MacGregorSailors.com

Having recently purchased my M and still wanting to fish, I'm interested in hearing anyone's views on placing an electric downrigger somewhere in the cockpit. I'm looking at the Scotty 5' extension with dual rod holders. Has anyone else done this already ?

I have thought about it, but decide against. In my case, I just felt that there would be just too much in/around the cockpit.

I just use the fish finder, use a heavy weight, and estimate how much line to let out, all the while going at a slow clip.

I caught this 5lb Lake Trout that was in a school swimming at a depth of 60-100 feet.


Ray

Commocean
I run 2 Scotty downriggers ( 1060 models ) and seperate rod holders. Everything is rail mounted so I can remove them when sailing. I've had this setup on my for 11 years and it still works great.
Doug

I installed a Scotty downrigger on my X and it's worked well for me. Don't have the model number handy, but it's the second smallest model. I mounted it on starbard side, near the stern rail. I had to install one of those round access plates to allow for backing plate and bolt installation. I troll for salmon types mostly, which requires trolling at slow speeds, generally 1 to 2 knots. I had to install a kicker motor mount for my 3.5 kicker, to give me those slow trolling speeds. Biggest hassle fishing from the Mac is dealing with a sizeable fish after bringing it in (May I have many such problems in the future). Sometimes I'll knock it in the head or slit the gills, remove hook and then toss it into the dinghy for filleting after anchoring. In hot sunny weather this probably wouldn't work.

Chinook
I mounted a 5 hp nissan for a kicker to get a nice slow troll, we mostly fish lakes for rainbows maybe once a year head to Campbell River for some salmon, luckly the seats over the fuel storage flip up on the 19's and a large Rubbermaid basin fits perfectly as a fish bucket .

Ray
Nice Laker buddy
Doug

First mate who has never fished but loves to eat fish has been saying for years we ought to troll while sailing.

There are whole books on this subject written by long range cruisers. After some brief research, for her birthday I bought her a Penn Senator reel and matching rod. Only time she tried it was on the way to Cape Lookout from Beaufort this past summer. She trailed a spoon and caught a 13" mackerel. Wasn't quite enough for a meal and we had no way to keep it till we caught more, so we tossed it back. She was ecstatic and plans to try it again.

Hey Guys,

Don't know about a down riggger, but our X is rigged with a live bait bag. Will keep sardines or bon 'chovies alive for a day. As far as trolling under sail goes, I am convinced it is a sin not to. We have nailed a "cuda or two under sail and a couple of mystery strikes that quickly ripped my thirty pound test to shreds. Sailing at about 4 to 6 mph is perfect for trolling a Rapala CD14 or similar lure or spoon.

It is a hoot when you get a tug on the line. The clicker starts to go off, someone has to steer into the wind to stop and someone else has to yank the rod out of the holder and set the hook and fight the fish. Total pandemonium until the thing is either landed or gets loose. Great fun!!

Theo

Chip,

You just described how I caught that Lake Trout in Lake George. Same rod and reel, but used a Rapala original floater F13 with a 3 oz weight.

Ray

I don't know about fancy downriggers and those type of things, but I have a couple of flush mounted rod holders mounted in the back of the pilot seat of my X. The angle allows the rods to point abeam at about a 45* off each side---totally out of the way. I let out about 300 feet of line with one of those "hula skirt" kind of lures and then lie back across the cockpit seat while under sail. Here's what I hooked last time. Same area Chip was talking about, Cape Lookout. (Marinated Mahi-Mahi for dinner. )



We still call it dolphin around here.

Could I ask a Q off topic.
4yrs back I had a 17' boat with a 115hp.
We trolled for flathead in about 2' of water, over a sand bottom.....very sucessfully. tilted the motor....didn't drag it thru the sand.
Had work done on the motor (took bottom join apart) and there was a lot of sand in there.
Not sure if it got there from me trolling, or the previous owner doing something.
Question: can you troll in shallow water without doing damage to your motor?
Does anyone else troll in shallow water?
Cheers
Phillip

Billy said:

We still call it dolphin around here

Now you know why they call it Mahi Mahi in restaurants. When it is called by its real name, people think the chef is cooking up FLIPPER

Ray

We were only on the same run to Cape Lookout as Billy summer '06 when he caught his Flipper. Marinated, cooked over charcoal on the beach and shared with all; yum!! The experience convinced the first mate this was exactly what she wanted. She was hoping for a repeat on the mahimahi but got the small mackeral instead.

Phil, I think most decent sized outboards (ie. 50+) are going to just about be touching bottom in 2 foot of water (including the Mac) and when you swirl up all that sand, a lot is likely getting sucked into the cooling intakes on bottom unit. But when you backflush it, all of that sand should fall out.

I have 2 Walker Downriggers (electric) mouted on the small flat surfaces (name unknown) under the aft pulpit type rails. They fit nicely. Catch lots of Salmon on Lake Huron.

In 40 ft or less have had more luck with DIPSY DIVERS, and at $10-15 a piece they are a grat way to go. The action of the diver itself becomes a good attractant followed by the lure of your choice.

TIGHT LINES!

Check out this guy's website:

http://www.windmusher.com/

Big time fishing from a Mac in Alaska.

Rich---Hamin' X---N7ZH