downrigger mount on tower rod holder

[Ray88]

HI, I have ar190 and thinking about mount a downrigger for salmon trolling. one solution is install a flush mount rod holder and put downrigger in on a gimbal mount. Another solution not sure if it works is have a solid clamp mount rod holder on the tower and put the downrigger there through gimbal mount. the second solution kinda appealing as it doesn't require drill big hold. I wonder any suggest there and any body did similar thing and what is the experience so far.

thank you

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

HI, I have ar190 and thinking about mount a downrigger for salmon trolling. one solution is install a flush mount rod holder and put downrigger in on a gimbal mount. Another solution not sure if it works is have a solid clamp mount rod holder on the tower and put the downrigger there through gimbal mount. the second solution kinda appealing as it doesn't require drill big hold. I wonder any suggest there and any body did similar thing and what is the experience so far.

thank you

My suggestion would be to add a 30° rod holder on each cap rail so you could put a down rigger on either side, or run two down riggers. While I did not look reeeeely hard I could not find a zero degree “gimbal” mount, only those made for the 30° rod holders. I get not wanting to drill a big hole in the cap rail, but it seems like using a clamp on rod holder on the tower would be difficult to use. Maybe you could drill an even bigger hole and put in a combo drink holder / rod holder so it would be functional all the time?

 

[zipper]

I agree with @FSH 210 Sport on adding rod holders in the gunnel. They can hold a downrigger, a rod with dipsy divers and even a grill to catch and cook on the water. We use a rod holder to mount a grill on our sailboat. I mounted downriggers on swivel bases on the gunnel of our Whaler.