- Mastering the Spread: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Planer Boards with Downriggers
- Electric Downrigger Head-to-Head: Cannon vs. Scotty vs. Big Jon
- The Ultimate Angler’s Advantage: Cannon’s Optimum Downrigger
- Shock Absorption on the Troll: The Critical Role of Downrigger Snubbers
- A Guide to Using a Scotty Electric Downrigger
- The Angler’s Circuit: A Detailed Guide to Troubleshooting the Cannon Autostop Feature
- Clipping In for Success: A Guide to Downrigger Release Clips
- Dialing in Your Depths: A Comprehensive Guide to Downrigger Weight Selection
- The Downrigger Line Dilemma: Braided Line vs. Stainless Steel Cable
- Mastering the Depths: A Comprehensive Guide to Fishing with Electric Downriggers
For anglers looking to consistently target fish holding at specific, often deep, water columns, the downrigger is an indispensable tool. It offers unparalleled precision in depth control, allowing you to present your lure exactly where the fish are. Among the most trusted names in the game is Scotty, whose electric downriggers are renowned for their robust construction, reliability, and user-friendly design.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through every aspect of using a Scotty Electric Downrigger, from initial setup and rigging to advanced on-the-water techniques, maintenance, and safety. By the end of this article, you’ll have the knowledge to master this powerful fishing tool and unlock new depths in your angling success.
Part 1: Anatomy of a Scotty Electric Downrigger
Before diving into the “how-to,” it’s crucial to understand the key components of your Scotty downrigger. Familiarizing yourself with these parts will make operation intuitive and troubleshooting easier.
- The Boom: This is the long arm, typically made of stainless steel or composite material, that extends out over the water. Booms come in various lengths, with longer booms offering more separation from the boat to avoid spooking fish. Many models feature telescopic booms for adjustable length.
- The Spool and Cable: The spool holds the downrigger cable, which is most commonly braided stainless steel or, increasingly, a heavy-test braided fishing line (which eliminates hum and static). This cable is what carries your weight and fishing line down to the desired depth.
- The Motor and Gear System: Housed within the main body, the powerful electric motor drives the gear system, allowing for the effortless retrieval of the heavy downrigger weight with the simple press of a button.
- The Depth Counter: This mechanical or digital counter is a critical component, displaying the exact amount of cable you have paid out. This allows for pinpoint accuracy when targeting fish you’ve marked on your sonar.
- The Clutch/Brake System: This is one of the most important operational controls. The brake allows you to control the speed of the weight’s descent. A smooth, consistent drop is key to preventing line tangles. It should be tight enough to hold the weight in place but loose enough to allow for a controlled drop when you want it.
- The Base and Mount: Scotty offers a variety of mounting options, from permanent pedestal mounts to versatile track and gimbal mounts. The tilt-up feature on many models is a significant convenience for docking, trailering, or clearing the deck.
- The Swivel Head: The boom pivots on the base, allowing you to swing the downrigger in for easier rigging and then out into its fishing position.
- The Auto-Stop System: A hallmark of Scotty electrics, this feature automatically stops the weight’s retrieval just below the water’s surface, preventing the weight from crashing into the boom tip (a common and damaging operator error). This is achieved via beads on the cable that trip a switch on the pulley.
- The Pulley/Snubber: Located at the end of the boom, the pulley ensures the cable runs smoothly. Often, a rubber “snubber” is attached between the cable and the weight. This acts as a shock absorber, protecting the cable from the jarring stress of wave action and boat movement.
- The Release Clip: This is the crucial link between your fishing line and the downrigger cable. It’s designed to hold your fishing line securely as it’s lowered but to “release” it when a fish strikes, allowing you to fight the fish directly on your rod and reel, free from the heavy weight.
Part 2: Rigging Your Downrigger from Scratch
Proper rigging is the foundation of effective and trouble-free downrigging.
Step 1: Spooling the Cable
If you’re starting with an empty spool, you’ll need to load it with either stainless steel wire or heavy-test braid (200-250 lb test is common).
- Feed the Line: Feed the end of the cable through the fairlead or pulley at the end of the boom first, then bring it back to the spool. This prevents having to un-spool everything if you forget.
- Secure to Spool: Securely tie the cable to the spool using a robust knot.
- Apply Tension: Spool the cable onto the reel under firm tension. This is a two-person job. One person should operate the downrigger’s retrieve switch (or manually crank if it’s a manual model) while the other holds the cable with a heavy glove or cloth, ensuring it lays tightly and evenly across the spool. A loose wrap can cause the cable to dig into itself, leading to jams and kinks.
Step 2: Terminating the Cable
Once spooled, you need to set up the terminal end.
- Slide on Auto-Stop Beads: Slide your auto-stop beads onto the cable.
- Attach the Stopper/Crimps: Feed the cable through the sleeves of your terminal fastener (this is often a series of crimps and a snap).
- Attach the Snubber: Clip a high-quality rubber snubber onto the snap at the end of your cable. The snubber is critical for absorbing shock and should not be omitted.
- Attach the Weight: Connect your downrigger weight (or “cannonball”) to the other end of the snubber. Weights typically range from 8 to 15 pounds, depending on the depth you’re fishing and your trolling speed. Heavier weights track more vertically with less “blowback.”
Step 3: Choosing and Attaching the Release Clip
Your release clip attaches to the downrigger cable, usually just above the snubber or weight. Scotty offers several types:
- Standard Pinch-Pad Releases: These are simple and effective. You pinch your fishing line between two pads. Tension is adjusted by how deep you set the line in the pads.
- Stacker Releases: These clips have a loop or snap that allows them to be attached anywhere on the main downrigger cable, enabling you to fish multiple lines off a single downrigger (a technique called “stacking”).
Part 3: On-the-Water Operation: A Step-by-Step Guide
With your boat at trolling speed and your gear ready, here’s how to deploy and use your Scotty Electric Downrigger.
Step 1: Get to Trolling Speed. Before deploying anything, get your boat moving at your desired trolling speed. This is crucial as it creates tension and separation, preventing tangles.
Step 2: Let Out Your Lure. With your fishing rod in hand, let out your lure behind the boat. A standard setback is 100 feet, but this can vary greatly depending on water clarity, fish species, and lure type.
Step 3: Attach the Line to the Release Clip.
- Hold your fishing rod high to create a belly of line.
- Grab the fishing line and create a small loop by twisting it.
- Place this loop into the release clip. For pinch-pad style clips, set it just deep enough to hold securely.
Step 4: Deploy the Downrigger Weight.
- Ensure the boom is swiveled out to its fishing position.
- Hold your fishing rod with one hand to manage slack.
- With your other hand, turn the clutch/brake knob counter-clockwise just enough to allow the weight to begin a smooth, controlled descent. Do not let it free-spool, as this can cause tangles and puts unnecessary stress on the system.
- As the weight descends, it will pull your fishing line down with it. Pay close attention to your rod tip; it will bend over and start to throb as the lure works.
Step 5: Set the Depth.
- Watch the depth counter. When it reaches your target depth (e.g., the depth you marked fish on your sonar), tighten the clutch/brake by turning it clockwise until the weight stops descending.
- Place your fishing rod in a holder. Reel in any slack until the rod has a moderate, steady bend in it. This pre-load is critical for ensuring a clean release when a fish strikes.
Step 6: The Strike and the Release. When a fish hits your lure, its weight and struggle will pop the line out of the release clip. Your rod, which was bent over under tension, will snap straight up. This is your signal to grab the rod and fight the fish! The fish is now completely free from the downrigger system.
Step 7: Retrieving the Weight. After landing your fish (or if you simply want to check your lure), retrieve the downrigger weight.
- Simply press and hold the “UP” switch on your Scotty.
- The motor will engage and bring the weight up.
- Thanks to the auto-stop feature, the retrieval will automatically cease once the stopper bead reaches the switch, leaving your weight just under the surface, ready to be re-rigged.
Part 4: Advanced Techniques and Strategies
- Understanding Blowback: At trolling speeds, water resistance pushes the weight back and up, meaning your lure is not as deep as your counter indicates. This effect, known as “blowback,” increases with speed and depth. Heavier weights minimize blowback. Experience and observing your lure’s true depth on a quality sonar are the best ways to learn to compensate for it.
- Stacking Lines: This technique allows you to fish two (or even more) lines off a single downrigger. You attach your first line to the primary release clip near the weight. Then, you lower the weight 10-20 feet. You then attach a “stacker” release clip directly to the downrigger cable, attach your second fishing line to it, and continue lowering both to your final target depth. This allows you to present lures at two different depths simultaneously.
- Targeting Temperature (Thermocline): Many game fish, like salmon and trout, relate heavily to specific water temperatures. Use a fish finder with a temperature sensor to locate the thermocline (the transition layer between warmer surface water and cooler deep water) and use your downrigger to precisely target your lures in this productive zone.
Part 5: Maintenance and Safety
- Freshwater Rinse: Always rinse your downrigger, especially the cable and electrical connections, with fresh water after every use in saltwater.
- Check Electrical Connections: Periodically inspect your power cable and plug for corrosion. A light coat of dielectric grease can help prevent this.
- Inspect the Cable: Regularly check your downrigger cable for kinks or frays, which can weaken it significantly. Replace a damaged cable immediately.
- Safety First: Never wear loose clothing, necklaces, or have loose line on the deck that could get caught in the moving cable or spool. When the downrigger is operating, keep your hands clear of the spool and cable.
By integrating a Scotty Electric Downrigger into your fishing arsenal and mastering its operation, you are no longer limited to the upper layers of the water. You have the power to explore the deep, to place your offering on the doorstep of fish that were previously out of reach, and to become a far more precise and successful angler.