Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

[WELLSLEY]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I have recently got into trolling (last 2 years) I've used downriggers, dipsy's, wire, jetdivers and trolling weights. I have found they all work it just taking the time to learn how to use them. Or better yet find someone who knows to show you.

You also can troll without the use of any of the above. Certain lures run specific depths. I have had good success with Rapala's deeptail dancers and the Rapala DT series on Northern pike and bass. If you can set up your boat so that you can use several methods at the same time you can try and learn quicker and still catch fish with the tried and trued methods.

The downriggers can run out the sides of the boat and you could have another rod set up out the back on wire, leadcore, jetdiver, or trolling weight 100' or more behind. If your downriggers have a long enough boom they could be run behind the boat and you could run dipsy's off to each side. I run the downriggers 20' in depth apart and usuallly 12' to 15' off the ball.
Good luck trolling there is alot to learn and I myself am just learning and trying differant things.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I have 2 Big Jon 48" manual rigs and 2 lead core rigs (I CA you need two licenses to run 4 lines). I see which is best.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I have 2 Big Jon 48" manual rigs and 2 lead core rigs (I CA you need two licenses to run 4 lines). I see which is best.

Some days the leadcore will be best; others - the downrigger will work.

This summer I am going to experiment a little bit with my downriggers. I have a Walker electric with a 4' boom, a manual Big Jon 2-footer which I love, and I recently picked up a 2-foot-boom Luhr-Jensen which looks a little funky and has some plastic but it features some really good ideas- and only cost me $20 I have caught Salmon on leadcore but not on the downriggers yet and I intend to find out how to catch them both ways since I assume Salmon sometimes will prefer a downriggered lure like other fish.

The experiment will center around let-back from the ball. I have not perfected my downrigger program, but in clear water that contained Lakers and Salmon I occasionally did observe fish checking out my downrigger weight- a 10# fish-shaped finned behemoth which has very little blow-back. But only a few fish hit my Sutton spoon This fascinated me and I am going to rectify this. I want them to bite not check out my weight!

Two things will change to start. The first will be to paint the ball black, and the second will be to experiment with the voltage potential of the downrigger wire (I am going to measure volts before and after painting the ball, btw).

I don't know- I figure that the downriggers will wind up proving themselves out as they have so far: they will be like dipsey divers. Some days they will save the day and others they will be just be better off not in the water.

I mostly fish for Walleye but started chasing Landlocks last season. Anybody have great new truth about downriggers and Atlantic Salmon in the Northeast? Always eager to learn...

 

[ebry710]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

Two things will change to start. The first will be to paint the ball black, and the second will be to experiment with the voltage potential of the downrigger wire (I am going to measure volts before and after painting the ball, btw).

I understand the painting the ball black, but why the voltage potential?

 

[rolmops]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

Some days the leadcore will be best; others - the downrigger will work.

This summer I am going to experiment a little bit with my downriggers. I have a Walker electric with a 4' boom, a manual Big Jon 2-footer which I love, and I recently picked up a 2-foot-boom Luhr-Jensen which looks a little funky and has some plastic but it features some really good ideas- and only cost me $20 I have caught Salmon on leadcore but not on the downriggers yet and I intend to find out how to catch them both ways since I assume Salmon sometimes will prefer a downriggered lure like other fish.

The experiment will center around let-back from the ball. I have not perfected my downrigger program, but in clear water that contained Lakers and Salmon I occasionally did observe fish checking out my downrigger weight- a 10# fish-shaped finned behemoth which has very little blow-back. But only a few fish hit my Sutton spoon This fascinated me and I am going to rectify this. I want them to bite not check out my weight!

Two things will change to start. The first will be to paint the ball black, and the second will be to experiment with the voltage potential of the downrigger wire (I am going to measure volts before and after painting the ball, btw).

I don't know- I figure that the downriggers will wind up proving themselves out as they have so far: they will be like dipsey divers. Some days they will save the day and others they will be just be better off not in the water.

I mostly fish for Walleye but started chasing Landlocks last season. Anybody have great new truth about downriggers and Atlantic Salmon in the Northeast? Always eager to learn...

Yep.
Come and catch them in Lake Ontario in April,May at 10 to 40 feet down just off shore,near one of the creeks where they are known to spawn.
The best lures are the shorter flies and they are best caught with planers because the boat scares them to the side.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

Yep.
Come and catch them in Lake Ontario in April,May at 10 to 40 feet down just off shore,near one of the creeks where they are known to spawn.
The best lures are the shorter flies and they are best caught with planers because the boat scares them to the side.

I was at the sport shop and ran into a downrigger guy. He also uses flies. Now I have a set of white feathered streamers. I thought I was giving up years of fly fishing when I got my boat, but I guess not.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

...ran into a downrigger guy. He also uses flies...

In some areas of fishing I am apparently an idiot- I have tried various streamers which have been suggested at tackle shops I trust like Dattilio's with very little success. I must be doing something wrong.

Last fall I caught fish when I snipped the flies and went with a original Rapala.

So many people are successful with streamers I know that it must be me, so this is one of my goals this year- to fish for salmon and trout with a few guys who actually catch fish on flies so I can add that to my repertoire.

How did he suggest presenting the flies?

 

[rolmops]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

In some areas of fishing I am apparently an idiot- I have tried various streamers which have been suggested at tackle shops I trust like Dattilio's with very little success. I must be doing something wrong.

Last fall I caught fish when I snipped the flies and went with a original Rapala.

So many people are successful with streamers I know that it must be me, so this is one of my goals this year- to fish for salmon and trout with a few guys who actually catch fish on flies so I can add that to my repertoire.

How did he suggest presenting the flies?

In spring most natural bait is small,so shorten up those streamers and for colors,think mountain dew.
It helps when you put them about 3 or 4 feet behind a small dipsy diver or something else that makes them jerk around so they look very lively in the water

 

[ebry710]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I always think mountain dew. Although usually with my chips. All my rigs have a chartreuse component. I am assuming that is what you mean. Of course until recently I didn't know what chartreuse was, I would have preferred the name "mountain dew color"........and come to think of it, from now on in going to call it "mountain dew color".

 

[sschefer]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I thought I was giving up years of fly fishing when I got my boat, but I guess not

LOL, yeah me too. I got back into it at Eagle Lake last summer. The lake was looking like Nascar at Daytona so I pulled out an old 9-9 Fenwick that my Dad left me and pulled up on the rocks. On the third cast I tagged a 5 pounder and what a blast. When I got back to Santa Rosa I headed over to the toy store (Outdoor Pro Shop) and bought a new Sage Z-Axis 9-6 with matching Sage Reel. I use it for everything including Bass at both Sonoma and Clear Lake. I'm taking it Steelhead fishing just as soon as the River clears after this storm.

FYI - Nothing has ever beat Jay Fair's Wooley Bugger for a trolling fly. Comes in Mountain Dew if you want it. I have had the honor of out fishing Jay once but that's another story.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I do not know what we would do without Outdoor Pro Shop. Outside of Western, Big 5, Longs and Walmart you would think this area didn't have any lakes, rivers or ocean/bay. It is almost like this area is an outdoor ghost town. Lets face it if it wasn't for Outdoor Pro Shop, all my purchases would be on ebay.

Anyway, I love fly fishing, but I had assumed fly fishing was a waste around here. All my fly fishing was always up in the Shasta/Trinity/Lassen areas.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I always think mountain dew. Although usually with my chips. All my rigs have a chartreuse component. I am assuming that is what you mean. Of course until recently I didn't know what chartreuse was, I would have preferred the name "mountain dew color"........and come to think of it, from now on in going to call it "mountain dew color".

In Oswego, NY there is a mom and pop tackle store that specializes in trolling gear and lures.They make a fly (streamer) that they call "mountain dew".
I suspect they dip it in mountain dew because it has the exact same colors.It is just a tad brighter than chartreuse and leaning a bit more towards yellow.

I love to use wooly buggers,especially the ones with the small silver eyes.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I understand the painting the ball black, but why the voltage potential?

Because of apparent attraction fish have to certain voltages in the water. Best understanding I have from fisherman I respect is that controlling your boats voltage usually helps when fishing is bad, but doesn't seem to make any difference on good days.

Is there a bad day fishing? I guess if you break your motor or sink your boat, but that hasn't happened to me

If you are curious you can read about it here: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=289211

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

In spring most natural bait is small,so shorten up those streamers and for colors,think mountain dew.
It helps when you put them about 3 or 4 feet behind a small dipsy diver or something else that makes them jerk around so they look very lively in the water

....and I assume you mean for Landlocked Atlantic Salmon as well as rainbows?

"something else" --> like a Lurh-Jensen 000 Moocher? That is a dodger about 4-1/2" long. I have that in silver/gold, and 4/0 dodgers in blue/silver, and blue prism/silver.

And when you say short, do you mean like a long single-hook fly instead of the 3"- 4" tandem streamers? I have the tandems about 3"+ because that looked most like a smelt or whatever: Grey Ghosts, 'Magog Smelt, Sebago Smelt, Winnipesaukee Smelt patterns. My buddy Ramel landed a Salmon on a Governor Aiken from my boat, and I have had tags on that pattern as well the Winnipesaukee Smelt but no hookups.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

The rainbow or steelhead don't seem to be close to the shore that late after their very early spring spawning (ice out).But brown trout are home buddies and if you know where they have been stocked you will always find them close to that area,usually after the same food that the atlantic and coho salmon are after.
I usually cut the streamers in half and use them without stinger hooks.That resembles the bait found close to shore the best

 

[ebry710]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

The rainbow or steelhead don't seem to be close to the shore that late after their very early spring spawning (ice out).But brown trout are home buddies and if you know where they have been stocked you will always find them close to that area,usually after the same food that the atlantic and coho salmon are after.
I usually cut the streamers in half and use them without stinger hooks.That resembles the bait found close to shore the best

What? How do you do that? Good pict?

 

[rolmops]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

What? How do you do that? Good pict?

I never have managed the art of getting pictures in my threads.
The streamers that I use are mostly howie flies and dream weavers.They use hair that is about 3 inches long.I cut it back to about an inch and a half.As the seasons advances and the fish go deeper my flies go longer until,come July I use full sized 3 and even 4 inch flies.
Another bait I use is 6 inch storm shad(soft plastic)or live shad.I drag these through schools of bait fish and they are usually picked off by big salmon.

 

[ebry710]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

So you trim to size. That make sense. That is why I always like fly fishing, it allows you to be "creative on the fly".

 

[Paul DuLaney]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I use planers,downriggers and strate line for walleye here in Ohio and stripers i n Tennessee.Then main thing I do is to use my elec trolling motor as and put the line out 60 -120 feet out depending on water color & temp

 

[ebry710]

Re: Lead core, planers or downriggers-Which do you use and why?

I use planers,downriggers and strate line for walleye here in Ohio and stripers i n Tennessee.Then main thing I do is to use my elec trolling motor as and put the line out 60 -120 feet out depending on water color & temp

How long does the battery of your electric trolling motor last?