cannon balls, depth raider probe storage

[perchjerker]

Not really sure where to put this thread, hopefully this is the right place.

Thanks for all your recommendations on my question on speed and temp probes, I am getting a Depth Raider.

I started thinking about my downrigger weights.

I have 2 Walker electric short booms on each corner of my Grady White Adventure 208. They are attached directly to the gunnels on swivel bases.

The question is what I do with my downrigger weights? Right now I just lean over and grab the weight, loosen the drags, and set them in the corners on the deck in a bucket when running. This is not the best way, maybe I should crank the ball all the way up, then swivel the rigger so its in the boat, then put the balls in the buckets?

I do have 2 Ball Babies that I had on my old boat, I had them mounted on a transom board next to the riggers.

I guess I could put them next to the riggers on the gunnels? Will 14lb fish shaped weights stay in them while I am running? I might be able to space them on the gunnel so I can just swivel the rigger over the ball baby and lower the ball into them.

I have seen other rigs with hooks on the booms, that seems like a good idea, I dont know if that is something I can install on my old Walkers?

Then there is the Depth Raider probe. Is that just going to hang there from the ball if its a holder? I dont want it to get beat up, what do you guys do with yours?

Any suggestions on all my questions would be greatly appreciated.

Actually I would like to get longer booms one of these days...

[SeaCatMich]

When I had a DR, I used a clip mount from a MagLite to hold it when it was not in use. Pic below. I had it mounted to the underside of my Traxstech swivel bases but not sure how it would work on a walker setup.

[killerbe20]

the old Vector ball hooks fit on the Walker arms too. I am not sure if Traxstech still has them or not but that would be an option.

[fishsniffer]

I have a couple ball babies cradle holders on the back. Work great

[Hooked Up]

I also have the ball baby cradles~ no issues

Regarding the probe, I have the Fish Hawk X4 and take it off after each trip and put it back on when I'm ready to fish~ I don't like a $200+ probe dangling as I'm running in/out..

[SUPERTRAMP]

The Ball Baby is a tried and true way of taking care of round ball weights the ball hook that vector used to make works for the pancake style weights very well and u can make your own if u r a little creative. I use 12# round balls and they ball babies are the way to go there. we have 4 walker riggers and 2 are short 2' staight out the back corners, the other 2 are 4' arms and we just swivel them in and drop the ball in the cradle. Hope u get it figured out.

[perchjerker]

thanks guys for the replies.

I could not find the vector hooks but did come across some made by Scotty.

I could make those work, I may order a few and try them if I dont use my ball babies

[Dr Hook]

use both, never hurts to have a back up option for anything out on the big lake.

[perchjerker]

use both, never hurts to have a back up option for anything out on the big lake.

Yeah.

I was just at Bass Pro at lunch and picked up a Cannon terminator kit. They had Scotty riggers there and one had the hook on it, it looks like it would work good.