. Thank you very much.

[@TheFishingEducator]

Great video! Great explanation!

[@TheMightyBluegill]

Thanks so much!

[@peterpham4846]

Hi, is your transducer pointed toward the stern of the boat? Is that how you can see the two downrigger lines on the fish finder??

[@TheMightyBluegill]

Transducer is pointed straight down. The signal goes down in a cone which is why I think it still picks them up. If I go fast enough and the blowback is far enough back it no longer picks them up. Some folks will switch the kHz of their electronics to make the cone wider for this purpose. I can't remember if 200 kilohertz is wider or narrower.

[@ginettecarter2164]

Very interesting, thank you. What is the name of your downriggers?

[@TheMightyBluegill]

These are Canon mini troll. I'm about to put them on eBay.

[@Corylolable]

Use a pancake style ball, cuts water way better

[@TheMightyBluegill]

I've heard they are great.