Luhr-Jensen trolling speed indicators

[Rigs]

First off, I would like to thank all the people who have helped me in the past. It seems I always get great info from this message board.

Now, once again, I need some info. I was in a local sportshop here in Helena, MT. and came across a trolling speed indicator.

Does anybody use such a device? Are speedometers on electronics not accurate enough?

Thank you all,
Rigs/MT

[GullGuide]

If it is the device I think it it...the one with the arm that goes into the water and you mount it on the side of the boat and you read a little dial thingie. I would think that you could only use this in calm waters. Wouldnt rough, wavy water affect it?
Just a thought.
GullGuide
>"////=<

[Chairman]

If it is the one with the lead weight on a pedulum, I think you would get a lot of use out of it. I have 2 here waiting to be installed on my 23' Pro-Line and my 620 Ranger. I used one a long time ago when I was salmon fishing and they are dependable. Make sure the line is long enough to keep the weight in the water in rough waves. The thing to remember is that it doesn't matter if you are going 1.3 or 1.8 on the unit. Watch where it was when you caught the fish and duplicate that speed or number. You won't be much help in telling another boat your trolling speed, but it is great for yours. Enjoy it, it is rreliable and accurate.

[Gunga Din]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-21-01 AT 05:36PM (CST)[p]For accuracy, you have to make sure the string is the right length (I think they say it needs to be 36").

I forgot to mention, there was recently another post asking about the Luhr Speed. Scroll down a few pages or search for it.

Good luck.

[SeaCat]

Since it has a line with a 1# weight on it trailing off the needle that indicates the speed you are traveling, you would think it might be affected. Although it does bounce the needle around a little, it actually moves a lot less than the digital readouts on speedometers built into depthsounders that use the paddle wheels on the transducers. The read out generally varies a little but it is easy to determine an "average" needle position.

I use mine all of the time -- often in 4 foot chop on Lk Michigan - with no problems. It is especially good compared to the fish finder speed read out in a following sea.

Ryan

[SeaCat]

You're right, for accurate speed the line needs to be a specific length (I thought it was 41 inches from the weight to the water surface). But, since the friction on the weight and line by the water will remain a constant if the line and weight remain the same, any length of line can be used as long as it stays in the water and trails back under power.

I really don't care what the actual speed is unless I'm trying to tell someone else how fast to go to catch fish. What I want is to reporoduce the same speed over and over as long as it is producing fish -- or to reproduce it another day as a starting point with a specific lure (not a common occurance since currents, wind, and waves all affect the speed of the boat and consequently the lure).

20 years ago I had a unit that used the same principle as the Luhr-Jensen unit and it had colors instead of speeds. The magic speed was "high end of the blue" for lake trout and walleye, and "just into the green" for salmon. Fishing buddies would really have found that useful over the radio ;-).

Because the deep currents in Lk Michigan can have such a big affect on the actual speed, I know quite a few good fishermen that rely entirely on the angle of swing back on their downriggers to determine the right speed. Same principle.

Ryan

[Rigs]

Is $23.oo a decent price for this contraption?

Thanks,
Rigs

[Boatnut]

I think so. I recently bought one from ebay for about that. I thought it was worth it.
Mike(boatnut)

[m danreuther]

they work better and are more accurate unless in heavy seas but still better because no surges from waves as bad. Make sure that everything is tight and cannot flex though. they have a tendency to bind. on the meter itself.

[Scott]

Rigs,
What sport shop did you see the speed indicator at in Helena?
Was it the metal or plastic kind and did it include the weight?
I live in Shelby and am looking for the unit you are talking about. Luhr-Jensen wants $62.00 pp on their web site. That seemed a bit high to me. By the way, how do you catch those $#@$ walleyes in Canyon Ferry. We had no luck at the tournament 2 years ago.

Thanks

Scott

[Snowstorm]

Bought mine through Bass Pro, I think it was $39.99

It is still in the basement, not much of a plug puller
but other people swear by it

[Rigs]

Hi Scott,

Capital Sports here in Helena had the trolling meters. I'll probably pick one up tomorrow. I'll let you know what their made of ( metal or plastic). As far as the Canyon Ferry walleye's........I don't have a lot of info for you right now. My wife and I just moved here from Livingston about 6 months ago. We've been ice fishing it pretty hard and doing well on perch, but haven't brought a walleye to the surface yet........

I'll be fishing hard there this summer to learn the water. Maybe I'll be able to help you out more later in the year.

Rigs
rigs@mcn.net
p.s. what can you tell me about some of the water up your way?