Gear (back)

Downrigger Wire

Maintain your downrigger wire and avoid losses by cutting off any frayed or worn sections as they appear. Regularly cut off the first 8-10' or "high traffic area" of your wire, which will be stressed by the use of line releases, etc. Replacing a little wire is much cheaper than replacing a lost weight due to worn wire.

Do not use more than 150 lb test wire as it creates excessive drag, stressing your gear and your downrigger.

Do not use anything other than stainless steel downrigger wire on your spool. Monofilament line stretches/shrinks and can be a severe safety hazard. Use of nylon line also voids the downrigger warranty. Scotty downriggers are supplied with good quality 1/32" 7x7 304 stainless steel wire with 150 lb test.

Do not use any sprays or lubricants on your wire--they will damage your downrigger and void your warranty. Wash everything down with fresh water after each use.

Keep tension on wire at all times to prevent kinking and dropping off the spool.

Line Releases

Release clips allow the downrigger to take your lure to the optimum depth but release when a fish strikes so that you fight the fish, not your gear. You want the tension to be strong enough to set the hook in the fish, but light enough to release once the hook is set.

Scotty downrigger line releases combine easy to handle design with variable release tension  There are several leader lengths available, and a variety of wire snaps to choose from, including the popular self-locating snaps.

The original Snapper has always been popular, using soft pads for gripping your line. Move the line in or out of the jaw to vary the tension.

The PowerGrip Plus has a patented "tension adjuster" which doubles the holding power on a greater range of release tension, and a streamlined design for snagless fishing. There is also a Mini PowerGrip Plus for Walleye, Trout and Kokanee fishing.

Fully Adjustable Hairtrigger releases are also available. A heavy monofilament line between the wire clip and the release end allows detection of a small fish on the rod tip and permits easier hookups.

Choose a leader length that will allow you to reach the snap without having to lean dangerously out over the side of your boat. A rule of thumb is to use a leader at least the length of your boom.