Downriggers

[Charlie_merrifi]

So are downriggers necessary. Is there a cheaper alternative to get the same depths. Can you troll without one. I remember when I was little trolling with my grandpa lettin out tons of line which was multiple colors depending on how deep

 

[troutdude]

Right now, you should be able to catch both 'bows and kokes by just flat lining your trolling rig. But, once the kokes go deep, you can try bananna weights w/ your rig. I'm not sure how effective that is versus a downrigger. But, it might work.

 

[Charlie_merrifi]

Don't have anything at the moment my grandfather used lead core line I believe. Was multiple color and we would let out a certain amount of colors

 

[Irishrover]

It depends on how deep you want to go. That muti colored line you mention is a lead core line. Each color was about ten feet. You can go cheap. Years ago I would take a 10lbs lead ball and lower it down on a cord by hand and attach my line off that. I would not recomend that its work. Troutdude is right about the banana weight it goes infront of a lake troll out fit. It might be easier to locate the fish and use a buzz bomb. They are fun to cast and sink quikley.

 

[Charlie_merrifi]

Eah I want a downrigger they are just expensive. Can you still get the leadcore or should I try bannana weights.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

You can run divers or a banna wieght in line or even a cannon ball wieght on the rudder. make a downrigger out of an old salmon rod. all kinds of ways to go about it. I only use downriggers for makinaw fishing other than that i just use wieght if I am using any at all.

 

[Charlie_merrifi]

I just need to go with some people and learn these new technigues

 

[Thuggin4Life]

I am mostly self taught since all the trolling I did as a kid was on a downrigger in Alaska for salmon. I started out trolling lures like spinners, spoons, small rapalas, and small flat/quickfish with or without splitshots clipped on a few feet above the lure. Also tried just a wedding ring with a worm. All my trout trolling rods have 12 or 15 lb test so I run a 6lb leader. Then I stepped up to using flashers like for fenders and lake trolls. I learned that a heavy mainline saves you lots of money in flashers. I run about 18" or leader off a flasher to a hook and worm or sometimes to a weddingring and worm. I run these with no wieght and deppending on the flasher you can get them to run like 8'-15' down by letting out a lot of line. And the farther back the more fish you catch by giving them time to calm down after a big noisy boat just went by. Then i started playing with bannanna weights inline above a flasher set up. anywhere from 1/2oz to 3oz deppending on how deep i am trying to go. Flashers like ford fenders have rudders so you could take a 2 way snap and clip it to the rudder and put on a cannon ball weight instead. One thing i learned I lost a lot of gear using wieght before I got to know a lake and once i thought i had an idea it all changed when i got a fish finder and learned why I lost gear in certain places. Then there are divers. Most of them say how deep the runn right on the package and give you a basic idea how to use them. basically you tie one to you mainline. add some leader of the back. and then your gear. I hope this helps but for the most part know i run flashers and worms without wieght a good 100' back unless its shallow and I will also use spoons sometimes. I also know people that will troll just a worm with maybe a few splitshots. The only time i think you really need to try t oget down is when you can't get anything on the top. or if the fish finder is going nuts down lower at a certian depth, or when trying to fish for kokes. Just my thoughts on the subject. i also teach basic trout trolling classes. All you have to do is tow my boat somewhere And i got the rest.

 

[Charlie_merrifi]

I could do that. Let me know when you are available and what I need. Kokanees are definatley something I want to try for

 

[Thuggin4Life]

Well monday-friday. kokes are a whole new ball game i don't have much experiance in and when i go to lakes where they reside I gow for browns and macks instead. I ussually have a full tank in the boat and can buy the worms If i don't have any. You would just need a lunch cause we fish all day. Your trout lures and gear. maybe a rod but I have and extra rod and spinning reels don't work to well trolling. Its not a real class but just a frindly day fishing and i can show you how i like to catch fish from a boat. My thing is no that my other have started work i can't get the boat out so i just want a tow and i got the rest. we did pretty good at lookout last time look in the lookout section. in fact if you look in dexter,lookout, and fall creek yu can find all kinds of reports from the last year of trout fishing. and a few in the cougar and hillscreek section. so look at the old post and if you feel the need to tow my boat up to the lake we can do some fishing for sure.

 

[Charlie_merrifi]

Ok I will let you know. How far from Salem is the lake you fish

 

[Thuggin4Life]

WOW salem thats a drive man i didn't realize you lived so far. Kinda a drive just to do some trout fishing. The 3 lakes I fish close to home are like 25-35 minutes away from my house. If you are ever down this way for some reason hit me up. Once you get a motor for that boat of yours just get out and fish as much as you can.

 

[troutdude]

Green Peter Reservoir, is much closer. It's just few miles past Sweet Home. And, there are lots of of kokes in there (and trout).

Again, flat lining (without weight) about 100 yds. behind your boat is a great technique right now (early season). And for the kokes or trout, use a Ford Fender (or Doc Shelton) flasher set, with 18" - 24" of leader. Then tie on a wedding ring spinner and put a half of a worm and two kernels of white corn on the tip of the hook.

And, for kokes it is CRITICAL to tie a "snubber" inline. Kokes have very soft mouths. Without a snubber, you'll just the rip the hook out of their mouths when you set the hook. I add a snubber right behind the flasher set (at the top end of your leader).

I use a levelwind reel, and just count the spool rotations as the line goes out. Try 20 - 30 rotations first. If that depth doesn't produce, let it out to 40 and try that depth.

One more thing...a red and hot pink wedding works very well for either specie. But, if you want to nail trout...try a 1/2 green and 1/2 black wedding ring. WHAM! Fish on!!!

Good luck.

 

[Charlie_merrifi]

What do you mean by snubber

 

[Thuggin4Life]

I forgot to mention. There a rubber shock absorber that you put behind a fasher before the leader to help absorb the shock of a hit to keep from ripping the lips of a koke since the have soft mouths. there about idunno six inches long and come in a variety of brite colors. For koes the are supposed to help. i don't grab my rod trolling until i know there is a fish in for sure and don't really even set the hook just real them in once the hook themselves. ussually if you se a bit by the time you grab the rod there either gonna be hooked or not. but when I target kokes more I will be getting snubbers.

 

[troutdude]

You can buy snubbers anywhere...Bi Mart, Freddy's, anyplace that carries fishing gear.

They are needed for Kokes. But, if you are going to target trout...leave the snubbers "off" of your line. You'll catch more trout without snubbers.

 

[Charlie_merrifi]

Ow much different is trolling for kokes than trout

 

[Thuggin4Life]

not much you just have to find the kokes. and use a bit little bit different bait and a snubber. and be nice to them when they are hooked.

 

[troutdude]

and be nice to them when they are hooked.

LOL! Yep, be nice to them...as you fillet them and place them into your smoker!

 

[dude young]

You can still get lead core, for sure. I have both, down riggers and a lead core set up. I can tell you that some days, you can't keep the lead core in the water and the riggers will do nothing. And other days, vice-versa. I know it has something to do with the action that the lead core line imparts on the lure. Get yourself a nice level-wind reel and load it with lead core on a nice stout (I use a 7' heavy action Ugly Stick) rod. There are different sink rates depending on the diameter of the lead thread. A very effective presentation at a VERY wallet friendly price.

Good luck!