Mounting Downriggers on 28 TE, Best Location?

[AlanD]

Does anybody have any recommendations on where I should mount 2 downriggers on my 28 TE? It seems they can either be all the way aft, next to the bait well on one side and washdown on the other. Or on the gunnels, as far aft as possible, by the last rod holder location. I know the exhaust may interfere with the last suggestion. Anybody out there mount riggers with some help? Thanks!

Alan

[JackK]

I do not have downriggers on my 28 but I have seen a lot of 28's with them. All of the one's I have seen had them mounted all the way aft.

Hope this helps.
Jack

[Elizabeth Ann]

Like most people here, our boat was bought used. It has the down riggers all the way aft on the transom corners. Angled so as to act somewhat like an out rigger too.

My father and I never use them.....and at some point I'd like to take the mounts off.

[pkdiver]

I have a 2005 TE 28 and use downriggers quite a bit when we salmon fish. I opted for an accessory that Cannon sells that fits into the rod holders on the boat. The downriggers are mounted on the Cannon swivel base and it slides into the accessory that is in the rod holders. With this setup when you are done fishing you can just remove the downriggers and their holders and put them away. You also have the option of moving the downriggers to any of the 4 rod holders that are in the gunnels. I am not one for drilling holes and mounting a lot of things on my boat.

[AlanD]

We should compare notes, I am fishing the big water of Southwest Lake Michigan now and hunting Kings and Steelhead in some really big water. I have got my Albin set up now where she can soak 14 lines on a good trolling run. I have her with 2 planar mounts on the forward rail and handles, a 3 rod track system for Dipsey's on the center rod holder, and then my cannon downrigger aft, with dual rod holders there. On both sides.

Last weekend, I took her our (not far enough it seems) and put her to work, without socks I got her down to about 4 mph but with my dual XL drift socks, took her down to about 2 mph at 800 RPM...so that works...

Now just have to find the scaley monsters.

[jcollins]

We should compare notes, I am fishing the big water of Southwest Lake Michigan now and hunting Kings and Steelhead in some really big water. I have got my Albin set up now where she can soak 14 lines on a good trolling run. I have her with 2 planar mounts on the forward rail and handles, a 3 rod track system for Dipsey's on the center rod holder, and then my cannon downrigger aft, with dual rod holders there. On both sides.

Last weekend, I took her our (not far enough it seems) and put her to work, without socks I got her down to about 4 mph but with my dual XL drift socks, took her down to about 2 mph at 800 RPM...so that works...

Now just have to find the scaley monsters.

AlanD,
Can you explain how the drift socks work? How are they mounted? Are they in the way of lines? Cost? Durability, etc.?
I want to get something but I don't fish enough to justify a trolling gear.

Is this what you are talking about?

[AlanD]

Too funny, those are models I am actually using, from Cabelas. Basically, two ways to use them, the normal way and the trolling way. If you want a single drift sock for an Albin, to use like a Sea-Anchor, you want a really really big one you drift from a mid cleat. (Really Big, is like their XXXL). They recommend one for a fixed drift under winds of 15 MPH, 2 for winds greater then 15 MPH. I do not use it this way, I use mine for trolling (fishing)

I have 2 of these Cabelas XL Socks, and the Cabelas Harness you get free with the purchase. What I do, is connect them to my front cleats and let hang down the side of the Albin. ((Tip, on the 28TE, add like a 6 ft section of rope between the Sock and the Harness, to make it longer, that way when you are trolling the sock hangs back by the end of the pilot house while underway. Then, if it deflates by a wave, you can poke it with a boat hook from there, versus sending somebody up on the bow in open water.))

Anyway, to use, bring your speed down as slow as you can go at 800 RPM or so, and toss the socks over each side, they fill up with water and drag your boat down to around 2 MPH where you then can execute controlled trolling patterns.

Also, a BIG PLUS with the trolling socks is the stabilization of your boat in chop. You will be stunned when they deploy and your boat gets very stable as she gets pulled down with the socks on troll. A much nicer ride, even in chop.

These are on the side of the boat, and do not impact fishing while trolling. As when you hook up, your fighting from center aft and the socks stay off to the sides, so no concerns.

Hope that helps, I will get some pics of them in action and post when I can. Hope to be out this weekend.