Well off up to west coast of Scotland in the morning, with my downrigger and all the gear, this will be my first downrigging and I am not ashamed to say how excited I am at the prospect even after 55 years of fishing.

I will stay up there all summer and launch the boat every day weather allows, I fish Luce bay a lot for the tope and I hope the DR will allow me to fish ultra light for them, and then the bass I have had some good hits from them from the side but no luck from the boat, I have the new live bait tank for the sand eel and the DR they will not know what hit them.
How far from the bait clip to the bait does any one recommend? Its about 30 Ft deep to 60 Ft in the bay. And the tide is about 3 Knots at most
I will post from up there to let you know how I get on, for all those who have advised me on tackle and kit thanks a lot.

I'd have no more than 4-5ft back off the rigger clip that way the trace and some of the rubbing leader are exposed.If the Tope decides to just eat the bait without running off you should still get an indication on the rod tip.
I've freelined whole Joey's off the stern of my own boat at low water holding the braid between my thumb and fore finger it's a great way to fish you also pick up bass using the same method.Good luck,Malc.

Well just got back from 4 weeks up on the west coast of Scotland and my first adventure with a downrigger.
I loved it, its amazing even after fishing for 50 years there always something new to learn.
I caught Pollock on it up to 5lb and one tope to 20lb, I have plenty is issues to sort out.
Having been a convert to braid, but it does not like the release clip, it sufferers from abrasion and does no come out smoothly you ether have to have so tight you end up dragging a poor fish round for half a mile or it will not stay in.
Have been tried putting an inch piece of very thin hollow Silone tube over the braid, need to give this a better try.

It’s also a hand full fixing the line to the clip at sea when the wind and tide are in the opposite direction, most of the trolling was at about 40ft I found it easer to go out to deeper water then troll back in, the weight shows up well on the fish finder, I found the best speed was about 1.7 knots.

I tried a different type of release in the bay fishing for tope at anchor, using the DR allowed me to use a 15lb class rod in 30ft of water, to say the tope are spectacular fighters with this light tackle in that shallow of water is an understatement. But getting the weight up out of the way once hooked, when by your self is a hand full.

Well back up there next week until September

Glad to see you are getting some action with your downrigger, two things that would make like easier are, use rubber bands as a line release they are quicker and easier to use especailly when getting bounced about in the boat, and they work gret on braid also a retro ease cannonball retriever it will hold the cannonball steady while you set the lines and you donr have to deal with it swinging about all over the joint with the waves.

cheers...james

retro ease cannonball retriever whats one of them ?

also does the rubber band go between the clip and the braid?

By the way the Diawa wilderness rod I got from you is fantastic,, I caught the tope on it, what a fight.

Here is a retro ease they cost £11.50 and are instock


If you give me a phone i will explain how to use the rubber bands(its simple)
01360860514

cheers...james

Got the items today thanks.
With the elastic bands, I am right in thinking the band is supposed to break when the fish is hooked, that must be?
They seem to be very strong?

When the rod is in the downrigger and bent right over while trolling the ruber band is stretched out to its max so if a fish hits it will break, sometimes it wont and you will see the rod tip bouncing about so you just break it by giving the rod a jerk.

I have had perch hit the lure and break the bands so its never really a problem.

cheers...james