Down rigger question

[Handsonthepole]

Not sure if this is the place to ask this but I have a question regarding rigging my boat up with down riggers. I have an 18ft Alumnacraft Tournament Pro with a 175 Merc on i t. I am getting tired of the same old walleye fishing I do and want to start fishing some bigger lakes primarily for lake trout. I have jigged them before but after watching a few videos I am interested in trolling. I guess any info/help would be appreciated as I don't even know where to start. I am looking for info on setting up my boat with something removable that won't empty my wallet. Do I need electric down riggers or will manual be sufficient? How many do i need? Where can I find used ones? Stuff like that! Thanks for any help!

[tunrevir]

If your going to run riggers just a few times a year then I would say manual ones are gonna be just fine. You can look on Hso classifieds, online or some of the more notable port towns around the great lakes to find used riggers or even some of the great lakes fishing boards. Chances are if you put out a call for a couple manual riggers someone will give you a shout back. I would think 2 would be just fine and if you really get into the sport then you may want to upgrade. Try the Duluth forum first and see if anyone has a couple they'd like to part with.

Tunrevir~

[maxpower117]

Not sure if this is the place to ask this but I have a question regarding rigging my boat up with down riggers. I have an 18ft Alumnacraft Tournament Pro with a 175 Merc on i t. I am getting tired of the same old walleye fishing I do and want to start fishing some bigger lakes primarily for lake trout. I have jigged them before but after watching a few videos I am interested in trolling. I guess any info/help would be appreciated as I don't even know where to start. I am looking for info on setting up my boat with something removable that won't empty my wallet. Do I need electric down riggers or will manual be sufficient? How many do i need? Where can I find used ones? Stuff like that! Thanks for any help!

Let me be the first to say, you don't need them. Dipseys and lead core can do the job just fine. I'd only get them if you plan on trolling with 6 lines or more or deeper than 100' down. Lead core can probably get to about 100' with snap weights.

[tacklejunkie]

[Let me be the first to say, you don't need them. Dipseys and lead core can do the job just fine. I'd only get them if you plan on trolling with 6 lines or more or deeper than 100' down. Lead core can probably get to about 100' with snap weights.

+1

And it will be easier on the budget

[graf703]

I bought a really great cheap setup on a common classified HSOforum last year. It came with a 2x6 mounting board, 4 downriggers with removable mounts, and weights. We were able to go to Lake Michigan and catch fish while also running some dipsy rods. from other rod holders. I paid $200.

The board is elevated off the gunwales and secured with a ratchet strap stretched between two cleats. You'd never know what was on there once you get it off.

I'm not super familiar with trout, but the only lines we caught fish on were 100' of line out.

[seasock]

That right, it's cheap and like most on this sight I too believe cheaper is always better. I found a good way to side step those expensive depth finders, I take a one pound ball of lead that I found while searching the dump and tied on a couple hundred feet of used fishing line that was to be thrown away at the sporting goods store and mark it every 4 feet so I can tell what depth I am fishing. With the extra line from the sporting good store trash can I was able to use it on my homemade fishing rods. To make a fishin rod get some broken fibreglass tent poles and jam one end into a piece of wooden closet rod, cover the wood with foam pipe wrap and drive a couple nails, (bent ones will work) into the wood and wind the line around it.

I have lots of solutions and neat ways to keep from spending money needlessly on equipment and still be successful on the water.

[ReelTimes]

If price isn't a big issue I would get a couple DRs. I run copper, lead core, and dipseys too but down riggers have their place. You can quickly and easily change depths and I personally prefer catching fish off those rods vs my lead core or copper. I have 4 DRs on my Lund but usually only run 2 except late in summer when bottom bouncing. for occasional big lake fishing, manual will be fine. Big lake fishing has a way of growing on you. Good luck.

[Hoffer]

I have to say I disagree with the above posts as far as cheaper is better.

I installed a downrigger on my 1650 fishhawk a few years ago and love it.

spent about 250.00 on the rigger a basic manual one that works just great. I did spend more than you need to do on the base and holder. Its one I found on line. You can slide the base on and off with no issues. So when your not using the rigger its totally unobtrusive. Its basically a mounted plate on my gunwall that allows the rigger to be slid on and off.

There is nothing like being able to place your bait exactly at the depth you want. When the rig gets bit there is no lead core line to pull up and get in the way of feeling the true action. In my humble opinion its the only way to go if you want to get into trout. If its JUST eyes, i would say you can get by with lead core or dipsy divers or simply deep diving plugs and high speed trolling. I mean how many times are you catching eyes below 30 to 40 feet? But trout...totally different story.

[tunrevir]

I have my riggers and quick release bases attached to a 2x8 which is pressure fit under the cleats on one side and I use a barn latch to secure the whole works in place. Takes about 5-10 minutes to mount the trolling board, and riggers and when I am not using the riggers the whole works is removed.

Tunrevir~

[Sutty]

I would recommend getting a pair of downriggers. You can find a used pair pretty easily and they are well worth the money. 100-150 bucks a piece typically. You can always sell them and get what you paid for them so you won't be out anything.

As others mentioned it is the best way to reel in fish. Just you and the fish nothing else in the middle. It is amazing how many people can just not see that 10 color lead core rod bouncing away :-) If you really get into it you can always upgrade to electrics later on.

Come up with a way that you can mount/remove your downriggers. Typically either a board across the back cleats or a track system.

[Borch]

Keep your eyes open. I picked up a used set of cannon converted into 10 mags last winter for less than $300 for the pair shipped. Cheap enough that I plan on adding the short stop and positive ion this spring. They'll get some use on LOW for eyes when they aren't on the great lakes for salmon.

[fishgutz77]

Yah, leadcore has its place, but what about precision targeting fish you see on the graph?

I run lead alot and I'm still guessing about where the lure is running because of so many factors like speed, current and leader line length and lure type.

take the frickin guess work out of it and get on em.

the rigger gives you the ability to instantly see fish and go down to them or up to them even if its only 5 or 10 ft. especially if you are useing spoons or stick baits that dont dive. And if you need to speed up or slow down do so at will with out having a math melt down in your head, ok I'm not a math guy

I have Scotty pro electrics, Get good quality manuals to start and get going.

[Handsonthepole]

Thanks everyone. Lots of good info. So now another question. I purchased 8lb weights and someone told me I will need at least 10lb. I will be mostly fishing Lake Superior and Lake Michigan for trout and salmon. What do you think?

[tunrevir]

I would run 10-15# balls for those bodies of water. You can get some wicked currents in both lakes and a ton of Blowback with smaller balls. Pancake weights with a flexible fin are nice as you can move youe presentation slightly off to the sides in a smaller beamed boat. The pancakes don't seem to blow back as much as the round keeled weight do.

Tunrevir~

[badfisherman]

I'm in the same boat as scaup. I just bought 2 used big Jon manual riggers. I was wondering what type of line releases you guys prefer?

Thanks!

[Ballyhoo]

Cannon downriggers are the best and Walker releases are very good. They are adjustable. There is another release that I have seen on here but never used that people had good reports on. On shallower water, <40', crank riggers are not that bad. If you are fishing in 80+' of water it gets to be a long crank.

[tunrevir]

I use a Blacks adjustable release at the ball, duobro I think makes relatively the same type release. Takes a little to get the release tension to where you want it but you can run it light enough to trip for shakers and walleyes to heavy for salmon and lake trout with heavier baits.

Tunrevir~

[DREZLER]

8 pound balls will work fine.. any heavier and you will need some really good mounts on your riggers. 8lb balls have a lot of blowback but unless you are running a lot of lines a little blowback is not a problem.

Get the riggers- when the rigger pops you have a clean line with a fish on vs. 300 or more feet of weighted line out along with another 1/4 or half pound of weight you have stuck on there. It is a lot more fun.

Walkers are great because they can be set to release for walleyes, even the 13 inchers.

[Sutty]

The Scotty releases work well for salmon. They have a bright tip that works well for setting in the dark. For walleye the adjustable releases are the way to go.