Down Rigger Question

Chuck7 · 08-14-2010, 11:02 AM

Oh guys..what makes a downrigger differerent than a regular ole rod holder?

PLease explain as if you were talking to a 5 year old..I'm a hands on person..audible is difficult for me..
Thanks ,
Chuck7

buckhunter14 · 08-14-2010, 12:36 PM

Downrigger: allows you to troll at deep depths while maintaining your lure/bair to be in the strike zone of a fish. This is accomplished by using a downrigger. In essence, if is a winch (some older models are manual) hooked to a cable with a 10 or 15 pound canon ball (lead ball) at the bottom. With this canon ball comes a release clip. You clip the line in the clip on the canon ball and drop the ball to see 110 FOW where the thermacline is including thousands of baitfish and 15 pound salmon. A fish the striked the bait/lure, the release clip releases the line and signals that would have a fish by a rod giving you headshakes like crazy.

buckhunter14 · 08-14-2010, 12:39 PM

Used in Michigan for fishing a variety of fish from Salmonoids, Lake Trout, and Musky on Great Lakes to Walleye in the bays.

Chuck7 · 08-14-2010, 12:53 PM

Lot's of questions { AND THANKS FOR THE TIME AND GREAT ANSWER!!}

Downrigger: allows you to troll at deep depths while maintaining your lure/bair to be in the strike zone of a fish. This is accomplished by using a downrigger. In essence, if is a winch (some older models are manual) hooked to a cable with a 10 or 15 pound canon ball (lead ball) at the bottom.
no kidding...a cable..{ What test //is it a steel cable? } and in essence a 10 pound bowling ball??Holy Cow..and then the fishing line is attached to that..no wonder your rods were bent in the sunset picture..I thought fish were on those poles..instead you had a bowling ball on them rodsLOL

With this canon ball comes a release clip. You clip the line in the clip on the canon ball and drop the ball to see

110 FOW what is 110FQW

where the thermacline is including thousands of baitfish and 15 pound salmon. A fish the striked the bait/lure, the release clip releases the line and signals that would have a fish by a rod giving you headshakes like crazy.This last part is kind of hard to understand..I was thinking thr mono tied to the cannon ball would be nothing more than a leader..I guess I was wrong.

I guess you only need a downrigger when fishing very deep water...i don't know why...my son just went deep sea fishing and they didn't use one..they just lowered the bait straight down..of course they weren't trolling either.

Chuck7 · 08-14-2010, 01:27 PM

OK...i think the light bulb just came on..I think i got it..

A, the downrigger is a separate unit from the fishing rod..It's a cable with a heavy weight on it..

B. The fishing line is attached to the weight ball..

C, When a fish get's on the line is somehow freed from the weighted ball

Champlain Islander · 08-14-2010, 01:55 PM

You have it Chuck. Most dowenrigger boats have nice fish finders that chart the depth of the fish and often will track the canonballs. If you see a fish at 65 feet you have the ability to raise or lower your downrigger so the lure tracks right past the fish. The line is held lightly in a cloths pin type arrangement (release) and when the fish hits it pulls the line out of the release and you fight it with the rod. Most downriggers have built in rod holders. People use the downriggers at any depth.

Chuck7 · 08-14-2010, 03:21 PM

"If you see a fish at 65 feet you have the ability to raise or lower your downrigger so the lure tracks right past the fish. The line is held lightly in a cloths pin type arrangement (release) and when the fish hits it pulls the line out of the release and you fight it with the rod." CI

thanks CI ..I got her now..appreciate the info BUCK..
you learn something new everyday..

buckhunter14 · 08-14-2010, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck7

"If you see a fish at 65 feet you have the ability to raise or lower your downrigger so the lure tracks right past the fish. The line is held lightly in a cloths pin type arrangement (release) and when the fish hits it pulls the line out of the release and you fight it with the rod." CI

thanks CI ..I got her now..appreciate the info BUCK..
you learn something new everyday..

No problem. I have heard and seen of saltwater charter fisherman using riggers, but if you do not have current or water speed (trolling) you should be able to use regular led (Splitshot or jighead) to get your bait to the desired depth at any level.