hunthard

Trolling at 5.5 to 6 knots. can you run a z-wing off a down rigger or is it too much pressure. Do you have to have a rod setup or can the down rigger handle a z-wing. Anyone pulling anything else off a down rigger besides a z-wing that will get a lure down 30 to 5ft at those speeds without a ton of scope?

krabill

Those things hold a ton of pressure, I would not put one on there.

toristoy

I run one off stern cleat with 400lb mono.send line down with paper clips/rubber band, binder rings/rubber bands, double ended swivel snaps/rubber bands

Flying Bajan

This. Seen them bend the shit out of even the short 2' Penn 600 series downrigger booms.

Lone Ono

I haven’t been able to find any rigging that can handle the force. First time I bounce over a couple waves they get slack, and then break the rigging on the way up. I tried a bungee cord snubber but still ripped the mainline free.

Curious to hear if they can be rigged with wave action in play. Too expensive for trial and error.

Ray KSUSA3

I run a Z-Wing 150 from a Canon Mag10STX with stainless base. I keep the boom at the shortest length, use 150lb solid PowerPro and have run up to about 8mph although usually I'm trolling around 5mph for Bluefin. I haven't broken anything yet, but the pressure is unnerving and have to slow down to retrieve the wing. If you're really only going to run 5-6kts you might be ok. But I think for higher speeds a planer rod and Old Salty is the way to go.

patfishhi

When we run one, this is how we do it; not too often though.

bobbysea

Tried it for a while and it was scary, didnt' know what was going to happen first. The boom on the downrigger was goin to bend or break or it was goin to rip the downrigger,downrigger pad and covering board it was attached to right out

Bucklene

I run one every time out off of the stern cleat. Many charter boats in my area run this setup too.

BigWednesday

I've had it snap 400lb coming off a wave... I wouldn't put one on the downrigger.

TiburonOfTampaBay

we used some on the downriggers for slow live bait trolling for kings and they worked great, but never tried over 2-3 mph

Flying Bajan

Mine has 600lb mono on it. Triple crimped with mono twisted between crimps and stainless thimbles in the end loops (one end to Z wing and one end to 3 ft of 1/4" nylon rope that gets cleated off to stern cleat.

I've run it up to 8 knots trolling for wahoo in some big seas, which often means surfing down swells at 10-12. The pressure this thing generates is crazy.

Run one off a downrigger in anything other than relatively calms sea and you may be in a world of hurt.

Popped off one or two before settling on this rigging. not lost one since.

Nice thing about them is that when you slow down to fight or gaff a wahoo, they go almost vertically down, so haven't had the need to retrieve it until the end of the day. Would not pull one where marlin or any other fish that require aggressive boat maneuvering or backing down is a possibility.

Flying Bajan

Buddy of mine had one rip his downrigger off the covering board. It happens. Granted, he did not have a backing plate under the downrigger, just washers.

tunaack

We usually troll ours off an 80 blank deep drop rod with a LP with a top shot of 200 braid. When you have a LP might as well get as many uses as you can out of it...
Put the rod in a slanted no swivel rod holder

Rapchizzle

I use 600 lb cable and run it off the stern cleat

WPBTH

Lots of pressure, broke a rod holder first time I used one. Gave up after a few tries

tiereta

Here is how I have always run a Z wing, never had issues with it breaking off. It gets run from the stern cleat.

raysmith

I fished with some friends in BVI and this is how they rigged them

trejsic.mejsic

Here is a link, fast forward to 14:40

Florida Sport Fishing | Journal. Online. Television.

I have the yellow z wings, made for slightly faster trolling.

I run them on 200 lb. test braid at about 5-6 mph if trolling Rapalas, or similar. Also will slow troll live bait, at .5 to 2 mph depending on conditions. I run it off the stern cleats, as I no longer have my downriggers.

Additionally, I no longer use the line pinch release attached to the wing, but use shower curtain rings that slide down the z-wing line; my main line is attached to the shower curtain rings by rubber band.

I have only fished this in calm seas, I avoid using it if it is questionable. As mentioned, it puts out some attention-getting pressure, but you get used to it.

When a fish hits the bait or lure the rubber band breaks and my main line is free of the wing. I leave the wing straight down, turning the boat slightly to the side the wing is cleated to (only run one wing at a time). Fish in the box, then re-bait with a new shower curtain ring/rubber band - boom, down she goes.

Good luck, hope this was useful to someone. I need to get this dialed in for grouper, as I have had no luck yet in that department.

Cheers, T.

Lone Ono

What maximum depth does anyone think they can get with a wing?