Downrigger Blues

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TPrice

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Strictly fishing - As a rank and untested newbie to downrigger fishing, and as a wide-eyed sophomore to hunting Lake Powell stripers, I have some curiosities about dropping a pair of cannonballs into Lake Powell. 1) Why to deploy a downrigger in favor of other methods of fishing. 2) Best time of year for downrigging. 3) How to determine the best depth to fish. 4) Recommended lures. 5) Best lure distance behind the ball. 6) Best trolling speed. 7) Etc.
I have no downrigger experience, but I'd like to give it a go. I've already spent the money on a couple of Cannons but I just don't even know where to start.
Any thoughts?
 
Welcome TPrice

I've been using downriggers for over Thirty years. See previous post - lead line and downriggers


Secret to downriggers are the adjustable releases, use the Blacks or Chamberlain releases. Throw the rubber bands and pinch clips away.
Speed 2-3 mph for stripers and trout. 1.5-2 mph for kokanee and walleye.

Fish a few feet higher than the where the fish finder shows them. Fish see upwards best.
20-50 feet behind the ball. Be careful not to hook the bottom with your ball. I use a deep diving rattling shad so I can keep my ball 12-15 feet off the bottom. You have to troll scary close to the bottom to catch walleye. Usually I catch spring stripers between 25 - 50 feet deep.
Snagging the bottom with your ball will scare the hell out of you. I've done it a couple times, was lucky not to lose a ball or downrigger.
If unknown, Best to pre troll your path before lowering a ball, just to make sure of the bottom contour. No surprises.......

We will be on Lake Powell March 28th - April 6th on the Far North End.

Good Luck ..........

Updated, More Downrigger information:

Striper Lures to use, use the same ones Wayne listed under “Striper Lures” Title:
Even on a Downrigger there is a place for deep divers and shallow runners.
Big Silver Spoons work great at Powell on a downrigger.

Several years ago I switched out my stainless steel cable to Power Braid Downrigger Line.
The cable has a noisy hum at 3 mph, I could tell by the hum if I was going the right speed.
With the Braid there is no noise, nice and quiet.
I also stopped using cannon balls and switched to a fish shaped 8 lb. weight. Torpedo weights.
Much less resistance, tracks truer, less angle / drag.
They Track so I can see them on my fish finder.

Next learn to Load your Pole. Bend it over in the holder. It will make a noise when a hit pops it out.
Learn to adjust the Blacks or Chamberlain release, so they release with the slightest hit.
I’ve seen fish dragged to death because the release didn’t release. Didn’t even know they had a fish.
Watch youtube on downrigger releases. Some great learning videos there.
Chamberlain releases are more expensive but work great. Blacks releases work good too.
But Chamberlain have two release mechanisms, one adjustable pinch and one magnetic release.
And when you get good at downriggers, you can start Stacking Releases.
Multiple poles on one downrigger.
 
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Strictly fishing - As a rank and untested newbie to downrigger fishing, and as a wide-eyed sophomore to hunting Lake Powell stripers, I have some curiosities about dropping a pair of cannonballs into Lake Powell. 1) Why to deploy a downrigger in favor of other methods of fishing. 2) Best time of year for downrigging. 3) How to determine the best depth to fish. 4) Recommended lures. 5) Best lure distance behind the ball. 6) Best trolling speed. 7) Etc.
I have no downrigger experience, but I'd like to give it a go. I've already spent the money on a couple of Cannons but I just don't even know where to start.
Any thoughts?
Welcome TPrice, I'll have to preface my reply by saying I'm not a striper fisherman, we target walleye at LP. That being said I live 45 minutes from FG and we fish kokanee and lake trout a lot with DR's. There is tons of info on here for striper specifics. Hope this helps.

1) If fish are suspended deep and scattered, or you are new to an area just trying to cover a lot of water hunting, it may be the way to go. I would defer to Waynes articles on trolling vs spooning for Stripers. The main advantage to DR's is that you can deploy your lures precisely where you want them in the water column. You can see the ball on your graph and know exactly how deep you are. The other main advantage is when you hook up, the tackle is light and it is just you and the fish, no added weights, divers, etc.

2) I don't know for stripers.

3) Stagger your presentations throughout the water column, with a couple rods using deep diving cranks and two on DR's you should be able to cover a large section of the water column. Watch your graph closely. Once you mark fish quickly adjust your DR's, and you can be in the zone by the time the lures pass over the fish. Once located adjust your spread to stay a few feet above them.

4) Wayne has a great article on this posted as a sticky on the home page. The only thing I would add is when you select a lure determine if it is going to stay in the same plane as the ball. In open water I would want a lure that would track the ball, I'll know exactly where I'm at and can repeat. As Twister stated, if hanging up on the bottom is a concern, a lure that dives may be in order.

5) Generally speaking the deeper you go, the closer to the ball you can fish. Fish closer to the surface have a tendency to shy away from the boat and then close back in. So if your shallow you may need 100' or more of line out. At 80' down you may get by with 15' of line out. I like to fish as close to the ball as the fish will allow.

6) I don't know for Stripers.

7) - I don't know what your set-up is, but if it can handle it I would highly recommend 10# balls. When you are deep or trolling fairly fast they wont blow back as much. I like to be able to see the ball on my graph so I know exactly where I'm at. 8# are OK, but I would avoid 6#.
-IMHO fiberglass rods are the ticket for DR, You can really load them up and they are forgiving.
-I'm a huge fan of the Blacks release's. Though I still like the rubber bands when the kokes are biting light.
-We run mono on our DR rods.

Good luck!
 
Hey thanks MrTwister and Coho975 for the great advice. I'm looking forward to putting it to good use. We are heading out to Powell next week and will put in at Bullfrog with plans to fish up to and in Good Hope Bay. So, MrTwister if you see a guy in a black Lund fussing with his downriggers, untwisting the lines or trying to retrieve a stuck ball, that'll be me. ...just wave as you go by and try not to laugh so loud that I can hear you. Remember, sound carries long distances on the water.
 
TPrice, we mostly fish the San Jaun Arm. We use a downrigger just to mix things up, obviously when reading fish deeper this can be the tool of choice.
Mix up your offering and even add a flasher or doger to get them going? We fish for fun and for dinner (fish tacos) on anchor, like I said we mix it up all day, you never know what will come over the side of the boat.
 
MrTwister, that was some great tips you posted on downrigging. I too would like to stop the cable hum and was going to change out the wire to Braid. Could you tell me how to go about applying the braid to the spool? I know it has be very tight, so it does not dig into the spool. How should I go about this?
 
One of the easiest ways to stack on a down rigger is a shuttle hawk, when you get a bite on the top line the shuttle hawk comes to the surface and you don't have to bring the other lure and ball up. They are sweet and easy to use. They come with a line stop that you put on the cable then you hook the hawk to the cable once your ball is down, hook your line to the release and with a little pressure from your pole it dives down to the stop. When a fish hits and releases the line the hawk comes to the surface, reload and repeat. The stop says on your cable and you just slide it up and down to the "offset" you want between lures. Never have to take the stop off the cable.
 
Hi Bschell,

It was a few years ago that I switched out my two downriggers to heavy Braid. I have two older Cannon Easi-Troll, so it depends on your downrigger how you do it. I took the hand crank off and removed the spool. Wind up old cable and kept for spare. Had to cut off the end of the cable stop crimp in the spooler to remove it. I put one rap of gorilla tape in the bottom of spool for grip and cushion. Reassembled. Then I threaded the braid thru the front pulley then on to the spool and tied a small washer on it, so it couldn’t pull out of the spool hole. I left all of the clip releases on the ball end and put the cable and swivels in the boat as spares. I bought new big swivel clips to tie on the ball end of the braid. I also slipped a small piece of soft rubber hose, like surgical hose to act like a bumper cushion for when you reel up and hit the downrigger pulley. Need to protect the knot and line. Need to inspect the line on occasionally to check for wear / fraying.

There are a few good youtube videos about installing braid on your downriggers.
Search “downrigger braid”

It’s not very hard to change the cable out. Clean all the braking pads and washers while you have the downrigger apart.

Between the braid and the 8 lb. fish shaped lead, I can’t hear any noise from the downrigger.
I really like the braided line so far.

Good luck.
 
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The only way that I fish is with downriggers. After you get used to them, you can truley become a fish sniper. For lake powell, I would strongly suggest 12 lb weights and electric down riggers. When I am going for waleye, I look for points between 30 and 60 ft deep. You will usually spot a couple of little arches. I just run my lures right across the top of the points. Stripers are really easy with the downriggers, when the water warms up. I generally run two with one about 45 ft deep and the other one about 30 ft deep. As for my set up, I like any shallow diving minnow lure. I run my line about 150 ft back. I use 20 ln monofilament line with a 10 lb fluorocarbon leader. I also upgrade my hooks as it is not uncommon for a 5 lb stripper to snap a lure in half or brake the shanks of my treble hooks. Lastly, I vary my trolling speed between 2.2-3.5 mph.
I use my downriggers for everything from kokanee to channel cats. I love them probably more than Wayne loves slabbing. Take what you want from my rant and if any of it works for you pass it on. If it doesn’t please me know what’s working for you. I am always willing to experiment with them.

Hope this helps and that I am not sounding to arrogant.
Ed
 
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Hi Bschell,

It was a few years ago that I switched out my two downriggers to heavy Braid. I have two older Cannon Easi-Troll, so it depends on your downrigger how you do it. I took the hand crank off and removed the spool. Wind up old cable and kept for spare. Had to cut off the end of the cable stop crimp in the spooler to remove it. I put one rap of gorilla tape in the bottom of spool for grip and cushion. Reassembled. Then I threaded the braid thru the front pulley then on to the spool and tied a small washer on it, so it couldn’t pull out of the spool hole. I left all of the clip releases on the ball end and put the cable and swivels in the boat as spares. I bought new big swivel clips to tie on the ball end of the braid. I also slipped a small piece of soft rubber hose, like surgical hose to act like a bumper cushion for when you reel up and hit the downrigger pulley. Need to protect the knot and line. Need to inspect the line on occasionally to check for wear / fraying.

There are a few good youtube videos about installing braid on your downriggers.
Search “downrigger braid”

It’s not very hard to change the cable out. Clean all the braking pads and washers while you have the downrigger apart.

Between the braid and the 8 lb. fish shaped lead, I can’t hear any noise from the downrigger.
I really like the braided line so far.

Good luck.
Did the lack of the "cable hum" improve your catch rate?
 
The only way that I fish is with downriggers. After you get used to them, you can truley become a fish sniper. For lake powell, I would strongly suggest 12 lb weights and electric down riggers. When I am going for waleye, I look for points between 30 and 60 ft deep. You will usually spot a couple of little arches. I just run my lures right across the top of the points. Stripers are really easy with the downriggers, when the water warms up. I generally run two with one about 45 ft deep and the other one about 30 ft deep. As for my set up, I like any shallow diving minnow lure. I run my line about 150 ft back. I use 20 ln monofilament line with a 10 lb fluorocarbon leader. I also upgrade my hooks as it is not uncommon for a 5 lb stripper to snap a lure in half or brake the shanks of my treble hooks. Lastly, I vary my trolling speed between 2.2-3.5 mph.
I use my downriggers for everything from kokanee to channel cats. I love them probably more than Wayne loves slabbing. Take what you want from my rant and if any of it works for you pass it on. If it doesn’t please me know what’s working for you. I am always willing to experiment with them.

Hope this helps and that I am not sounding to arrogant.
Ed
Havalina,

Do you run the steel cable or braid? I would like to pick you brain for a little more how to info on downrigging.

1). Have you ever used a flasher or doger set up in combination with your lure? or maybe clipped on the cable and sent back on top of you bait.
I know I don't like fighting a fish back to the boat with the extra drag (flasher) but some guys swear by them.

2). Mooching for salmon in BC we use a fly rod with a nuckle buster reel, the set up was drop a cannon ball sinker three way swivel your bait and
11 pulls off the reel for the right depth. We would catch fish, but again we would also be fighting the weight also. Their had to be a better way?

3). My dad taught me his way to fish for Trout in the high sierra's, he would slow troll a flasher set up called a Davie-Davis, either gold or sliver and
behind that about 24" leader tied to a flat fish (killer action those flat fish) and troll very slow. We would catch fish, but again you also had all
that gear bringing the fish to the boat. Their had to be a better way?

So, what is the better way? I'am a bit of a purist when it comes to fishing. I know... what's a purist using all the downrigger crap for then?
I don't know... just trying to catch more fish I guess
 
I use both, but I prefer braided line. Mainly for safety reasons, I almost lost an eye a few years back when I snaged a ball and the stainless steel line snapped back. Downside to braid is you need to wear leather gloves because if you reach down and grab it. The line will go through like butter.
I personally have not noticed any difference on the catch rates. I am either catching or I am not.

I only use a single dodger for kokanee. Other than that and rainbow, I wouldn’t bother. I actuall last year started using an 8 wt fly rod with a fighting butt. If you are going just for sport, it is a kick in the ***. The downside to it, is last fall on average it takes about 20 min to get a good 3lb striper on the boat. I love flatfish for lakers and pike. I also love the luminous tazmain devils. Everything hits them, they stay with in five feet of the ball depth.

I also forgot to say that when the surface water temp hits about 70 degrees. You can turn up the sensitivity of you depth finder and see the first thermacline layer. Try running your ball a couple of feet above that. I bet that Wayne or another biologist would be able to explain why, way better than I could.

I have also started fish uv colored lures only. Then as for the channel cats, I fish right behind the bullfrog marina. I clean all of my fish there and throw the guts overboard in about 25 ft of water. Then the following morning, I will run about fifty ft of line out and drop the weight down to about 20 ft and just drift. I just use chunks of the snake stripers. I don’t use worms because the the same walleye issues.

If you run into me at the bullfrog marina just holler at me and I will gladly show you my setups. I am the 21 ft Boston Whaler Montauk. Then you can generally catch me at the flaming Gorge from ice off. I love Lake Powell but can tolerate the drunks in the summer. I hope this helps, just remember don’t be scared to just try something new and see if it works.

On your flatfish jump up to a t5 on size as it will cull your trout to a minimum of about 25 in and drop the flsher. I am not sure that it would for stripers. I might try that next time I am down. Also I am not sure if I am a purist, I treat fishing with drown riggers like reloading. I also have a hierarchy for finding fish.
1. Water temp. What temp is my target fish the most comfortable.
2.Terain, i.e.avenues of approach.
3.Speed of my lure
4. Water clarity, cloud cover, and depth for my target. This gives me a good guess on my lure color.

Once again, I hope that I am not sound arrogant, because there is not right or wrong to fish. When I was a kid, I saw an man catching catfish onions and Ivory soap. anyway I hope this helps.

I also apologize if there are any typo’s, but I have a tbi and normaly don’t write this much.
 
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I use both, but I prefer braided line. Mainly for safety reasons, I almost lost an eye a few years back when I snaged a ball and the stainless steel line snapped back. Downside to braid is you need to wear leather gloves because if you reach down and grab it. The line will go through like butter.
I personally have not noticed any difference on the catch rates. I am either catching or I am not.

I only use a single dodger for kokanee. Other than that and rainbow, I wouldn’t bother. I actuall last year started using an 8 wt fly rod with a fighting butt. If you are going just for sport, it is a kick in the ***. The downside to it, is last fall on average it takes about 20 min to get a good 3lb striper on the boat. I love flatfish for lakers and pike. I also love the luminous tazmain devils. Everything hits them, they stay with in five feet of the ball depth.

I also forgot to say that when the surface water temp hits about 70 degrees. You can turn up the sensitivity of you depth finder and see the first thermacline layer. Try running your ball a couple of feet above that. I bet that Wayne or another biologist would be able to explain why, way better than I could.

I have also started fish uv colored lures only. Then as for the channel cats, I fish right behind the bullfrog marina. I clean all of my fish there and throw the guts overboard in about 25 ft of water. Then the following morning, I will run about fifty ft of line out and drop the weight down to about 20 ft and just drift. I just use chunks of the snake stripers. I don’t use worms because the the same walleye issues.

If you run into me at the bullfrog marina just holler at me and I will gladly show you my setups. I am the 21 ft Boston Whaler Montauk. Then you can generally catch me at the flaming Gorge from ice off. I love Lake Powell but can tolerate the drunks in the summer. I hope this helps, just remember don’t be scared to just try something new and see if it works.

On your flatfish jump up to a t5 on size as it will cull your trout to a minimum of about 25 in and drop the flsher. I am not sure that it would for stripers. I might try that next time I am down. Also I am not sure if I am a purist, I treat fishing with drown riggers like reloading. I also have a hierarchy for finding fish.
1. Water temp. What temp is my target fish the most comfortable.
2.Terain, i.e.avenues of approach.
3.Speed of my lure
4. Water clarity, cloud cover, and depth for my target. This gives me a good guess on my lure color.

Once again, I hope that I am not sound arrogant, because there is not right or wrong to fish. When I was a kid, I saw an man catching catfish onions and Ivory soap. anyway I hope this helps.

I also apologize if there are any typo’s, but I have a tbi and normaly don’t write this much.
I'm surprized there are any fish left in powell !
 
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