Humming Downriggers: Fish attractors or turn-offs?

S

Sea Wolf

New member
Do humming downriggers attract fish or turn them off? Does it depend on how far you fish back behind the downriggers? The species of fish? Ocean or fresh water usage? Which downrigger guru you believe? What's your experience? Is Dick Poole right, after all?

And if you don't like the noise, what's your best method of stopping it?

The noise just doesn't seem right to me in pristine freshwater lakes!

Joe.
 
If your cables are singing, you are probably going a bit too fast or the current is strong. I try to slow down if I notice it happening, but it never seems to bother the fish. We try to troll at around 1.5 mph on the plotter. We have caught fish whether or not the cables are noisy. Just our observations.

I set the lures about 20 feet behind the boat when trolling and it works well for us in the salt water. I don't know if Dick Poole is right or not, as we have caught silvers, kings and halibut whether or not our Black Box was turned on at the time. I believe it doesn't hurt, but can't say for sue how much it helps, either.
 
Depends on what it's singing....

:note :note An itty bitty fishie in an itty bitty brook :note :note :note

:note :note Got himself caught on an itty bitty hook... :note :note

Etc, etc.... :shock: :lol:
 
Well I am glad that you mentioned about the down rigger singing.
I have 2 electric Scotty. Had them on my other boat. I never heard them sing before. On my last fishing trip this year I noticed that the starboard down rigger was singing but the port was okay. It bothered me at first. I thought that it would ruin my fishing trip, but my 2 1/2 weeks were awesome. 80% of my chinook hit that rod . So now what I like to know is how to make the port side sing?... Gary SEA RAM
 
DodgeRam":1lnd5cmv said:
Well I am glad that you mentioned about the down rigger singing.
I have 2 electric Scotty. Had them on my other boat. I never heard them sing before. On my last fishing trip this year I noticed that the starboard down rigger was singing but the port was okay. It bothered me at first. I thought that it would ruin my fishing trip, but my 2 1/2 weeks were awesome. 80% of my chinook hit that rod . So now what I like to know is how to make the port side sing?... Gary SEA RAM
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The other one has stage fright :shock:

No problem with the singing downriggers. Often we actually have better luck when we troll faster adn really get them humming.
Add a black box or make your own for even more fun with the fishes...

Hope this helps... I am not sure what to do about the stage fright. Does it do the same thing when you turn the boat and head the other way or does it change sides?

If you really really really don't like the mum you can use heavy tuff line or another braided line. It will void the warranty on most downriggers that I know of but some swear by it. It reduces drag in the water adn eliminates the hum in addition to slicing through the water better and giving a steeper angle to the downgigger weight. It also insulates the line from the weight but of course if you are using a black box you will loose the effectiveness of clipping the signal to the downrigger cable.

I am a cable guy. Let em sing...
 
I catch far more fish when the riggers are singing than not. In fact I'll often adjust the speed up or down until I get them singing. I use 12lb or 15lb weights and when the cable is about 30-40 degrees I have the right speed.
 
I'm convinced my "Black Box" is useless on RedFox! she already is in-there; far as making the "proper" natural-current. Some boats however do need them :|

Far as the 'hummin' goes... I never paid it any thought, kinda enjoy that old familiar-sound :note :note makes me feel at home again :love

I been toyin with the idea of 'tuff-line' :idea: every once in a while my cable sorta knots-up, and jams on the spools :?

Been readin this story of an old fisherman... say: the best speed is 2-knots for commercial trollin! should be the same for us :) that's what I do anyway... and I hear it's best for kings to be at that rate.

Poof.... gotta go now ... :bat
 
The singin' has always concerned me. However, I'm always outfished by the fastest troller I know. Raven rips around the sawdust pile area with his cables hanging way back(40 degrees ?). His wires must be screaming.
 
Faster is better
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I think this is true. However, I was taught that silvers like a fast, tight spin and chinooks like a slower, wider spin. When I troll fast it feels somehow like I'm defying my father. A real mental block. Perhaps counseling is in order? Shock therapy?
 
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