Downrigger problem

[bigwaternut]

Hi all,

I have a pair of Canon Mag 10's that I installed a few years ago and ever since their install my catch rate has gone into the pits. It's probably just my lousy luck but a couple of clues may be the reason. One clue is that when the units bring the ball up (10lb) they are very slow and seem to struggle and vibrate alot. Sometimes they just cut out and stops the retrieve. I tried increasing the amperage by paralleling another battery but there was no improvement. Maybe the positive ion control doesn't work right and the two things are related. ?? I don't know what to do next.....I tried calling the main Johnson Outdoors # for technical assistance but they just referred me to a service center in North Bay. Hell, that's a long drive....

Can anyone help?

 

thx, Scott

[Uncle Buck]

Catch rate, check this... http://www.protroll.com/books/?id=5&p_id=4

 

vibrating/struggling, could be the gear inside the rigger or your motors...

 

id try that first

[glen]

I have on manual and one power downrigger and the manual bangs way more fish. I dont know about the positive ion control or if it would make a difference. I never had a rigger with positive ion control does it work off of the battery? Maybe unhook the battery and see what happens.

[bigwaternut]

I just read some of the protroll stuff.....OMG, this is waaaay over my head. I'm in deep do do now.

[glen]

"Chapter III. How to Test Your Boat's Electrical Charge

 

can have a significant role in how a boat fishes." From protroll.

 

 

 

I think that only applies to downriggers. Anyone here know about this stuff. Does it affect it or not?

[Fisherman]

In general it applies more to boats with downriggers because the steel cable takes the charge all the way down to the ball, although I did measure a bit of u/amp current flow from +12 to the water around the back of the boat. Best thing to do is totally avoid using an aluminum hull as the return ground to battery, use an actual wire to complete the circuit, isolate all electrical contacksts from any other metal surface. Protroll has some good info there.

[glen]

Why would anyone use an aluminum hull as a ground?

[Fisherman]

People do the darndest things to save a minutes extra effort of adding a ground wire, I guess thats one of them, same for running a proper ground wire all the way back to the light bracket on trailers.

[Deano]

I'd also try a 7lb ball, it'll still get you down and the less weight is easier on the riggers.