Northwest Fishing Reports

Round ball, pancake, finned balls, fish, torpedo, tube? What's your preference and why? Looking for freshwater use only, so curious what others use.

I believe my current weights are Danielson brand, both 8lb finned balls, which seem to work ok at depths of 35 - 40'. Any deeper and blowback increases. Replacing my stainless wire with braid will help reduce blowback and it's on my to do list (already have the braid). Even so, I'm thinking I need either 10# or 12# weights if I'm going to run gear in excess of 50'.

Can't say I'm unhappy with what I currently use, just curious if another style may be better (seems to me the pancake would be).

Primary use will be at Lake Roosevelt and at speeds up to 3mph, but most typically around 2.5 - 2.8mph.

Ive mostly used round balls with and without fins. I prefer the fins for sure.

I did use a pancake with a fin for a while - until I snagged and lost it - and I think they have less blow back than the round ones. Didnt really have it long enough to be sure though.

I also made a DIY torpedo shaped one a few years back and it was the best as far as less blow back. Unfortunately, I lost it as well. Lead prices went up drastically so we never got around to making any new ones.

Im getting low on balls now though so might try making another torpedo if I can find some reasonably priced lead.

I make my own out of poured lead and cans. A 14oz can weighs - 14lb. Funny how that works. I have had no issues with my cans and with lead at .50 a pound when I lost one the other day it wasn't a big deal. Since I'm not paying much for a can i can afford heavier weights for fast saltwater trolling.

I use the fish shaped weights and have a set of 12 and 14 pounders. Painted to look like rainbow trout, I hold on to the unsubstantiated notion that they won't spook fish and may even attract them. That being said, stick and pancake weights are going to give you the least blowback. Though not as big of an issue for your use, finned pancake weights track horribly if you are not trolling inline with the current.

I've read quite a bit about the pancake weights in current, seems if you do a search on downrigger weights, most of the search results are from the Great Lakes where current, especially cross current trolling, is a real problem for the pancake weights.

Can't find a reliable source for stick weights, was very intrigued by them when I was researching options. I saw some beauties posted on the Kokanee forum, but the guy that was making them has gone incognito. Steelheadin360 said he makes them too, but never replied to Larry3215's query about pics/prices/website. I'd happily support a site sponsor, but don't want to wait to place an order.

Good feedback Mike, but don't want to make my own. I get enough exposure to toxic chemicals without adding lead to the mix.

Think I'll just get a pair of Yeck 10# finned balls. Yeck produces the original Tru Trac weights using original molds and they get nothing but praise from the mid-west salmon trollers.

Mike Carey wrote:I make my own out of poured lead and cans. A 14oz can weighs - 14lb. Funny how that works. I have had no issues with my cans and with lead at .50 a pound when I lost one the other day it wasn't a big deal. Since I'm not paying much for a can i can afford heavier weights for fast saltwater trolling.

Mike, where are you finding lead at .50/lb? I havent looked in a few years but it was well over $1/lb last time I looked.

I run 8 lb finned balls for most my kokanee stuff. Fish them down to 60'-ish feet but they do give a bit more blow back.

I run 12 lb pancakes with a fin for fishing Sekiu coho. Good bit of current up there and we troll in all directions. Just like kokes that turn and change in speed can trigger a bite! Never had a problem with them. Usually fish 40-60-ish feet in Sekiu. My wife did chase a blip on the Lowrance down to 80' in Sekiu and actually caught the fish. When it's slow she gets a little anxious and starts chasing fish arches wherever they are!

I would love to pour my own and save the money but I spent it for the ones I have an so far................ haven't lost one.

Deed done, a pair of 10# Yeck finned balls are on the way. I think the combination of braided line and an additional 2# will get what I want. I'll follow up after I get a chance to use them.

I used 15 lb pancakes in saltwater where I trolled pretty deep. In fresh water most of my trolling is above 30 feet so I use either 6 or 8 lb round balls. I prefer ones with a small lip as it makes it easier to attach a release to the ball. Also the fins keep the ball from spinning and wrapping the release cord around the wire.

If I eventually make it to lake chelan I'll probably go to heavier balls again.

Bill

Phil, if you ever want to do the tubes, I'm in reardan and made myself a set, I can spin up another 3-4 with the materials I have. I noticed a giant benefit to the tubes on my fish finder.....way more transparent.

Larry3215 wrote:

Mike Carey wrote:I make my own out of poured lead and cans. A 14oz can weighs - 14lb. Funny how that works. I have had no issues with my cans and with lead at .50 a pound when I lost one the other day it wasn't a big deal. Since I'm not paying much for a can i can afford heavier weights for fast saltwater trolling.

Mike, where are you finding lead at .50/lb? I havent looked in a few years but it was well over $1/lb last time I looked.

sorry Larry, I never saw this question. I hesitate to publicly share, LOL. PM sent.

high country wrote:Phil, if you ever want to do the tubes, I'm in reardan and made myself a set, I can spin up another 3-4 with the materials I have. I noticed a giant benefit to the tubes on my fish finder.....way more transparent.

Thanks for the offer, much appreciated. I drive through Reardan regularly, so would be easy to connect with you.

hewesfisher wrote:

high country wrote:Phil, if you ever want to do the tubes, I'm in reardan and made myself a set, I can spin up another 3-4 with the materials I have. I noticed a giant benefit to the tubes on my fish finder.....way more transparent.

Thanks for the offer, much appreciated. I drive through Reardan regularly, so would be easy to connect with you.

we had our grandfather clock serviced and I have the old, long brass tube casings that are used on the clock as the weight on the chains. I'm going to try one of those and fill it with lead, see if I notice a difference. It's annoying losing bottom from the DR ball when trolling.

Busy pouring jigs for spring bottom fish so I took time and made my "grandfather clock DR weight". It came in at 11.5 pounds, nice, narrow, long shape. I'll be giving it a try this spring.

one thing mike is with those stick weights it will be like tuning a plug for the current. Youll want to spend some time tuning the eye to keep them from swinging

Can you elaborate on that? Im not sure what you mean by swinging and tuning. Im considering making some like that myself.

Thanks,

Larry

Steelheadin360 wrote:one thing mike is with those stick weights it will be like tuning a plug for the current. Youll want to spend some time tuning the eye to keep them from swinging

I've never noticed the spin issue when trolling. Possibly because my lower release is attached to the DR line and not the ball (in my case, can). So if the DR can weight was spinning it is doing it on it's own and not affecting the release, which is separated by a ball bearing on the DR terminal connector.
If that makes any sense.

Nice Job Mike, they look great. I have seen this done with SS rods but never seen anyone sell them. They should cut thru the water nice.