The depth counter on my downrigger measures the amount of cable out, not the depth of the ball (the cable is at an angle from the boat moving). Nothing new here, we've all heard this before. However, what would be new to me is a way to compensate for this. I still haven't learned of nor figured out an easy solution. Any suggestions?

PS - Purchased a solid pearl DB Smelt as mentioned by YOAdrien on page 35 the Hawkeye. Fish on, first use!

Buy Pancake weights.. 10-12 lb should work.. Cuts down the cable drag and check your speed.. Sounds like you might be trolling a little fast if you have that much drag on your cable at 35-40 ft.. Maybe down 100 feet your going to have drag but if you want to fish bottom.. My advice.. Drop the ball until it hits the bottom at 100 feet.. Look at your counter and calculate as you bring it up from there..

Jason

Most fishfinders now a days will track the ball depth for you too. Unless your going too fast them it's outside the sonar cone.

John S.

Ditto. If you can't see the ball on your sonar then you're probably going too fast for anything but smallies...maybe 'bows. At laker-salmon trolling speeds, say 0.5 - 2 mph, I see the ball no problem.

All you need to do is determine the depth from the sonar, check it against the depth shown on the rigger and come up with your own "fudge factor" for getting to the depth you want right off the reading on the rigger. No calculus involved either.

What is the cone angle for your transducer?

The fishfinder only tells you how far the fish is from the transducer. The transducer has a cone of operation, it looks down and down and out to the side of the cone. What you see for depth of the response is true but, it maybe to the side.

Read this article for more information and graphics. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Then how deep is the fish??? (page 9)
http://www.hightechfishing.com/other/Lowrance_Tutorial.pdf