What size downrigger weight do you use most?

[kasilofchrisn]

Just curious what sizes and styles of downrigger weights forum members here in Ak use.
I have molds for 8# and 10# fish shaped weights but now i am wondering if I should invest in a larger mold as well?
So lets hear it what size and shape of downrigger weight do you use most.
Also do you prefer coated or non coated weights and what kind of coating do you preffer?
I am working on making powder coated weights which would allow me to make some realy cool colors including glow in the dark colors.
Thanks in advance.
Chris

[BrownBear]

Boy, I can hardly pick one. It's split for me between 4# for really shallow work, 8# for mid depths and around obstructions, and 12# for deeper. If too deep I go to pancakes and use the fins to spread the wires some. And the mix of what I use changes from month to month and year to year.

[Anythingalaska]

I use 10# cannonballs for fishing up to 20 fathoms. I don't have coated cannonballs; I see no reason for it. They aren't rolling around on my deck, so it doesn't really matter.

And of course when I'm hand trolling I'm running the good old 30# leads!:topjob:

[kasilofchrisn]

Boy, I can hardly pick one. It's split for me between 4# for really shallow work, 8# for mid depths and around obstructions, and 12# for deeper. If too deep I go to pancakes and use the fins to spread the wires some. And the mix of what I use changes from month to month and year to year.

Just for the record the poll is multiple choice.
Just really curious as I have heard different things from different folks who fish different parts of the state. Molds are not cheap for this stuff so before I committ more $$$ to molds I like to know I am buying something useful to Alaskan fisherman in general not just 1 or 2 guys.
Thanks for the input so far.

[homerdave]

What size downrigger weight do you use most?

#10 fish weights right now, I scored them cheap at a garage sale. #10 cannon balls generally.


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[BrownBear]

Most guys I know use either 8's or 12's rounds exclusively. I'm kinda different, carrying 4's, 8's and two sets of 12's (round and pancake) all the time. The 4's are real special purpose and I bet not 1 guy in 100 uses them up here. We have them for shallow fishing so they'll sweep back out of the way of the transducer at speeds as slow as 2mph and depths as shallow as about 10' at that speed. Anything heavier blows heck out of the picture there on your dash. But we fish less than 20' a whole lot. One further advantage. If I find a shallow spot unexpectedly I can hit the throttle and "hop" them up to the surface faster than I can hit the panic button on a couple of downriggers. Real neat for me, but useless for most folks. Since I already have mine, there's little need for you to stock them unless a whole lot of guys change their ways.

[kodiakcombo]

12-15 on fishy 4 down rigger. 12 on RR 3 riggers.

[AKBroncoII]

I had the fish shaped ones on for about 20 minutes before I pulled them. They seemed to have significantly more drag than the cannon balls or pancakes I've run. I didn't like them.

[AK2AZ]

I use the 10# fish.

[kasilofchrisn]

Thanks for all the replies guys.
I may order a 12# mold after all.
I like the fish shape but my experience with downriggers is limited.
These molds are not exactly cheap so I have to be sure they will get used before I buy them.


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[Abel]

12's is all i run. I have a set of 10's as spares that I'll run if I break a 12 off. I try to keep everything watching as close a possible. But 12's even at 3kts I have no issues dragging 120' down.

[MGH55]

12lb is ok 15lb better!!! He who has the bigger balls wins Not many mounts will do more than 15lbs. If you ask a nice lady in Seward how big her balls are, she will let you know her are larger than what you use!