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Blacks downrigger release question


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I have been getting alot of false releases with my pinch pad style releases so I decided to try the blacks releases. I ordered the style with the loop on top and snap on the bottom, my question is on your probe rigger do you install these above or below your probe? I'm a little concerned about a $10 release supporting my $300 probe. I'm unable to install a release directly to my downrigger cable as my boat and riggers are close to the water level and there is only maybe 2" of cable left between the pulley and the rubber stop once the autostop stops the riggers. I would need to install risers on my riggers if I wanted to attach directly to the cable.

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I run rigger cable...blacks...probe...breakaway cable...ball. i have a slight advantage since i run digitroll 10's and can set the water zero wherever i want 

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X 2 I'm a firm believer that how the cable brakes when the probe and weight comes out of the water and starts bouncing . For the blacks supporting the probe I have never lost a pobe nock on wood .  

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I prefer the old school method including a safety line for my probe. The old Blacks didn't haave the rod through it. You hooked it directly to the cable above the weight. What is pictured here is the old version Blacks which I still use and a second 90lb test wire with heavy duty snap.I attach both snaps to my probe so that if the probe cable or the downrigger cable terminating at the bottom of the main snap gives I still have the 90 lb wire and snap on the probe which is attached to the Blacks release. It hasn't been tested but I figure it is better than nothing although deppendent of the integrity of the crimp on the Blacks as I have seen the other usual hookups fail on friends boats.

 

oldschool.jpg

Edited by Sk8man
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The one pictured above is one of the OLD Blacks release. Back then they were attached directly to the cable itself. They also had an outrigger version that had a heavy metal rod through it with rings on each end of the rod that I put a large heavy duty swivel on and then soldered the split ring shut and I used it when I fished on other folks boats (with their permission) to hook on to their existing snap....guess I was a bit ahead of my time because they then later came out with the one with the integrated snap so that you didn't have to cut your downrigger wire to install it:smile:

In the pic below on the left is the Oldest version of the Blacks that was actually white in color, then the version shown in my earlier post, then the outrigger version I modified back in the eighties, and finally on the right is the recent version.

Blacksversions.jpg

Edited by Sk8man
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for walleye fishing the chamberlain is the only way to go. it has 2 adjustments 1 for rod tension which you can set tight 1 for lure tension which you can set light enough that a small white perch will trip the diver. you might think with it set so light you would miss hook ups but thats just not the case. the release is a lot like a blacks but has the extra adjustment for lure tension. you can check them out at downriggerrelease.com or do a search for videos on your computer.

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for walleye fishing the chamberlain is the only way to go. it has 2 adjustments 1 for rod tension which you can set tight 1 for lure tension which you can set light enough that a small white perch will trip the diver. you might think with it set so light you would miss hook ups but thats just not the case. the release is a lot like a blacks but has the extra adjustment for lure tension. you can check them out at downriggerrelease.com or do a search for videos on your computer.


Beside the settting they look to me, the probe would hook up the same . To stay with the topic . If you want talk setting I heard the Chamberlain work for light setting and good rod tension .

Sent from my XT1609 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

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The Chamberlains are the way to go for walleyes because of the light bite type setting but the max tension on them I believe is 4 lbs which for running large attractors and active lures behind riggers down deep for salmon can be too light. If the Blacks are set properly for what you are running they aren't usually a problem for either species

Edited by Sk8man
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I looked at the chamberlains and liked the ability to adjust rod tensions as well as release tension. It would cost me $60 for chamberlains vs $16 for Blacks... being I have never used either and both seem to be reviewed very well, I figured I would start with Blacks and upgrade to Chamberlains if I liked the concept.

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Got to try out the blacks releases yesterday... gotta say I'm impressed. No issues with false releases, I was able to crank down my rods more than usual, released everytime a fish hit with no issues. The biggest thing I noticed was how easy they manually released if I wanted to change a lure. With a quick snap of the rod they released even down 100ft, I could never get my pinch pads to release like that. Super simple to hook up the line, not sure why everyone hasn't switched over to these from the pinch pads.

Edited by FishingFool34
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