Downrigger Releases

Installing a couple downriggers and Looking to see what the best releases are for walleyes? Anyone have any specific they like? The standard salmon releases could work but i have a feeling the smaller fish will not trip them.

I use the small scotty releases for walleye. I had a tough time to get the regular salmon releases to trip with small walleye and sauger. The small size works much better.

Black’s or Walker are what most of the charters run on Lake of the Woods. I’ve run both and they work but if I troll anything bigger than a Shad rap and set them accordingly, they don’t always release for small fish.

Chamberlains for me. Set correctly, they will release for a 8″ sauger, yet I can load the rod pretty good without a false release. A simple adjustment makes them work for large flasher/fly combos when salmon fishing. I have found nothing even remotely close to how well they work.

Appreciate all the info. Have a couple of the scotty small ones and a couple black’s ordered. Will look into the chamberlains.

I have used them all. Mostly for salmon fishing. Lately I have gone to the Blacks release with a #19 rubber band. Just double loop the main line and half hitch the rubber band through the loop. Just a single loop for braid. Snap the rubber band in the Blacks release. Just got back from LOTW and the small sauger will drive you crazy. Some were the same size as my lures. The rubber band greatly increases the ability to see the little ones tugging on your lure. Better known as a Shaker indicator. We even had to raise the weight to the surface and watch the rubber band for movement to detect some of the little ones. The best thing about using the rubber band release is you can use it with any line type or lb. test.

I will look into the rubber band trick, heading up to LOTW next week and wanted to try these out. Yes the little saugers can be a pain, good for the future of the fishery but i certainly don’t want to be dragging them around.

Timmy wrote:

Chamberlains for me. Set correctly, they will release for a 8″ sauger, yet I can load the rod pretty good without a false release. A simple adjustment makes them work for large flasher/fly combos when salmon fishing. I have found nothing even remotely close to how well they work.

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