Chum fishing drogues - Forums Archive

ericv

2011-08-02 16:05:42

I've been dipping my toe into our Sitka Sound chum fisheries and have a question regarding the sea drogues that some utilize to slow their boats down to optimal speed. Years back I purchased the largest blue drogue made by Nomar (maybe 3' to 4' diameter at the opening), in part for this fisheries but primarily as an emergency sea anchor.

My challenge is that the drogue tends to sheer around aft of the boat making it nearly impossible for my sheer boards to be deployed or retrieved without peril to entanglement. I spent a few hours trying various techniques w/o success with the following approaches: (Note, I have a 3/4" poly towing bridle that in all these attempts was secured to the port and starboard cleats and it has a centered loop for attachment of my 25 fathom shot tow line)

Attached drogue directly to towing bridle which located it roughly 20' to 25' aft.

Attached secondary line to bridle and tried towing way aft but not as far back as the sheer boards. Played extensively with this length adjustment.

Snubbed bridle so it was close-in tight to the stern, attachment loop only 2' off stern (drogue had the secondary line still attached).

Attached large orange buoy ball at connection point of drogue and bridle.

Tied 2 of them at the same spot.

Tied one buoy at connection spot, attached another onto retrieving ring on drogue allowing it to trail aft of the drogue.

I tried various speeds to see if that had any affect w/o success.

Basically had drogue roughly anywhere from 10' to 50' aft in all these configured attempts.

I never got a satisfactory set up and as it was (and unrelated) my port sheer board locking hasp had a rivet failure. It was then I discovered my spare set of flea market specials, different brand, smaller in size and carried on-board deep in the bowels of our troller for years sank with the weight of my #45 lead. I will repair my sheer board as those have doubled in price since I purchased them. It resulted in chum fishing 2 days without any floats and using gear stacked on 2 wires otherwise known as "Power Hand Trolling". Of course the drogue was not a problem then, but production was cut in half.

I see several trollers utilizing these drogues set aft with a buoy ball attached. In some cases I see two buoy balls that are attached not in line, but side to side several feet apart. In all cases they appear to be fishing their float gear just fine. I do know folks buy the smaller size drogues and place one or two per side along their hull thus avoiding this altogether. Finances restrict me from this secondary purchase and I'd appreciate any insight or words of wisdom from those seasoned fishers who drag their single, large drogues aft.

Thanks and best of luck to you all this season.

charger

2011-12-13 22:31:01

I use two drogues, one on either side. The main lines I run from my forward cleats, with breakaway straps at the drogues eye. I keep them way forward of my propeller and run a line from my midship cleat to the main line to keep the drogue from drifting under or away from the boat in turns. lastly attach the drogues release or tail line to the rail. So if I forget to pull one, when I speed up the breakaway strap will part and the tail line keeps it attached to vessel. The other place I have attached one is directly to the end of my boom, it works well there.