Abstract: A downrigger fishing system (14, 24, 36, 48) and a releasable connection in which a rudder plate (24) has a finger (50) in a rearward position and an eye member (74) is engaged with a fishing line (68), the eye member having a forward eye (86, 114) bounded at its front by a bight portion (104, 122) which is loosely fitted within a slot (60) forwardly of the finger (50). The bight portion (104, 122) has a rearwardly directed inner surface which makes substantially a point contact (106) with the forward edge (56) of the finger. The rudder plate (24) has connector means at its upper (28, 30, 32) and lower (40, 42, 44) ends that provide for selective engagements with upper (14) and lower (36) lines of the downrigger to vary the ease of disengagement of the eye conductor (74) from the finger (50) for situations where ambient conditions require greater or easier release of the eye connector from the finger.