On-the-Water Review of the Shuttle Hawk for Kayak Angling: Rocky from Wild Edge Outdoors is no stranger to kayak fishing innovation, but his recent on-the-water review of the Shuttle Hawk downrigger release system offers a candid, practical look at how this device performs for kayak anglers—and what lessons he learned along the way.
The Shuttle Hawk is an accessory for downriggers designed to allow anglers to run multiple lines at different depths without repeatedly cranking the downrigger weight up and down. When a fish strikes, the Shuttle Hawk is released and “shuttles” itself back to the surface, ready for another deployment.
Setup and First Impressions
Rocky rigged his Hobie Outback kayak with two downriggers—one with braided line and one with steel cable—to test the Shuttle Hawk in real-world conditions. The setup process required attaching a line stopper about 10 feet above the lure and threading the mainline through the Shuttle Hawk’s release mechanism. While the instructions were straightforward, Rocky noted the process was a bit fiddly, especially with goopy hands from bait scent and the limited space typical of kayak cockpits.
Performance on the Water
Fishing Results and Practical Observations
Rocky’s session was filled with the usual unpredictability of kayak fishing: tangled lines, clumps of weeds, and the challenge of managing multiple rods in a confined space. He noted that the Shuttle Hawk, while potentially useful on larger boats, added complexity and drag on a kayak—particularly with braided line. The device’s effectiveness was also speed-dependent, requiring higher trolling speeds to function properly, which may not align with the optimal speeds for targeting certain species like kokanee or lake trout.
Final Verdict
Rocky’s honest review highlights the Shuttle Hawk’s potential for kayak anglers—but only under the right conditions. For those using steel cable downriggers and seeking to maximize their multi-line trolling efficiency, it’s a worthwhile tool. However, for kayak setups, with braided line or limited space, the Shuttle Hawk may not perform optimally.
“Shuttle Hawk with braided line doesn’t come up very well, but if you’ve got steel line on your downrigger, it works very well—comes right up to the surface, very easy to grab.” — Rocky, Wild Edge Outdoors
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