Canon ball run in...

[Larson 1750]

Ok here the scenario:

Launched out of port credit early this morning. Lowered the gear, 2 leadcores, 2 cannon mag 10's with 4' arms fully extended and an 8' foot beam...11lb pancakes with agitators 1' off the ball...spoons back 10-20'. 250 FOW. Port ball down 58' starboard down 79'. Trolled for an hour. Caught a shaker off the starboard rigger. When I raised the starboard ball the clutch on the rigger started to engage. I finally got it to the surface with a wtf look on my face and noticed the port rigger cable was hooked on the starboard rigger swivel...confused yet? Sudden noise, confusion and shaking before I realized that the port cable was tangled and was now rapidly sinking. Killed the motor! Port ball sank and cable went across the back of the merc before coming to a sudden stop! 1/2 hour to float and resolve. Ended up pulling port ball in by hand, cutting 50' of twisted mangled cable, re rigging a new cannon connector to continue. What would have caused this? There was no erratic turn. Trolling straight ahead! Are currents that strong at times to move an 11bl pancake 16' to cause a tangle? Nessie???? Anybody got an idea???

BTW fishing has been awesome out there the last 3 weekends in a row!!! Leadcore out fished everything else 10-1!!!!!

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[LongLine]

Yes currents can be very strong.  However, pancakes are very fragile.  Any distortion to that fin or the eye can cause them to not track straight.  I'd suspect the later.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Larson 1750]

Aha makes sense. Bit of a googan here and this is only my third season. I went with pancakes on the recommendation from the boys at my local tackle shop. I like them as I can drill an additional hole in the flat plate to accommodate a Gopro (didn't use it today although that would have been what I needed to see). Should I replace with new pancakes (maybe heavier) or is there another style ball someone can recommend???

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[Sea-IV]

Yes it had to be exactly what Tom said in his post. One the current can be that strong and will twist or cross your riggers but I would check the weight for a bent fin might be more the culprit. As for weights I would look into torpedos, Sharks but not pancakes cause they do swing quickly. Also if you attach your release or anything to the weight that will also manipulate the Track as well

Edited August 31, 2015 by Sea-IV

[Larson 1750]

Thx boys. I think the mystery has been solved. The pancakes were running perfectly last outing but one did take a tumble off the back deck as I was breaking everything down yesterday (thx to the jerk in the cruiser 40' off my port). I did notice them both tracking slightly toward the shoot today. I will look into replacing with more solid balls. Leadcore rules!!! BTW I thought I caught a juvenile Atlantic today...couldn't be sure. Is that possible? Common?

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[KilliansRed]

I swear by shark weights, they track straight and are thick enough not to bend or twist. Atlantics are not that common, but it is possible, a lot of guys on here end up pulling in one or two a year by mistake.

[Xxx]

When I first started using downriggers a buddy of mine had a pancake mold so we made a few and we had the same trouble, so we bent the tail fin so it tracks slightly away from each other. The other thing we noticed that when you load up your pole from the tail fin it actually lifts the tail of the pancake up and they go every which way and your not down where you think you are because your lifting up on the weight. 30 pound test sea flea, and a torqued up rod has to lift that weight. I switched to torpedo weights and they track strait with no problems.

[TileMan Dan]

Ran 16# pancakes last spring for 2 trips and spent more time undoing tangles Switched to torpedos and not a problem since Blowback is minimal also. Currents in Lake O push them all over the place

[chinook35]

Pancake weights = tangles  PERIOD   I have 2 13 # weights that live in my cellar and will never see the lake again . The large surface area cause cross currents to give pancakes a life of their own . Save yourself a lot of grief and invest in shark/torpedo weights .

[J.D.]

I also started with pancake weights, and had the same tangle issues others describe. Changed to the heavy Atomic torpedo weights, last Friday fished 2 riggers, boom tips 11 feet apart, 135 and 150 down in the currents off Braddocks Bay. Never had a tracking issue.

Edited August 31, 2015 by J.D.

[Rippin'Line]

torpedos

[Larson 1750]

Anyone know where I can pick up some torpedoes in the Toronto area. Checked sail and they only have 7 pounders.

[shadrapper]

Try JB Fishing Depot

[Larson 1750]

Found some sharks at JB tackle. Picked up 2 x 15# chrome extremes. How far back should I run rigs as I believe they work as an attractor?

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[Sea-IV]

I have them also, I run my rigs no further than 40' behind the ball on sunny days and on overcast I tighten them up to 15' behind the ball

[Jetsled]

Paint one flat black. IE. Rattle can it. See which one gets better hits...

[Larson 1750]

Headed out yesterday to try out the Sharks. The lake was big and rolling huge. Sharks were awesome. Stayed pretty much directly under the boat and I could actually see them on the finder. No fish on anything! Lots of weed 50-100 FOW. Lures snarled most of the day and too rough to be checking them every 10 minutes. Caught the air show as a consultation...thinking about drilling a hole in the shark tail to accommodate a Gopro. Anyone tried that? Will it mess up shark tracking?

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[justtracytrolling]

Attach your go pro above the weight below the release...i wouldn't attach anything to the weight except the rigger cable.

[Sea-IV]

Don't attach anything to the weight cause it will put drag on them and mess your tracking up big time. Would be a huge loss of $$$$ to wrap up a shark and cut it off or snap it. I know did it yesterday cause my mate didn't check the snap and down she went to 180 fow. Brand new 15# high chrome of Irondequoit if anyone wants it.

[Larson 1750]

That's what I thought! I'll find a way to attach the Gopro to the cable...McGiver!!! Sorry to hear the shark loss...damn things are expensive. Went out today and Saturday...nothin but big waves!!!!

[LBT1]

The chrome sharks are the best for tracking so we have learned, They also sink really fast to the bottom. I donated one 12 lber to the lake when my rigger clutch free spooled when it was just hanging off the boom. Darn hate those days,