Black Boxes

[Cutty Sark]

What are your takes on black boxes? I am thinking about purchasing one. I have a couple buddies that swear by them. Do these items put more fish in the box? Scotty or pro troll? Opinions please.

Sark

[Sea Wolf]

Arimasark-

Some people swear by these, while others are skeptical!

Here's the book on black boxes by Dick Poole, the Scotty's Downrigger guy. You can read it in it's entirety on line:

http://www.protroll.com/blkboxbook.html

Here's the Cabella's Black Box listing in their on line catalogue.



I am thinking about this too, but for inland lakes. One of the things the book says you can do is to check your downrigger voltage with a VOM meter first to see if it is in range or if you have other grounding/electrolysis problems. You may have a voltage that's somewhat within the correct range already on your boat, although the box allows you to adjust it to the correct specific range for each species of fish.

Joe.

[Mighty Bite]

I've been using a black box ever since I had my old classic '85. Quite a few years. There's lots of conjecture out there regarding the efficacy of that little add-on, but my take is, yep, it works. If the fishing is really good it doesn't make any difference whether you've got the box or not. By the same token it doesn't make much difference whether you're dragging a high tech lure, herring or a jim dandy bottle opener. But when the fish aren't trying to jump in the boat the black box will do it's job. I refer to it as my fish magnet. Dick Poole's treatise on the subject is pretty good and I agree with it. Works for me........plus it is really nice to find another widget to play with on the boat.

Yep, I've got one on my new CD, 3rd Byte.

The original Scotty black box was pretty spendy, I believe considerably north of two bills, but Cabelas has the equivilent for 99.99. The "Cabela type" were available at Outdoor Emporiums booth at the SBS last year for 79.99. As I understand it, the guy that is furnishing Scottys black box for them is now making the black box for Cabelas and other outlets. Basically the same innards in a different housing (for obvious reasons).

Good luck & Happy New Year!

[starcrafttom]

The old box was spendy because it was new technology when it first came out (twenty years ago). but it never changed. It still had hand soldier circuit boards. the new cabelas are made by the same out fit but with micro processers and geek stuff like that . it was this retooling of the box that allowed the price to drop.

[UncleRichie]

Well it's started the first springer has been caught down on the Columbia river, time to get out the poles and start getting ready whoopie can't wait.
The smelt are in the lower river to so hopefully we will get to dip some soon.
Richard

[Redƒox]

I have had one for a few years now, and concluded it does nothing to make RedFox fish any better.
It all depends on your boats "natural-voltage" some "fish poorly" some fish great! Its in the way your boat is wired and rigged (in a nutshell)
On mine (the Cabela model) it has this feature that reads your "natural voltage" so happens RedFox was right on the money in the area of the preferred-voltage for salmon Just cant beat that old baby!

Now.... is there a nerd around to fix this screwed up mess of a thread....