Downrigger question

[Andy K]

I've been researching some downriggers and came accross some that send out positive ions through the cable to attract fish. Does this really work? How do they charge the cable with positive ions?

[perchjerker]

Personally, I know a guy that bought 2 about a year ago. He caught fish with his old riggers, and the new ones, too. He didnt see any difference. I think its another way to catch fishermen, not fish. Never really heard from talking to charter captains that they were all that excited about them. I am talking about salmon fishing, here.

I think I would spend that extra cash for another linecounter or two!

I would really be interested to hear what others experiences are, maybe I'm wrong.

[SUPERTROLLER]

I'm with you on this one perchjerker. I haven't heard any of the charter captains say it increased their catch. It didn't hurt them either. If the downrigger has the other options you want on it and it's in your price range, then buy the Cannons. Don't buy them thinking they will be the "magic bullet" you need the load the boat with fish. Just another opinion.

[RANGER]

............all for ONLY three payments of $19.95!! And if you call within the next 15 minutes we will include, at no additional cost, this brand new......................................!!! ;-)

Seriously though, about 6 or 7 years ago a "study" came out claiming that positive ions would increase fishing success. It went on and on and to this day I know of no one who subscribes to this methodology.

[eyedoktr]

I have a buddy who had a trout and salmon charter business. He had the "special" downriggers and the first day out he absolutely knocked the heck out of the fish. He was totally convinced the charge had made all the difference in the world until he realized they were hooked up wrong and not working. After correcting the problem we saw no difference between charged and not charged.

[Andy K]

NOt that I would spend extra for it. Just wondering....If it is true, why hasn't someone taken their fish attracting wire and fished it down an Ice hole to attract more fish to their spot? That would be a good experiment. If it works, rememer you heard it from me first and I'll patent the Ice fishing version!! LOL

[Den]

Andy, as you well know, if you have total confidence in something sometimes it does make a difference. this way you can buy some instant confidence. i too know a few guys that bought it and saw no difference whatsoever. i guess thats why we all look for something to boost our skills the easy way, but most of us know that it is all practice,practice, practice, and then some luck too.but we all gotta try the new toys too. good luck and good fishin.
Den

[mlc]

The "Black Box" is being marketed by Scotty. IMHO, they have the best downriggers on the market. They also put out some great salmon lures and flashers. Their stuff is a mainstay in the Pacific Northwest. The one exception to that seems to be the infamous "Black Box."

Scotty does offer a video about this product.

Have you checked your ions lately?

Take care,
mlc

[lassig]

Not that I subscribe to this idea or not there was a article in Great Lakes Angler magizine June/July 2001 (www.glangler.com) issue called the magic of Electricity. This gaves details on how these systems are suppose to work and also discussed how boats could be giving off a negative charge and be repeling fish. Also, the scotty downrigger website (http://www.scottyusa.com/blackbox.html) has information on this topic.

[KevinA]

Some boats do "leak" electricity. This can be a real problem in marinas. An e-leaky boat is a fair amount different from "positive ion control"

My university physics-electricity class(es) were a long time ago, but we do live in a neutral world. The ads give an impression that you're leaving a trail of + ions behind the DR ball/cable. This wouldn't/couldn't happen. If a positive ion were being created (though I doubt it) it would exist as a + free radical for milliseconds or much much less. Certainly not long enough to leave the the surface of the cable or DR ball & surely not "floating" around back by your bait.

Cannon makes a great DR (I run cannon electrics), but the positive ion thing makes entertaining copy & not much more.

[REW]

I think that the downrigger ion generator falls into the same category as the color selector - that was so popular a few years ago.

This was basically a light meter - that would tell you the color lure to select for a given day.

I suppose that it did work to a degree - in that it did register the amount of light at a given depth. However, I never found that it was particularly effective - in predicting the most successful lure color to use.

I think that there are many more variables - other than the total amount of available light - that makes one color work better than another.

My C-selector went to a garage sale many years ago, as I am sure most of the others that were sold over the years.

I think that the ION generator is in exactly the same category. If you believe in it - by all means use it. However, as with many things in the fishing hobby - don't expect that that one item alone is going to be the difference between an empty ice box or a full one.

Take care

REW