Marking Downrigger Cable
 

I had a friend give me a small downrigger, clamp on style with a 2 1/2 pound ball. The problem is that there is no depth counter or marks on the cable itself. Does anyone have any good ideas on marking the cable at say, 5 foot incements? Thanks!

Might be easier to measure how much line is payed out with each rotation, then count turns. Years ago I had a small rigger like that, and marked the spool in one place so we could count easier. Seems like that one was pretty close to 2' for each rotation. Might be able to use small pieces of shrink tube or liquid tape, not sure if it would stick. Shakespeare makes a clamp-on counter for rod/reel combos, not sure it it would handle cable or not. Getting paint to stick to stainless cable would be tough

Are you going to be able to mark the ball on your sonar?

I don't do a great deal of downrigging, but when I do, I look at the screen to determine if I want higher or lower. Maybe I'm doing it wrong!

I have a small clamp on down rigger, with a one lb ball..... Each turn of the reel lowers 1 foot of cable........ Works great! Easy to measure.."

Realize the depth counters on downriggers really measure the turns of kthe spool, not the feet of cable that's been let out. A 1' indication at 20' of cable out is greater than 1' with 100' of cable out because the spool became smaller.

7
The very simplest solution is to give away the current downrigger, and pick up one that has a counter on it. You will be well pleased with the use of the counter.

Just check out some of the on line auction sites. You can often find these riggers for under $30.

REW
[URL]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Big-Jon-8-Manual-Down-Rigger-Fishing-Reel-w-Mount-Counter-18-Boom-/320894602614?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab6cf0d76[/URL]

[URL]http://www.ebay.com/itm/RIVIERA-SPORT-TROLL-OUTRIGGER-DOWNRIGGER-W-9-1-2LB-TROLLING-WEIGHT-/130688899969?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e6daa5b81[/URL]

[URL]http://www.ebay.com/itm/RIVIERA-down-rigger-/160792550513?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&vxp=mtr&hash=item256ffb9c71[/URL]

[URL]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-Riviera-Downriggers-1-line-counter-1-with-out-Good-working-cond-/221013117747?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3375688b33[/URL]

[URL]http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/boa/2971052833.html[/URL]
[URL]http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/spo/2911902021.html[/URL]

[QUOTE=REW;1430443]7
The very simplest solution is to give away the current downrigger, and pick up one that has a counter on it. You will be well pleased with the use of the counter.

Just check out some of the on line auction sites. You can often find these riggers for under $30.

REW [/QUOTE]Wow, those are some good deals. I want to keep the one that I've got because it was given to me by a friend to go on my small fishing boat and that I could use on rental boats. I have some nice Cannon's w/linecounters for my main fishing boat. I was thinking that I could use my Sealine Linecounter reels, measure out how much line I want behind the ball, re-zero the reel, and use that for my depth control. I could calibrate the line out and match the numbers for specific depths. I doubt that I'll ever use it for much more than 40 feet and even at that depth, blow-back would be pretty severe. I may never use it but then again, you never know. Most of the time I can get my lures down with divers but that involves long lines and in smaller inland lakes sometimes that is a problem where sharp turns are needed. Anyway, just kind of thinking out loud.