#1 Troll-Master Downriggers – The Ultimate Seahorse Downrigger
Controlled depth trolling is simple with the Seahorse® downrigger system. It allows anglers to place bait or lures at a specific depth and keep them there while trolling. Seahorse® downriggers are built using a tried-and-true design that has gained a reputation for sturdy, dependable performance in both fresh and saltwater situations and is well-known among anglers worldwide.
Many people believe that a downrigger is only appropriate for use on a large boat trolling offshore in a large body of water. When fishing in smaller interior lakes, a downrigger can be a very effective tool. The downrigger is an excellent tool to use when targeting any fish that are suspended in the water column.
The Seahorse® downrigger is made of the most robust and most corrosion-resistant components and will last a lifetime of deep-sea or lake trolling in fresh and saltwater. It is constructed to withstand weather and conditions and provides dependable performance for any game in a variety of waters. The drag mechanism, which was designed for ease of use, allows for one-handed operation while lowering or stopping the downrigger weight.
The best manual downrigger on the water is the Seahorse Ultimate Downrigger model. Now I’d like to discuss some of the unique aspects that make this such an outstanding fishing downrigger. When fishing with a downrigger, the first thing we need to do is set our line.
And there are features in the Seahorse Downrigger that were expressly designed for this. We have a dual-axis rod holder add on, for example, that allows us to precisely set our fishing rod. We also have a 360-degree swivel base, which will enable us to adjust our trolling spread more quickly.
Learning how to use a downrigger if you’ve never used one before is simple using the Seahorse Downrigger. This is something we would strongly recommend to a novice user as well as an experienced fisherman.
The drag system allows the cable to pay out if the weight snags on the bottom, and the crank handle does not revolve as the weight drops for additional safety. Anglers can return to the exact depth of the fish captured thanks to a precise depth meter system. This manual downrigger is perfect for smaller boats and fishermen who are just discovering the benefits of using a downrigger. The Seahorse Downrigger has a clutch/brake system that allows for a controlled and safe descent without the need to crank.
The Seahorse® Downrigger is an excellent device for deep-water trolling, and it comes with a 10-year warranty from Troll-Master. When trolling, the manufacturer suggests using a security strap on all fishing equipment. 2 ft – 4ft with extension
#2 Cannon Downrigger Uni-Troll 5
Once installed, the Cannon downrigger takes command of controlled depth fishing. A 24” stainless steel boom is included, as well as a 2:1 retrieval speed and a three-digit depth counter.
A manual downrigger is ideal for a smaller boat layout. It has a modest footprint, so it doesn’t take up much space on the stern, and it’s also lightweight, so it’s simple to install or remove depending on whether you’ll be using the downrigger.
So, all you have to do with one hand is ease up on the clutch a little. The Cannon downrigger will lower the weight into the water slowly and precisely, and you can monitor the depth using the three-digit depth counter. You can manage fishing rod and line with the other hand.
It has an enclosed boom end that maintains the Cannon downrigger cable on the pulley to minimize unintentional line jumping and tangles once your bait is set and you are trolling.
Once we have a strike and a fish on, it’s critical to get our Cannon downrigger cable out of the water as soon as possible, since the last thing we want is for our fishing line to become tangled with our Cannon downrigger cable, causing the fishing line to break and the fish to be lost.
On the Cannon downrigger, we have a two-to-one retrieve ratio for that. That is, the spool makes two revolutions for every turn of the handle. It saves half the time and gets our cable out of the water. A manual downrigger, such as our Cannon downrigger control, is ideal for a smaller boat layout.
#3 Big Jon Captain’s Pak Manual Siderigger
We looked at the others and noticed that they were all made of plastic, but this manual siderigger is made of solid aluminium, except for the round wire spool, which is made of very heavy abs plastic. We also liked that it has a swivel base and tilts up, making it convenient to use in the boat and swing out of the way when not in use. Most other rod holders are a horrible joke, but Big Jon creates the best rod holder, which is hefty and adjustable without tools. With each spin, the spool expands by 2 feet. It would have been wonderful if it came with a cannonball holder on the base since I appreciate being able to make it any length 2-3 -4 ft boom. When on the boat, very heavy duty will look fantastic.
We have tried a few different downriggers, but the Big Jon Captains Pak Manual Siderigger is one of the finest. It is our favorite because of its robust aluminum structure and simple functions. It’s can be easier to use than other downriggers. The one-handed operation is simple to master. With the exception of the through-hull mounting bolts, installation is simple.
The machine is well-built and can support a 3–4-pound weight. It’s incredibly convenient because the holder can be mounted sideways against the gunnel, just like Scotty’s popular rod holders. If you mount straight to the side of an aluminium boat, however, the motor vibrations can transmit directly down the cable, causing the peculiar buzzing noise. The braking was flawless during the testing phase. In fact, you can tighten the nut just enough to hold the weight while yet allowing it to move up and down. The unit’s most significant flaw is the enormous drag angle caused by its lightweight. We had a hard time getting the ball to ride below 12-16 feet at 2.5 mph. As you lower the weight or pull a heavier lure, the water friction and lure friction both try to drive the weight up, and you can see the cable angle expand. The weight would occasionally drag too far behind the boat and vanish from the fish finder. The lightest lipless lures worked best, but they had to be kept near to the line release. The optimum application for this device, in our opinion, is in a canoe, kayak, rowboat, or trolling motor-powered boat where you must move slow and light. If your boat can handle it and you have the funds, go bigger, and you won’t be disappointed. This unit provides the best capabilities at the lowest price point if you fish in somewhat shallow lakes or need to save money.
For us, it’s perfect. Changing depth is much easier to deal with than fiddling with a lead core rig. It’s a significant benefit that it can be mounted on Scotty rod holder mounts. It’s convenient to be able to rotate it around to get the ball inside or fast remove it for storage.
The tension and depth of the spool can be easily adjusted. So, we can see the ball on the screen; we positioned it just aft of our sonar head.
It met all of the conditions. Small, light, simple to mount, and low-cost. In simple words, it is perfect. Works great in a canoe, precisely what we wanted.
Cannon Lake-Troll manual downriggers for lakes are a terrific value. The depth counter on the boom and the inability to adjust were the most common complaints we found in reviews. Using these for salmon trolling works great. They accurately report depths but occasionally, after retrieval, you have to roll the counters back to zero by rotating the wheel on the boom. It was not challenging to re-calibrate.
One gripe is that adjusting the rod holder necessitates the use of a tool (unless you want to leave them on the looser side). Manual downriggers are fantastic. These are pretty cost-effective if you fish with manual downriggers often. We would definitely consider the Seahorse Downrigger if we trolled more frequently because of the adjustable rod holder and higher retrieval rate.
The Cannon downrigger would have gotten five stars if Cannon hadn’t moved the depth counter from the top of the boom to the end, which is an absurd design! It isn’t easy to read.
The Downrigger was easy to put together; if you can read directions, you’ll have it up and running in about 20 minutes.
When trolling faster, there is a slight vibration noise that travels through the unit.
The boom is made of strong copolymer, and the line release is set on a tab-lock base.
