Hi all. New here. I'm looking at purchasing a Cannon Mag 10 and am looking for info on both the Mag 10 and downriggers generally. I've fished manual downriggers several years, and also use a Penn 825 electric. But you Great Lakes guys are without doubt the authorities on downriggers.
First question, how to tell if the Mag 10 is an older, slower retrieve unit or the newer and faster one? Guy I'm meeting this weekend to look at the downrigger says it's still unassembled and never used, but he doesn't see any model number on the downrigger, and it's not in a box. So he's unsure what model it is. He bought it from a friend that won it at a fishing tournament just last year. So you'd think it would be last year's model. But I thought they started putting names on the Cannon downriggers in either 2005 or 2006. So it doesn't make much sense. Also, this one has no swivel base and no plugs (just wire ends) with it, both of which I thought were included in recent years. I'm thinking maybe the fishing tournament gave away an unused, but older model, Mag 10 as a prize. I'm not crazy on buying anything with a slower retrieve rate than my Penn 825 has. But the price is right on this one... $200 for what I'm told is a new unit. But the missing swivel base and lack of plugs (just bare wire ends) does concern me as far as it's being new. I'm thinking it's the slower retrieve rate, older Mag 10. Would you still buy it at that price if so?
Second question, I've seen in the past stuff for sale that you could drop down your downrigger line to read the temperature at the level of the ball or planer. To tell where a thermocline might be. I'd like to try that this season, but don't recall any brand names, or where to go to buy something like this. Any help there? Guess I could just rig a string, clip, and drop down any old therometer. But I believe there's something out there made just for this. Seems like it also registered trolling speed too.
Next question... would you buy the swivel base if I get the Mag 10? I will use a gimbal mount for it, so couldn't I just pick it up slightly and turn it in the rod holder just as easily as using a swivel mount? Checked Ebay and they want $70-80 just for the swivel mount. That sounds $$$ to me, given all the other equipment I'm having to buy right now.
Do you guys use planers up there? Most guys here use them, and I was wondering about how much pressure is exerted by a 16 oz vs 24 oz vs 32 oz planer (Ol Salty 16/24/32 sizes). An old charter captain told me they're all the same, because the blade size is the same. He said the weight didn't really make any difference unless you were going really slow. Water pressure on the blade makes the planer go down. Makes sense to me, but wondered if you guys could confirm.
Last question, has anyone figured out any way to see what the system actually looks like below the water? I'm concerned about what the whole thing looks like to a fish. Alot of stuff in the water when you run the cables, planers or ball, lines from the rods, etc. Seems that would scare a fish away just as quickly as attracting them. Always thought I'd like to drop a camera down there and see what it all looks like. Anyone ever try that?
Thanks for any input,
JB