Shuttle Hawk Advice

[Trophy Specialist]

I'm looking for advice on anybody that has used the Shuttle Hawk device.

I've used stackers in the distant past, but had problems setting lines and had them snag in the downrigger when bringing the ball up and have not used them for years.

I hate sliders. Water Fleas make them a real pain. They tangle while netting fish, and the hookup percentage is not all that good, even with fixed sliders. I've tried the Elberta Clippers and did not like them at all. I've tried seveal methods of fixed sliders and have had problems with all of them. I still use fixed and free sliders most days, but I'm looking for something better.

[Trophy Specialist]

I got a pair of Shuttle Hawks and have used them every day for the last week. Out of the box they come with a release that must be adjusted by a small screw to the diameter of the line being used. I messed around with the release and set it at the maximum release tension, but even at that setting, it would release at only 2-3 lbs. of pull. IMHO, the release is not adequate for salmon, but would be OK for walleyes. When fishing for salmon less than 60’ down, I like a 8 lbs. release and below that, I prefer a 10 lbs release. So, I replaced the supplied release with a home made release that was set to pop at 8 lbs. When I first tried the Shuttle Hawk, it went down very quick and I just used the automatic shut off magnet on my cable, which is about 8’ above my ball, as a stopper for the hawk to slide down to. I could also watch either my line counter on my reel or better yet the sonar, which tracked the Shuttle Hawk like a cannon ball, and I could stop the device anywhere above the stopper. I could also load up the rod as much as I wanted and it never moved upward and I never had a false release. When I had a release, the Shuttle Hawk came up very slow though taking several minutes to come up just 30-40’. My releases are kind of bulky, so maybe they were causing some resistance on the device and changing the planning angle due to the increased drag. So, I added a ¾ oz. rubber core sinker to the release leader up close to the release. My theory was that the added weight would pull the release downward after it released and cause the planning angle to improve. It worked like a charm and I timed it and it took just 10 seconds to come up 40’. I never tested it below 50’ down, but I see no reason why it would not work down very deep. So, my assessment of this product is that it is very useful, but only with a weighted replacement release. This product would be especially great for people that use manual riggers. You could lower the ball down to the desired depth and not have to bring it back up again until the end of trip saving a lot of cranking. It is the best “stacking” method I’ve ever used. When I used the devices I only had to run two riggers and I think that increased my hit rate on the riggers, probably due to more stealth from the reduced cables and balls running through the water. All I know is that we caught lots of fish on them, more than any other boats in the port that I heard of the last few days.