Gator
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Post by Gator on May 28, 2014 8:16:32 GMT -5
Well my boat has been in the shop the last week and a half. Since I am not fishing I have decided to spend some money and bought a downrigger for the boat. Got a Cannon Easi-Troll ST manual downrigger. Anyone else use a downrigger set up on this forum? If so, do you stack rods or just use one. If you are stacking what works the best for you. My primary target species will be walleye down at philpott.
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Post by getlinewet on May 28, 2014 9:05:20 GMT -5
Gator:
I used to fish Lake Erie (walleye and steelheads) and Lake Ontario (king salmon, lake trout, steelheads) with a friend who had a nice Boston Whaler. He had 2 electric downriggers on the back of the boat, one per side. He used one rod per downrigger. They work great at putting the bait at the exact depth you want them to be in.
You have to move fast when the downrigger goes off. When a fish gets on the rod will snap back to the untensioned position and the key is to tighten the line as quickly as possible so the fish doesn't get off.
I've thought about getting one for my boat but I'm not sure SML is conducive to using those contraptions.
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johnr
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Post by johnr on May 28, 2014 9:17:51 GMT -5
I don't have a lot of downrigger experience, but I have used them. To me, stacking would be too much work and too large of a tangle risk. I don't think I would like resetting 2 rods for every fish caught. I once fished multiple rods and boards at the 'Pott, but found that I was much more efficient with one rod. Sometimes simpler is better. If you are in the zone with your rigger, I think 2 separate setups could keep you quite busy. I have to ask, why not utilize leadcore for those walleyes? I've been running lead down there for a number of years with very good success, and haven't had a situation where I needed to go downrigger deep to catch em. That said, I do have a set of downriggers on my wish list.  Until last year, leadcore was my go-to down there. Now I bottom bounce or something similar 90% of the time, and jig spoons the rest of the time. |
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Gator
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Post by Gator on May 28, 2014 10:06:08 GMT -5
I don't have a lot of downrigger experience, but I have used them. To me, stacking would be too much work and too large of a tangle risk. I don't think I would like resetting 2 rods for every fish caught. I once fished multiple rods and boards at the 'Pott, but found that I was much more efficient with one rod. Sometimes simpler is better. If you are in the zone with your rigger, I think 2 separate setups could keep you quite busy. I have to ask, why not utilize leadcore for those walleyes? I've been running lead down there for a number of years with very good success, and haven't had a situation where I needed to go downrigger deep to catch em. That said, I do have a set of downriggers on my wish list. Until last year, leadcore was my go-to down there. Now I bottom bounce or something similar 90% of the time, and jig spoons the rest of the time. I have used lead and copper before and it is not as exact as the downrigger. When I can mark the suspended fish @ certain depth I can get a crankbait down much easier with a rigger opposed to lead or copper. I like to bottom bounce with a 3way too. I have stacked as many as 3 on a rigger out in the ocean and it can get a bit ugly when you hit a school of dolphin. But it sure is fun. Getlinewet, I know a few guys that use them on SML with success. Just have to know the depths you are fishing. |
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johnr
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Post by johnr on May 28, 2014 10:32:50 GMT -5
True about the exact depths, which is the main reason why a downrigger is on my wish list.
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Post by getlinewet on May 28, 2014 13:25:43 GMT -5
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Gator
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Post by Gator on May 28, 2014 15:02:55 GMT -5
getlinewet, that would surely work.I think that downrigging would keep your baits much cleaner too. It would be difficult for the leaves and trash to find its way down to the lure.
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Post by getlinewet on May 28, 2014 15:52:33 GMT -5
Gator:
And boy has that been the trouble I've been having lately! I am seriously considering one. Probably works best up by the cliffs where the water is good and deep and down by the dam.
I am going to remind my wife that father's day is coming up (Of course she'll tell me I'm not her father).
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Gator
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Post by Gator on May 28, 2014 19:14:10 GMT -5
Getlinewet, she'd be correct or there would be some crazy, unspeakable things going on in your family. Lol. I face the same situation every year with my wife and Mother's Day. Not my Mom and won't give in.
I am sure I will try the rigger on Smith but it is more to target the suspended walleye. Let me know how Fathers Day goes.
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Post by getlinewet on May 28, 2014 19:36:39 GMT -5
Will do. By the way, here's another downrigger I'm looking at: www.bigjon.com/product/runabout-manual-downrigger-silverMy buddy back home used big jon electrics. Seemed very reliable. By the way, that site has a learning center that's pretty good regarding the use of these contraptions. |
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Post by maintenanceman4lif on May 29, 2014 10:47:04 GMT -5
Gator,
I use Penn Downriggers but only used once or twice at Smith. I used them alot in NC lakes I used to fish and I double up my rods to each one and then I use four leadcore lines out the middle of the boat when I used to troll. Alot of fun by yourself if you get two or three on or a big mess if you get them hung up also.
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Gator
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Post by Gator on May 29, 2014 12:48:12 GMT -5
Will do. By the way, here's another downrigger I'm looking at: www.bigjon.com/product/runabout-manual-downrigger-silverMy buddy back home used big jon electrics. Seemed very reliable. By the way, that site has a learning center that's pretty good regarding the use of these contraptions. Take a look at the Cannon products. They make a decent product too. I'm not a fan of the clamp down models. My luck it would end up in the lake. Mine will be fastened to the gunwale and have safety chain as well. Rick, it wouldn't be fishing if ya didn't have a mess once in a while!! |
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Post by maintenanceman4lif on May 30, 2014 10:47:46 GMT -5
SO TRUE Mike!
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lund1
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Post by lund1 on Jun 10, 2014 16:53:57 GMT -5
I messed around with down riggers on SML a couple years back. Had a heck of a time managing depths with all the trees. Just when you think you're on a good troll line a 40 footer would show up and hang me. I fish alone a lot and it was not easy.
One piece of advice I got which I thought was worth passing on was make sure you have a good pair of wire cutters on board. That ball gets hung hard and you'll have no choice but to "spool it"
Since then I ditched the down rigger, kept the balls and clips and just drop it down on a 20 foot rope line tied off to a stern cleat, 5 foot depth marks on it. It seems a lot easier to just pull up the rope and retie to the cleat.
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Post by getlinewet on Jul 30, 2014 22:08:42 GMT -5
OK I am really interested in downriggers now. 2 days ago, I went out on the BW with a neighbor at @ 7 am and went to my (presently) favorite spot on Bull Run. 4 boats were already there fishing. Every one of them was using downriggers. Mind you, the area (roughly BU6?) has extremely variable depths. Frankly, I watched on in amazement as these guys were pulling downriggers. We managed to yank out a couple of fish with planers and artificials, but that was it for us.
Tonight, went down to the same area and again, I saw a fellow running 2 downriggers. We talked a bit back and forth and I asked him how he was using those downriggers on a lake with such extreme depth variations. His response was it allowed him to make tighter turns.
He was a helluva nice guy...he pointed out some schooling stripers. My crappy fish finder even picked them up. Sadly, they didn't hit my redfins and we went home empty handed.
However, my interest in downriggers is definitely piqued.
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