Which temp/speed probe?

[Dave.C]

Hey guys,

I'm looking at buying a speed/temp probe. I'll be installing it on an 18' Jon boat, I know,not you're typical salmon boat. I remove the riggers often and am wondering which probe antenna set up would be the easiest to disconnect from the boat when I remove the riggers? Price wise I'm looking at the sub troll or the depth raider.

If I could find a used x4 I would go that way, no question.

Thanks

[SeaCatMich]

I don't think it makes any difference between the DR and ST. The connection between the readout and the coil antenna is just an RCA plug so it is really easy to disconnect. The antenna and cable stays with the downrigger.

[ekbelt]

I like my depth raider. Works great, going on 4th season.

[Dave.C]

Thanks Ryan, that's the info I was looking for.An RCA jack is easy to disconnect when heading to smaller lakes.

Erik,thanks as well,i've been doing alot of reading and there doesn't really seem to be too many negatives about any of them.Moor,Depth Raider or the Fish Hawk.

[Rodm]

I've read there iS a new smart troll system that is being introduced at the LOTSA and Grand Rapids shows. Sounds like it will be reasonably priced and more diverse / flexible in how it's deployed. I'm very interested to find out more details.

[ryno81]

I have a new Depth Raider for sale. PM me..i'll make you a fair deal.

[mriversinco]

Depth raider and sub troll both have coated cable with an antenna that goes on your downrigger. To disconnect you simply unplug the rca and leave the cable run from your display to the rigger in the boat (usually hiden). The fishhawk doesn't use the coated cable on the rigger (which is nice) but you have to have a transducer mounted to the back of the boat. To disconnect you don't need to do anything, but you still will have that transducer mounted on the boat.

They all work fine, I would say in your case it's the option of using a coated cable but when not in use the boat is clean. For the fishhawk there's no rca cable but your boat will always have that transducer mounted.

Hope this helps.

[Cork Dust]

I've read there iS a new smart troll system that is being introduced at the LOTSA and Grand Rapids shows. Sounds like it will be reasonably priced and more diverse / flexible in how it's deployed. I'm very interested to find out more details.

Intriguing, but I am suspicious.

From the illustrations, this set-up looks to have one potential major shortcoming; you have an in-line probe on each rod/reel with a knot holding this in place, and another knot added to the section from the rear of the probe to lure/meat rig/fly. Adding two more knots, to me, means two more places for a set-up to fail. If or when this system has a knot failure, it carries the potential to also lose the probe, as well as the lure, fly, bait rig and flasher(envision a charging salmon on a wire rod running on the surface accross your spread-not good!). This carries the potential to get expensive quite quickly. Now, add this set-up into a directional diver rod/lure combo. Do you run it in front of the diver? Do you run it behind the diver? Either way you add more drag on a fish when it is on, as well as lengthen the chunk of line you have hanging off the end of the rod to the fish when it comes time to net it-doable for folks with a good netting skill set, bad idea for newbies, kids, and the infrequent fisherman. These are the three potential fishing populations I would look to make life easiest when fishing salmon, since their interest and excitement carries the potential to grow the sport and participant field.

The upfront pricing has to be cheaper, since this unit carries significant potential to add expense at a rapid rate to achieve "at the bait speed and temperature accuracy". This, to me, is a major trade-off that goes in the wrong direction.

For me, all I want is to replicate my downspeed, not register it on a rod-by-basis. If I want to know how broad the temperature break band is, vertically, all I need to do is turn up the sensitivity on my FF until this water density break shows up as a band on the screen, and then read the depth band it exists at(remember, your FF integrates everything that is generating a signal return within the transducer's cone and shows this as a uniform depth reading). Using my probe to give me a single temp. at depth readout, and this technique, coupled with a good set of tables lure speed/line out/rig depth for copper, leadcore, directional divers, and wire rigs, my accuracy of depth delivery is pretty tight AND readily replicated from fish to fish.

Edited February 23, 2013 by Cork Dust
edit

[Rodm]

Cork Dust,

You have a lot more info than me. Where did you find your info and the illustrations?

[Side JOB]

the new fish hawk has depth function looks nice

[Dave.C]

Is the "smart troll system" similar to the fish hawk TD?

Is the coated cable of the DR or sub troll damaged easily? I read that the Walker dr pulley's were hard on the coated cable. I have a manual Walker and a luhr Jenson.

[SeaCatMich]

The new Torpedo system is similar to the FishHawk TD only in that it is a unit that goes on an individual rod/line. Per the posts I have seen on the forums by Torpedo Diver owner Mathew Sawrie the new system will measure speed, temp and actual depth of the probe and report this back wirelessly to the boat. The TD records only the temperature and depth each 5' as it gets deeper and must be retrieved to read the data off the TD itself.

The 4 years I used a Depth Raider I replaced the coated cable once due to its coating coming off excessively about 30' and 55' from the probe. Once those spots got in the water the readings on the unit were unpredictable at best. I used the DR on both Big Jon Captain Pack and Vector electric downriggers. I don't really think it was the pulley on either that caused the problem. Small spots where the coating comes off can be repaired with liquid electrical tape and it holds up pretty well. I too have heard that other brands do have models that have pulleys that are hard on coated cable.

Torpedo Diver also offers a cable that has a metal sheath instead of a rubber coating to insulate the center wire from the water to transmit the signal to the DR or ST antenna. It is more expensive that the rubber coated cable, but being metal it is intended to be more durable and also allow for the probe to transmit from deeper depths. (https://www.torpedodivers.com/scart/product_details.asp?ItemNum=P0010)

[Dave.C]

Thanks Ryan, I've been checking out the Torpedo uncoated cable,if I had to replace the coated I think that would be the way to go.

I found the thread about the tip ruining the cable,it was on GLA and the fella was using 20lb balls on a walker,he said using 12lb ers,no problem.

[Dave.C]

I looked up the smart troll system,it does look interesting.I'm not sure that it would be needed on every rod, but say 2 probes on the riggers may work nicely with one receiver.

[ginger]

Talked with darell from smart troll and this is what he told me about the unit it self.

· If the Probe is used in-line there are no additional knots in the line because the Probe comes hanging on a 175 lb stainless wire that passes through the eyelets. One end has a loop and the other a swivel…so you disconnect the main line and connect the loop into the swivel that is already on the main line and you connect the leader line (diver…or Jet…etc) onto the swivel that is on the back end of the Probe.

· Torpedo Divers is in the process of making snap-swivels that clip around the line with a rubber insert that squeezes the line. With that…the Smart Troll Probe can be clipped anywhere along the length of the line. Similar to how a Torpedo Diver might be attached but even more secure.

· If some are really worried about losing a Probe then they could use them ONLY on a downrigger cable (similar to how other systems are used). The advantage is that the Probe is far smaller so it has much less blow-back and you could use up to 6 different Probes on 6 different downriggers all at the same time.

· The Probe is only ½” diameter and less than 4” long so the drag and length of line it adds to the setup is almost negligible

Tony

[Eyefull]

I have got an older generation Fish Hawk head unit that is in great working condition that I would take any reasonable offer for if you want to start out with something cheap to see what it can do for you. I am not even sure what you would need to go along with it to get working (probe?).

[RedRider]

jcjuhnke

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Price adjustment for quick sale $225.

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this is for a 3yr old sub troll found on glangler site

[[email protected]]

Am interested in Sub Troll 900 Tell me what to do. I live in Waterford MI.

[[email protected]]

Am interested in Sub-Troll 900 Tell me what to do. I live in Waterford MI.

[[email protected]]

call me at 248 390 4012 Terrible on computer

[Dave.C]

Hey Tony,

Thanks for the offer,by looking at the fish hawk website I would almost be at the price of a new unit if what you have is the 840.

[Dave.C]

Does anyone have a Depth Raider they are looking to sell?I figure with the GR fishing show on someone will have upgraded.

Thanks

[BigWater]

Save your money and buy a Fish Hawk X4.

of for around $150 get the Fish Hawk TD

[prop nut]

we sell 5/1 x4 fish hawks over the rest

seems to a great unit no coated cable to replace no antenna to go bad

[1mainiac]

I got to spend a hour with the guys from Smart Troll today pretty cool product. I honestly think I would go with the Fish Hawk X4D for what I do however I and several others here are not on the same learning curve as others. The reason I say that is I am pretty comfortable in my program. However many would greatly benefit from the extra data it could provide. So in that I am gonna stay more old school and fish to my strengths rather than chase new toys. So I won't have a talking fish finder or be checking my phone to see what my lures are doing.