Using The Downrigger; Controlling The Magnum Tm And Magnum Tm Ts; Positive Ion Control - Cannon MAGNUM 5 Owner's Manual

Electric downriggers

Table of Contents

CONTROLLING THE MAGNUM

Understanding the features the Magnum and Magnum TS provide to your fishing experience will greatly affect the benefit the downrigger

provides. Become familiar with how to control the downrigger to control the product to enhance your fishing. This section of the manual

will explain the following features:

• Positive Ion Control

• Short Stop

POSITIVE ION CONTROL

Your boat has a natural electrical charge around the hull when it sits in the water. If a boat is properly grounded and has a

proper zinc anode, that charge should be slightly positive when measured from the motor or lead ground to the downrigger

line. Because of the composite construction of the Magnum and Magnum TS downrigger frame, the downrigger is

insulated from your boat's hull charge. The downrigger line will only conduct a charge when it is stainless steel and will

not hold a charge when the line is mono-filament or braided. When a stainless steel downrigger line is lowered into the

water, the natural ionization between the line and the boat creates a positive charge of 0.7 to 0.9 volts in saltwater and 0.3 to 0.6 volts

in fresh water. This natural voltage is dependent upon salinity and mineral content of the water and the actual voltage may vary. It will

also only work correctly when the boat is properly grounded.

The practice of setting up and maintaining a slight positive charge

on fishing gear has been used by commercial fishermen for many

years and has enabled some fisherman to increase yield when

used along with other good fishing and boating practices. Positive

Ion Control (PIC) is the use of electricity to control the charge on

the downrigger line and its fluctuation so that it is always maintained at a specified set voltage. Cannon's electric downriggers offer

fishermen a big advantage in being able to stabilize and control the positive charge around their boat with the PIC system.

The Positive Ion Control system applies a charge between 0.6 and 0.8 volts DC on the downrigger line at all times. The PIC system

applies the voltage to the downrigger line and not the fishing line from the fishing rod. The two lines are tied together while fishing

with a downrigger by a Line Release. Positive Ion Control is very effective when trolling. A zone of attraction will be created by the

downrigger line with PIC applied to attract fish. Placing the lure in the zone of attraction will allow the operator to use PIC to their

advantage when fishing. The distance between the end of the fishing line where the lure is placed and the spot on the fishing line where

the Line Release is secured is called the Drop Back. It is best to use a short Drop Back between the downrigger Line Release and the

lure so that the electrical charge from the PIC circuit is close to the lure. Drop Backs of 10 to 20 ft. are typical. A Drop Back of 50 to

100 ft. will entirely negate the effects of the PIC circuit.

Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc.