Downriggers for Lake Washington Sockeye

[Trout4lb]

Are downriggers neccessary in fishing for Lake Washington Sockeye, is there an alternative to get deep enough. I've been considering a diver or, about eight ounces of wieght. Would either of these work?

[Fish4Fun]

Downriggers are not neccesary to get these fish. I have two Scotties on my sled and on Tuesday morning we had 6 out of the 8 fish hit the rods that were not on downriggers. The set up we used was 8oz. 24" in front of an "O" Les Davis dodger. Leader length was 15" to a double 2/0 red Gammy. 50 to 54 pulls out (face of reel to first guide). My friends don't have 'riggers and this is the set-up I came up with for them and they get limits every morning. For trolling speed you want the line at a 45 degree angle no matter how much lead you have, this will have you in the optimum area. Go slow less than 1 mph, I use double sea anchors off the bow to slow my Weldcraft down.

Fish4Fun

[Deleted User]

Ya, those downriggers take time to get down deep. Although Jeff has a fast way to get them down. I'll let him post the tech on that http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif .

[Jeffhead]

OK OK OK RT,
Just got home from camping with my wife after we went fishin' and I know your dieing for me to explain the "downrigger ball fast release method" so here goes. The morning started out great, left Oly about 4:30, no traffic to the Atlantic City launch and about a 4 car launch line which blew me away considering 4 years ago the launch line was out the parking lot, down the street and around the corner. I'm thinkin' too cool. Well after we launched and the I get back and fire up the motor to warm it up RT says "hey Jeff where's your trollin motor cover", so I look back and sure nuf' it's gone. I had it off the night before and thought (I know that's what I get for thinkin') it was back on tight. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Must have blown off on the freeway. So out we head and stop up by Seward Park. Get the first setup ands rigger' ready, clip the line in and start to let the gear down, I noticed that the line had wrapped around the rod tip so I reached out to up wrap it and by some magic I hit the release on the downriiger and the ball started a wild free fall. I backed away the brake took hold and snaaaaaaap goes the rigger' wire, 12 lbs o' rigger' ball and a release clip on the bottom of Lake Wa. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/blush.gif I couldn't believe what had happened. Hadn't lost a rigger' ball in over 2 years and the first time out with em' this year this happens. Now I'm thinkin' what can happen next????? Well fortunetly nothin' did and we did get some fish and had a great sunny day on the lake. The ironic thing is before all of that happened I had told RT "ya know every time ya go fishin' ya end up with a story, sometimes someones else's and sometimes yours", will just add this one to the list. I guess that I hadn't paid my dues to the fishin' gear gods lately so now I get too. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff

[scooby]

How is the evening bite for these guys. I would like to take my little girl, but 3-4am is too early for her. also, is the area on the renton side, good fishing?

thanks for the help

[Jeffhead]

Scooby,
There is an afternoon/evening bite, just not as hot as the morning bite can be. The lower end of the lake is good around the SW side of Mercer Island and up towards Seward Pt. It just wasn't that hot the other morning for us. I just traded e mails with the editor of www.washingtonlakes.com, (http://www.washingtonlakes.com,) he fished along Mercer across from Seward and hooked 9 getting 4 to the boat. Red or black hooks will do the trick, I tie two close with a corky in the middle. One thing I added this time thanks to RT's advice is some shrimp & prawn oil. We hooked 5 and landed 3. Watch out for my patented downrigger ball quick release method though. http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Tight lines, Jeff

[Deleted User]

Yessss! There is a slow evening bite on the Lake. I got a 6 lb'er out last night after losing one 10 lb. ball and breaking my compact downrigger, not to mention the depth finder doing it's own belly up impression. We had one fish on, same fish in boat. I think we were rowing too fast, though. Hard to control a boat slowly in the wake-chop. Fish deep- to about 75', but watch your depth finder and adjust accordingly. I recommend a downrigger ( got no downrigger? Mike at www.washingtonlakes.com (http://www.washingtonlakes.com) has a cheap workable answer) because all that extra weight with a banana really takes the fun out of the fight.
Good luck!