Downrigger fishing

[scrotcaster]

I recently acquired a manual Big John downrigger and now in the process of figuring out how to use it..lol.. I plan on using it for sakakwea salmon. Have a few question for the more experienced

- What size weight ball would be the best to use?
-Kinda worried about snagging the weight on something and taking off the side of my boat.lol .. any tips?
-What kind of release/clips are most user friendly?
-Has anyone had success using downrigger for walleyes?
-What kind of baits/lure typically use ?

Please feel free to share ur setup and what i works for you, or anything might be helpful to a newbie downrigger.

Thanks for any and all info

 

[Downrigger]

- What size weight ball would be the best to use?
-Kinda worried about snagging the weight on something and taking off the side of my boat.lol .. any tips?
-What kind of release/clips are most user friendly?
-Has anyone had success using downrigger for walleyes?
-What kind of baits/lure typically use ?

I run Cannon manual downriggers
1) I run 12 lb balls for salmon. I like to know I don't have a lot of drift going on.
2) Set your drag so if you do happen to hit bottom the spool releases
3) Scotty Releases
4) Lots of success for walleyes on Sak and Devils. Use it to pull shallow diving cranks in 20-30 ft of water without leadcore. On Sak I pull cranks through the schools of baitfish on the sharp breaks. Good way to catch some good sized fish.
5) I use basically squid baits behind flashers. When I use cranks I use braid but for the salmon I'm running mono to help keep the line in the clips.

 

[3Roosters]

I believe back when we made a trip to Lake Michigan each summer, we used 10 lb balls, perhaps 8. Depending on the depth you are fishing.
Watch your locator/graph/sonar and crank up the ball if its getting too close to bottom.
We would use ProKing spoons although the last couple years that we went out there Howie flys were a must have. Under a dodger or flasher.
Get ready to start a new tackle box of stuff you can't live without!
Speed of the boat made a difference as well. We found that we were getting the most hookups at a speed when the wire cable was "singing" thru the water. We would listen for that distinct noise and that was our sweet spot as far as mph.
About the only other thing I can offer is don't have your releases set too light where it releases all the damn time..or too tight where small ones do not release and you aren't aware that you are dragging a "shaker" around for hours!

 

[NJL]

I've actually been prepping my rig for Lake Michigan next week. It's looking to be a good trip if the weather holds.

Anyway here's my thoughts:

- I use 10-12 lb balls. The heavier ones keep your downrigger lines more vertical, especially when fishing down past 60-70 ft.
- You do have to be careful on Sak, as there are sunken trees if you get outside the old river channel. Most of the people fishing outside Gov. Bay stay in the old river channel. If you do go further west, just watch your depth finder and raise your riggers above the trees.
- I use the Cannon Off-shore release, they seem to work really well and i've never had any trouble. These don't have adjustable tension, so it's just clip it in and forget it.
- I've used them for walleyes a couple times. It's defeinitely fun in late summer when they are suspended over deep water.
- For salmon, i've had the best luck using either a flasher/dodger & fly/squid. Later in the year you could have good luck running cranks also. Unfortunately, i've found spoons to be pretty lack luster on Sak; usually catching more goldeye than salmon.

Hopefully i'll have some good pictures and video from our trip to Lake Michigan, salmon fishing out there is a blast.

 

[Downrigger]

I will also note that I can't stand the "signing" sound wire makes and I replaced all my cable with braid.

 

[SlamminSalmon]

I have 4 cannon downriggers on my rig 2 electric and 2 manual. On sak I use flashers and squids or smelt in a meat rig. I run 10lb balls never an issue even down 100ft. I've found whites, blues and pinks are good colors. Sak salmon are way different than lake michigan salmon for some reason. If you want help pm me and we could figure something out if you're interested would be willing to take you out and show you what I know.

 

[Ugly Dogs]

About 15 years ago was the first time I used downriggers and had no clue what I was getting into. I started talking to a guy at the ramp and asking him questions. He was telling me about dragging his cannon balls in the mud and other tactics. He said if I get into trouble give him a call on the marine band radio. His handle was ironically "downrigger". He gave me the best advise of all. Make sure your clutch was adjusted right. I was on the water less than hour and I hung up in a tree off of the Riverdale bluffs. If I would have left my clutch the way they were my downrigger would have ripped off of my boat.

Something else I learned from the "downrigger" was running add-a-lines for salmon and walleye. Basically running multiple crank baits or baits on one rod. Very successful for salmon and walleye.