No reason why you couldn't - BUT - and its a big BUT you'd want to be careful the downrigger ball did not get snagged on the bottom or it might make some mess to the fixing point or potentially be dangerous given the breaking strain of the cable may not give easily.

For that reason I would not consider it worth it. Dropping a bait/livebait down on the release clip to midwater depth is more viable.

Dropping down deepdiver lures off the release clip also viable as you don't need the downrigger weight to go near the bottom as the lure will dive below the weight and be near the bottom with weight above it

Plus that a pretty expensive sinker if you lose it.

 Still trying to get the knack of it, but yes they do work. Just go slow like about 1or 2 knots and keep an eye on the sounder. I tend to stick to ground where I know what's down below so I don't lose the bomb.

Yeah, Ivbeen meaning to get a rigger for ages, will do one day, much likey my desire to get an electric bow mount motor for holdin posy out wide, gadgets to make fishing easier amd more productive. Iv been lookin and the latest and greatest cannon can track the bottom and adjust accordingly as you troll and can have multiple weights off one rigger. I love how my mate's cannon will retrieve the ball at a press of a button once you have a strike

could always replace the cable with 80lb mono or something, and replace the lead ball weight with a brick!!

I have used the idea of having a down rigger to get my lure/bait down deep attached to the down rigger weight by a release clip.

What I use is a down rigger weight shaped like a torpedo with cross fins at the back and a release clip attached to the centre of the cross fins. Torpedo is 30 cm long 4cm in diam. Fins are aluminium and bent to ensure smooth trail of torpedo at 4-6 knts

The weight is attached to the down rigger wire by a metre of 40kg mono line to facilitate break off of weight if it snags (down rigger wire is 150 kg breaking strain).

The leader (mono 50 kg) is 10 metres long and held at the join to the main line (braid) in the release clip.

On hook up leader/main line is pulled from release clip, hit the up button on the down rigger (home made using alvey reel and 12 v motor).

The torpedo comes up quickly and is out of the way, the only thing you have on the end of your line is whatever took your bait/lure.

I don't have an electric reel so I either pull up what took the bait/lure or just bare hooks with no weight.

It's all to easy go for it.

Hi

Thanks for the comments. I reckon I will get a unit. Was thinking the SCotty 1050 manual. Any opinions on this unit

Cheers

 Got mine from the downrigger shop, all ally and stainless construction and came loaded with 200lb braid,line counter bomb and release clips etc. took about a week to arrive. I just haven't worked out how to get stuff that I order to arrive when the missus is at work.