Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

[Expidia]

I caught my first lake trout yesterday downrigging . . . Fish was hooked, now so am I!

27 inches, 8-10 lb range. I was alone. Only had time to take a pic and measure it. Cause I didn't want to keep it out of the water too long, so I didn't weigh it.

But here the problem I ran into which almost caused me to lose my first catch and a finger or two . . . I did my homework, read **** Pooles book and various articles on the web about downrigging techniques. Even used a temp finder so I could find the 45-55 degree zone that lakers like..

The set up: I went to the lake's local tackle store before I hit the water. I asked what they were hitting on? He picked out 4 lures that were similar to ones I used on this lake 20 years ago. He said nothing ever changes!

Bright sunny day and I used an 6 inch Chromed Lurh Jenson dodger (which I already had in my box) and a 6 inch Mooselook Wobbler which was Cooper and half pinkish orange. 15 minutes later . . . BANG fish ON!

The problem: I used a leader about 25-30 feet back of the dodger . . . this was my problem. I could not reel in the last 30 feet. The fish is fighting me and I had to pull the last feet of line by hand, to move the fish into the net.
picturing losing a few fingers with monofilament wrapped around them the next time . . . eeek!

I was alone and it's only a 15 foot boat, so I couldn't run to the other end of the boat to take up line.

I know I could of course shorten the line, but that length produced a fish, where 20 years ago and many hours on the same lake, I had never caught a laker until yesterday.

The dodger and the 30 feet worked. It ain't broke, so I hesitate to fix it!!!

What other method do I use?
I know I could run the dodger back from the weight, but that won't give action to the lure.

And YO! these things have TEETH, lotsa them! Just bought a fish gripper and of course left it in my trunk.

 

[all thumbs]

Re: Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

I just fish 20-30 ft. from the ball with no dodger. I always troll with lots of turning. Alot of strikes come off the turns, it gives the spoon more action. Don't be afraid to experiment with different things. My lip grabber, I don't leave home with out it

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[Expidia]

Re: Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

I just fish 20-30 ft. from the ball with no dodger. I always troll with lots of turning. Alot of strikes come off the turns, it gives the spoon more action. Don't be afraid to experiment with different things. My lip grabber, I don't leave home with out it

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Thx, I actually just found my lip grabber. It was in the rod locker pushed up to the end!

Ya, I guess I could bring it down to 20 feet. which would make it a little more manageable. I was just going by Pooles book to start with. I don't have much experience but seems to me the dodger does impart an added action to the lure.

I'll experiment around as you suggest but after catching that Laker in 15 min you can understand why I don't want to change anything just yet. I'll be back at em first thing in the AM!

 

[burroak]

Re: Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

Why would you put a dodger 30' away from the lure? It is meant to be an attractant and impart an erratic motion to the fly. 2' - 3' between the lure and the dodger is fine.

Catching lakers is a function of putting lures in the temperature zone they prefer-48 degrees; and the proper trolling speed. To gauge the speed without a speedometer graduated in 1/10ths, use your downrigger wire. Speed the boat up to where the wire will cavitate - create an air pocket on the trailing edge of the wire, then back off the speed to where the air pocket just barely disappears and occasionally reappears. That should be your trolling speed. The method is very basic, I know, but it works on flat water, in a following sea, into the wind, or quartering- no matter what.

Fastening the line to the downrigger wire with a rubber band livens up the action as well. Run the rubber band through itself leaving a trailing loop. Feed out 20'-30' of line and using the thumb and forefinger form a loop in the monofilament and snug it down onto the rubber band. This works well when you have limited downriggers and more lines. You can stack lines in 10' intervals and stagger the downriggers on the 5' and 10' depths (Great for prospecting if you don't have a fish locator) When fishing for lakers, you have to leave the rubber bands in the sun on the console for a few days to weaken them. Catching lakers is much like making love the a British woman. They aren't the most energetic fish to catch.

I'm not much of a catch and release guy but when it comes to lakers out of Lake Michigan, that would be the first candidate for C/R. They sure are oily.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

Why would you put a dodger 30' away from the lure? It is meant to be an attractant and impart an erratic motion to the fly. 2' - 3' between the lure and the dodger is fine.

Catching lakers is a function of putting lures in the temperature zone they prefer-48 degrees; and the proper trolling speed. To gauge the speed without a speedometer graduated in 1/10ths, use your downrigger wire. Speed the boat up to where the wire will cavitate - create an air pocket on the trailing edge of the wire, then back off the speed to where the air pocket just barely disappears and occasionally reappears. That should be your trolling speed. The method is very basic, I know, but it works on flat water, in a following sea, into the wind, or quartering- no matter what.

Fastening the line to the downrigger wire with a rubber band livens up the action as well. Run the rubber band through itself leaving a trailing loop. Feed out 20'-30' of line and using the thumb and forefinger form a loop in the monofilament and snug it down onto the rubber band. This works well when you have limited downriggers and more lines. You can stack lines in 10' intervals and stagger the downriggers on the 5' and 10' depths (Great for prospecting if you don't have a fish locator) When fishing for lakers, you have to leave the rubber bands in the sun on the console for a few days to weaken them. Catching lakers is much like making love the a British woman. They aren't the most energetic fish to catch.

I'm not much of a catch and release guy but when it comes to lakers out of Lake Michigan, that would be the first candidate for C/R. They sure are oily.

What this book (**** Pooles Downrigger Fishing Techniques) says about leader length is drop back leaders are the secret to catching more fish" he says he normally pulls out 10-20 feet. But in clearer waters he will use 30 -75 feet.

I miss read attaching the dodger to the line. He didn't use the dodger with the line 30 feet back. He attached the dodger to the weight, not the line the lure is on.

I re-read the his drop back leader page and it tells of the technique he uses . . . He attaches the dodger/flasher off the downrigger weight say 20 feet back without a lure (some use a lure with the hooks removed).
The line with the lure is then set in the release and trails just above the flasher.

This would simplify the setup as if a fish strikes I won't have the dodger to deal with when I'm reeling in.

Thx for your tip on the 1 mile an hour air pocket technique. I was going to try it out today but I didn't fish due to the lake being on the windy side.

Funny you mentioned about Oily Lake Trout . . . my Daughter's boyfriend was just here (he's a noted Chef in town) I was showing him the picture of my first Lake Trout I caught and released last week and he said "you know, those are not good eating" he said since they are bottom feeders they have a dirty musky taste to them.

He said "now if you catch a Salmon, bring it home and we'll fillet that baby right up!"

I was using a rubber band to connect to my downrigger line but I'll try the technique you describe.

Thx for all of your help.

 

[burroak]

Re: Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

If you have access to Lake Michigan, go down to the marina and take a look at the charter boats. The hot setup is the dodger 2'-3' ahead of the lure. What I am suggesting works on Yellow Birds, Dipsey Divers, and downriggers. These guys make a living at catching fish for their paying customers.

My son is prez of a fishing club in a major insurance company and had an outing planned out of Wintrop Harbor, Il 3 weeks ago and had an open slot. So, I got the invitation to fill the spot. Being early in the season, small cohos were the catch of the day, which meant they were small.The terminal rigging was six inch dodgers with a smallish skirt tied to a treble hook 3' back. The first line went into the water at 6:30 AM and the Captain was filleting a limit at 8:30 AM - a total of 30 cohos.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

If you have access to Lake Michigan, go down to the marina and take a look at the charter boats. The hot setup is the dodger 2'-3' ahead of the lure. What I am suggesting works on Yellow Birds, Dipsey Divers, and downriggers. These guys make a living at catching fish for their paying customers.

My son is prez of a fishing club in a major insurance company and had an outing planned out of Wintrop Harbor, Il 3 weeks ago and had an open slot. So, I got the invitation to fill the spot. Being early in the season, small cohos were the catch of the day, which meant they were small.The terminal rigging was six inch dodgers with a smallish skirt tied to a treble hook 3' back. The first line went into the water at 6:30 AM and the Captain was filleting a limit at 8:30 AM - a total of 30 cohos.

Wow, nice catch. I'll try the 2-3 feet back from the dodger too. Hey, I'm open to any help as I just want to put fish on the line!
I was actually going after salmon on my next time out.

 

[rndn]

Re: Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

Lake trout are fantastic eating. Remove all of the dark meat while filleting and enjoy the feast. I'm very picky about what fish I eat and Lake trout is one of the fish I eat. The oils are in the dark meat sections and usually require cutting the fillet in half lengthwise to remove the dark stripe. Lake trout are not bottom feeders and although they may feel slimy on the outside, it is only to protect the fish because they like to stay in extremely cold water. If anybody tells you different, they really don't know how to cook. It's a nice flaky lite fillet and actually very mild in flavor.

 

[burroak]

Re: Downrigger lead / can't reel fish in?

Lake trout are fantastic eating. Remove all of the dark meat while filleting and enjoy the feast. I'm very picky about what fish I eat and Lake trout is one of the fish I eat. The oils are in the dark meat sections and usually require cutting the fillet in half lengthwise to remove the dark stripe. Lake trout are not bottom feeders and although they may feel slimy on the outside, it is only to protect the fish because they like to stay in extremely cold water. If anybody tells you different, they really don't know how to cook. It's a nice flaky lite fillet and actually very mild in flavor.

The same rule applies to lake trout as to a cannibal's dinner, the more smoke, the better.

In Lake Michigan, they forage on alewives and they are what they eat.