Scotty Downrigger Problem

Sounds like the auto stop is not fully tripping the switch. Check that the switch is tripping to the full off position, if not check the Stopper on the line and check for sea weed in the gate passage. If it is fully tripping, the prox switch has a problem; take it in for repair, Scotties all have a lifetime warranty.

I do not think it is not the auto stoppers, it is either the switch it self or the connection wires. Some times the switch is connected ussing butt connectors which corode if they are not sealed, try to check that conection.

Talked to John at Johns sporting goods and he said it could be the switch and to bring them up being they would be covered by warranty.
You got to love Scotty's warranty

Two downrigger balls at $40 each....... wire break? :x :x

Shouldn't the clutch release or something else give before the cable breaks and you lose all the hardware?

Buy a Penn DR, they are bullet proof.

The reason it will jerk up 3-4 times/minute is that the switch is not turning off. What makes it jerk is there is an auto-reset breaker in there that trips when it jerks up; once it cools off and resets, it jerks up again and trips. I have seen this happen when the auto-stop bead slides on the wire but there can be other causes as well.

You might try a little dielectric grease at your plug-in. Mine used to do the same thing because the connection at the socket was weak. Hope this helps, T

it does sound like your switch is sticking or the auto stop did not trip. take them to tom at auburn sports. usually a one day turnaround.

If you lost downrigger balls that easy you must be using those Scotty plastic downrigger clips. Throw them out if you are, and get the big snap swivel kind, and set the clutch on the downriggers. I havn't lost a ball since i switched over. (knocks on wood) I even snagged submerged pile of something near the Red container cranes last summer, and the clutch released cable like it should, i yarded the other lines in real fast. Then gave a little slack on the down rigger, and slowly back straight back where i had come from. The ball came undone. If i had been using those plastic clips, i would have lost that one.


My intermitant problems have been related to those craptacular Bosch/Hella 12v plugs. They suck, and must be change out for something else.

Good luck.

I have them up at Johns and he is going thru them. I did try those plastic snaps you are talking about a couple years ago and did not like them.
At the time I lost the balls I was using the original style clip that uses crimps to secure it to the cable but have since changed again over to the Cannon style clips with shmano ball bearing snaps that do not require any crimps.

Mike

You do know scotty rebuilds your downrigger for free for life. Take it into Tom at auburn sports and he will have it done for you in two days. He replaced my pulley on the end, brake shoes, brake plate and cleaned the entire unit for free. Mine are 8 years old too.

Just picked up my downriggers from john of Johns sporting goods today. I asked what he found wrong with them and he said it takes to much time to go thru them so he just replaces everything so they are like new and the pest part is "NO Charge". You got to love owning Scotty Downriggers"

Mike