Downrigger questions

S

STEELA

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exMember
Joined
Jun 23, 2005
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17957
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435
Picked up a downrigger last year and had very little success with it. It wasn't an issue with
not getting to depth, I think it was more of the "humming" issue with the wire. About all I could get on it was Blue Fish which are pretty stupid fish. I want to switch to braided 150lb
line, which Cannon sells, but it's my understanding to use braided I need a Stainless wheel, not plastic. I heard the braided swells when wet and can crack the plastic wheel...

Any insight into this?

Thanks,

Bill
 
STEELA, I have always used stainless cable on my downrigger as do other fishing buddies. Catches all kinds of fish.
Please clarify "humming". Do you have a solid wire or is it twisted cable??.
 
jmas, it's twisted cable that came with the rigger. It's not bad if I'm bouncing tubes or a spoon at 2 knots but spotting fish at 100' that might be game fish I need 5-8 knots. When I get up there in speed there's a very clear "humming" noise from the wire zipping thru the water.

I have hear the use of the down rigger braided present no noises, no kink issues, and cuts the water better than any wire????
 
I have been using riggers for about 12 years and most people love that "hum" Before most boats had gps to give exact speed, most fisherman maintained their speed to hear that hum and observe small bubbles coming off of the rigger cable. I usually fish for walleye or salmon depending on which Great Lake I am fishing. If you would really like to get opinions on cable or braid or super heavy mono check out "www.glangler.com" it is dedicated to Great Lakes fishing and almost everybody on that site has an opinion on riggers and their use.
 
Cables’ humming is normal. The old timers say that a mis tuned engine will affect the fishing more.

If you're not catching fish, there is a greater chance that the downrigger cable is electrified.
Take a look at your cable and see if it's been "burned" by the electrolysis. Put a meter between the cable and ground of the battery. I forget, I think 2 to 3 volts is OK, much more is too hot. I've always cut a pencil zinc in half, then drilled it and put it on the bottom of the cable. It will save your cables and in many cases, attract the fish.

Speed is another topic entirely, each boat tracks through the water faster or slower. Find out what speed is working and get your boat dialed in.

When downrigger fishing, you need to use your depth sounder to determine the depth of the bait and fish, then adjust the cable appropriately.

I remember some 15 years ago, my buddy and I were Salmon fishing off Santa Cruz. We trolled for 8 hours without a bite. It was some of the slowest fishing I've ever done. At one point, the scope showed we were in 200' of water over a smooth bottom. At one point, we started seeing on the scope, an occasional square dot, right off the bottom. With nothing to loose, we ran all of our down rigger cable out until the weight bounced the bottom. We slowed the boat to keep the cable down. The next 1/2 hour, we caught Salmon after Salmon. At this point, we realized the fish were sitting on the bottom. (Resting?)
 
That's really a great idea about the zinc. I am going to check that site out..Thanks!
 
Hi Steela Since you are catching blue fish I assume your in the ocean.
Blue fish are active in cooler water 60 - 69 more or less and that may be the only species available at that temp.
For same temp or warmer try 25 foot leader behind 10lb ball with a silver spoon. I don't know where you are located but we catch king mackeral, dolphin, and tuna with that rig 20 miles off shore Maryland.
 
Steela
You can try various line attachment points above the 10 lb ball such as 10 feet above the ball. At 6knots 70 feet of cable clip 10 feet above ball will catch fish 20 feet down. You just have to try different depths and speed till it works.
 
Just In Time... Have you switched over?

TomMc, primarily going after large Striper which lie low as well as any school Tuna and Albies. Like I said, the Blues
would attack a Hi-Fi if I attached it to the rigger, these other fish however seem to spook off. It's happened to me several times. Marked fish in about 100'. Some good size fish as well. Had some surface action with Tuna and assumed that pod 100' deep was another school. Nothing in fact I marked and returned and couldn't find anything on the finder.
I have read about the humming and just picture how loud it must be under water if It is loud above?
 
yep
i switched, no more humming at all!"

I'm right behind ya then.. I'm switching.
 
Steela
Let me know if your success rate increases. I have not noticed my down rigger humming, but I only use it on occasion. But I know a long leader on a planer works better than a short one. I would think it would help on a down rigger too.
Good Luck
 
Steela, you probably already know this, but 5-8 knots is way too fast for stripers--ok for the pelagic fish, though. The cable shouldn't hum when you are going slow enough for the linesiders--2 knots or so. If your boat won't troll that slow, you need a trolling valve on the tranny(s), or you have to bump it in and out of gear.
 
Yep surpise, for striper I actually drag a 5 gal bucket off a mid ship cleat to slow me dow to 1-1.5 knots tops. Works pretty well for spooning and tube and worm Alot of times we'll see school tuna and also mark schools deep, which we've found to be a little less timid than the guys up top. But I can't troll them slower than 7 knots and then the humming starts big time.

Tommc... I certainly will. I ordered 150lb Spectra and I'll try it from there!!!!!
 
I've heard that Delta fishermen use a dropper weight with linecounter reels. They will carefully adjust the amount of line out
to keep the weight and lure right near the bottom w/o dragging it in the mud. Apparently they have to adjust the line often to
follow the contour of the bottom. This is what they do to catch fish up there.
 
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