What are your opinions about what length offers the best sensitivity for shaker detection while trolling?

I prefer longer lengths (48" to 56") to make setting easier, but since I have purchased or made longer release lines I think the ability to sense a shaker has decreased. When I used to use 12 to 18", I felt like I could see them better.

Anyone have similar or differing opinions?

I detest dragging shakers around for any period of time, so anything we can do to release them ASAP should be discussed and practiced.

I fish 48" releases and keep alot of tension on the rod. I can immediately detect the unwanted shaker presence on the other end.

Another factor is the rod specification. Stiffer isn't always better.

Good Luck,

Big_Daddy

I usually like longer release lines, but I have been using some 18" releases that came with my new downrigger this weekend. Never thought about the shaker issue, but now that you brought it up we were able to detect the couple we caught.

For safety reasons, I'd say stick with the longer ones...

If your fishing mono, detection should not be too much of a problem unless there is some chop on the water and the boat is rolling. There's plenty of stretch in mono so crank'er down, but leave some play.

Super braid... I would just back off a little.

What type of rods you running? This definitely could be a factor.

I like the 18" releases. But then again I have a small boat and it is easier for me to grab the shorter releases without falling out of the boat.

I like the longer releases. I have used both and the longer ones are easier to attach to your line and easier to get out of the water. I haven't noticed a difference with shakers with the different clips but i sure have seen a difference with different rods. Stiffer rods are much harder to detect.

I am using a custom 10'6" 1264 made by NCR that loads up really nice, & I usually have my rod tips about 1-2 feet off the water surface. I would say that I know when I have a shaker on 80% of the time.

My question was really to obtain all of your opinions about what length release do you think works best and if the length makes any difference?

I like the short 18" releases, I add one of those metal planers (16") and I need to tip the downrigger only 1/2 way up or so to grab the release.

The shorter release defintely lets you see the action better.

Love those NCR DR1264! Great choice btw...

Me says the longer the release leash, the easier it is to detect shakers.

I make mine out of weedeater line.

I prefer using 24" -48" lengths on my releases, depending on what kind of mood I'm in. As far as Shaker detection goes I too will side with the "It's the rod camp"

It might depend on what you use for a release. I use 48" of Berkley Steelon nylon coated 120 pound wire and I don't have a problem detecting shakers.

OK, look at it this way:

You have two forces pulling on the release while trolling. Above is the load of the rod and the water drag on the line. Below is the water drag of the bait (and attractor). The d'rigger release line is angled up at probably about 65 degrees. A pull on the bait yanks the release downward. With a short leash, you see very little movement at the rod. The longer the release, the more movement. To exaggerate, picture a 1" leash compared to a 6' leash. If the release is yanked down from 65 degrees to 35 degrees, the short leash moves about 1/4" where the 5' leash moves about 2' down.

Eh?

I use a long release, 5 feet total (4 feet of nylon seine twine and a foot of coated steel wire that comes with the Offshore Heavy), but I also use a sensitive slow action graphite rod and Power Pro line. This stuff has no streatch and so telegraphs everything, and I can tell if I have a shaker, or even snag a squid, no prob. I do agree with the long leash/long movement theory, but that's not why I use a long release, it's pretty much for the dual purposes of safety and keeping my lure off the bottom when I ring the dinner bell with the ball.

Now the other DR fishing I do a lot of is for kokanee, and for that I use a short release with the Offshore Light, and 2 pound diameter power pro on a 3 weight soft glass fly rod. I use a 12 inch snubber to connect my release to the ball for this work, because kokes have paper thin mouths and pretty much tear themselves off the hooks before they pull the line off the release unless they are big ones or hit it going away. I use a light 6 inch snubber between the line and the flasher too - even with that soft glass rod kokes can jump around, get violent, and get off. I used this similar release setup for sockeye this year and had an excellent bite to hook up ratio.