I'm getting ready to buy a black box. Has anyone out there used the Pro-Troll black Box?
When you go to Pro trolls website and click on the Black box, it takes you to Cabela's site. Looks like Cabela's is one of the companies that is selling it.
I went to Sportco in Fife and they are back ordered. Wondering if they also have the Cabela's logo on them?
Another thing I noticed on the Pro Troll website is they say that they used to make them for Scotty Downriggers.
I have an oppurtunity to buy a Scotty black box for $190 or order the one from Cabela's for $99
Any suggestions out there.

I ordered mine from cabelas and it works like a charm. Don't waste your money on the scotty one for $190.00. $99.00 is a bargin!! Hope this helps.

I bought mine at Outdoor Emporium for $99, it has the Pro-Troll logo on it not the Cabela's logo.

Damon

DD,

You already know my thoughts...

Just curious from the other board members:
Are the sleeves "spring coil" in appearance on the pro troll model? Also, is there a pulse mode on these units?

Those spring coils don't look very inviting to me. Could spell wasted fishing time... I dunno.

Downriggin'

I have always wondered if you were t o use 150# test braided line instead of stainless for your downrigger ball (wt), would you still have the need for a black box? Wouldn't that eliminate the electrical field?

Peri,

No it would not stop the electric field. If you have any metal in the water you are greating some sort of field. How much depends on several factors. It might cut down the amount by using the 150#. I know the commericial guy will spend big bucks to track down and Isolate the problem. Granted they have more to gain and a much harder job then a rec boater.

MJ

DD,
I bought and am using the Pro-Troll Black Box (from Cabela's) and yes it has the Cabela's name on it. The ones I've seen locally have the Pro-Troll name on them.

So far it works great and although I only have limited time on my boat and with my Black Box I have seen a noticeable difference in the number of fish I've hooked into since adding the box. However, I don't have the pulse mode which may be a usefull feature. The coil contacts haven't caused me any problems.

Peri,
MJ is right, however you wouldn't have any electrolysis between a stainless steel cable and other metal components on the boat. You also wouldn't have any electrical current coming off your downrigger wire 100 feet down either which may or may not be good depending on whether the fish are attracted or repelled by that current.

Based on my fishing experience before and after installing the Black Box its definitely worth the $99.

JMS

Any one know a link for Cabelas? I think I need a black box (just bought a new 'rigger for my boat).

Here you go...

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templa...rentId=cat16000 5&parentType=index&rid=

Easy,

Why not just drive to Outdoor Emporium? They had them for sale for $99 my last visit there.

Pulse mode has saved the day numerous times for me....

Downriggin'

Do I need a black box with an aluminum boat?

Thanks in advance,
Herm

Thanks Zen, I will check it out.

You going to have polarity regardless of the depth- it is natural with dissimiliar metals on the boat. The polarity works for or against you from the electrical current(s) from the boat.

There are some folks that use parachute cord between the snap and the ball. However, you will not need to use parachute cord if the ball is cast iron or coated. Breaking connectivity should be the first order of business, Use a plastic snap if you are using lead balls. A lead ball is going to add current to your wires if you are running straight to the wire with a stainless snap.

The second thing you'll want to do is Fluke your boat. Drop the ball down a few feet in the wire and check the current. Ideally, you're running between .7 and .9 volt naturally. A step by step check can be found at SCOTTYUSA.com.

Recommended currents for Kings is .600V. However, I am running roughly .680 to .700 for 140' to 170'. Pulse mode shoots me up to .750 (natural polarity). On a slow morning, switching to pulse will usually put onto a fish.

Downriggin'

Very interesting DR. This is all new to me. I have used 'riggers before and caught fish. I have a new electric start motor and a new downrigger setup. Sounds like a black box only improves catch rates. A worth while investment.

Alum or glass.... I firmly believe an aluminum boat will out fish a glass boat any day.

Polarity only effects you if you are running wires- meatlining or 'riggers. It all depends on how you fish and the boat' natural polarity. However, getting polarity below .7 means there is a ground somewhere on the boat.

Check out scottyusa.com- tons of info there.

Downriggin'

So, is .700 where you want to be?

Hey Easy,
According to Dick Pool's Downrigger book somewhere between 0.6 and 0.7 is ideal for salmon although it differs by type of salmon. I think the natural electrical current generated by the reaction of your zincs with the stainless wire is somewhere around 7 or 7.2. If you have a grounding problem you could have charge of less than this or even negative. My boat was "hot" before I added the box and ran somewhere around 8.9 on the electric meter. Most the people I talked to thought this was probably scaring fish away instead of attracting them.
JMS

Interesting! I will have to buy a volt meter this weekend and check. My boat is a fairly new ('00) aluminum.

The units sold by scotty are a 20 year unchanged design. I mean tubes and relays. the new units are made by the same company only for the 21st century. by using computer boards and prosessers they have lowered the price in half, cut the size in half and and made a better unit. I can't wait to get one. I have fished in lakes with the old units and the units that come on the cannon down riggers dig -a -trolls and they make a huge differance. some times if the fish are really on the cable they will not see your lure 10 ft behind the ball but will put their nose on the wire and follow that around.

Its all about the difference in nobility of the disemilar metals in the water. SS has a nobility of .24, Zinc is 1.04. Subtract the SS noblility from the Zincs and you end up with .8V positive. The Scotty manual that came with my BB sez that your boat naturally (without the BB's influence) should be somewhere between .7 and .9 V positive. The box will adjust it from there. Above .9 and you are "hot" and have a direct short to the hull, you then have to do a step by step process to find the culprit. Battery switches, ground points, etc. Below .7V and you do not have enough zincs or your zincs are not clean, always clean them with a SS brush prior to fishing in the salt. If that does not work you will need to add zincs. The old Glasspar that we had always was in the range with clean zincs, our newer sled w/pump does not always read above .7V when you turn the box on (the box checks the natural current for the first 10 seconds or so). I have added more zincs, but I think that the pump impellor sleeve (which is one large piece of aluminum and the nobility is .71) may have an effect on this. Another thing that is recommended that I do not see many folks do is to make sure that your trolling motor is also grounded with the rest of the system, for thoses folks with electric start that has already happened. For those with pull strat motors you need to connect the trolling motor to the main motor with a wire to ground it.
Interesting enough when I typed in the Scotty USA website it is under construction and the Pro-Troll is there instead, sounds like maybe they have broken off with Scotty of Canada and forged out on thier own, it does have the Cabelas label on the unit shown in the pic. Here is the link http://www.protroll.com/blkbox.html I have had a BB for a few years and I am convinced that they work. You really will not see a difference when the fishing is good and everyone is catching, I think they pay off when it is scratch fishing and it just gives you an added edge.
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff

Thanks Jeff. I was just reading the info on that site. Very interesting stuff. Who would da thunk it? Catching more fish through science.

Wow! What an awesome respones and some interesting posts about this subject. This absolutely convinces me that my wife...Whoops! Santa Clause is going to have to get me that for Christmas...Sheesh! I hate knowing what I'm getting....

Well, I went and bought one from Cabelas. I figure it will be a $100 experiment for Christmas.

I am just a sucker for new toys!

I usually run below the suggested numbers. For big kings, I like .530 and big silvers I run 600-645. This could be my boat. I run a 20' Trophy. I have the quick disconnects in the Scotty BBox line. Keep plenty of corrosion resistant oil on these and keep your battery terminals clean. Corrosion in these wires can do funny things. I keep a digital voltmeter on board. The .530 yielded a 40#+ king at westport this year. The lower numbers also seem to increase the size of blackmouth too. The begining of the year in the south sound I was not getting any fish. At the end of the day I checked the voltage. It had jumped to .9. Unplugged the BB wires and got fish on. I had the wiring go bad under the boat. Replaced the wiring and was back in business