Downrigger question.

[Gundog]

How far in back of the cannon balls do you run your lures bait etc. I have always fished fairly close to the ball say 10-30' sometimes maybe 50' tops I have trolled mostly in the ocean. I fish with a friend who runs some of his gear out 100-200'behind the ball in the lake. I am not sure there is a right way or wrong way but what do you guys do. I have even heard of guys that attach the flashers to the ball and releases on the flasher so when the fish hits it is just you and the fish. I tried this last method a couple of times salmon fishing in the ocean and did not catch anything. I am not sure if it was the method or a bad day.
Mike

[kidkodger]

I'm with you 20-30 feet when salmon trolling. I think less distance give faster line recovery and faster hook set after the line pops out. When trout and koke fishining a long space helps coax shy fish.

[tomictime]

For flashers I run a tight leash of 15-20' more and the flasher tends to stall. For plugs (see moniker) I run about 50-75' behind rigger. I have run all sorts of flashers w releases and flasher on ball w lure above..hard to beat flasher w lure (Hooch or spoon..I am a hardware guy) tied direct. Also, I use very stiff pre stretched nylon for flasher leaders in 50#

as to plugs I use a sampo swiv and 6-8' flouro leaders, there I think flouro pays.

Hope this helps

You still going up N to BC?

My first trip is next week :smile:

JD

[Gundog]

My trip to BC is not looking good for this year but I havn't given up hope yet.
Mike

[greenbuttskunk]

General rule of thumb, the deeper I run, the closer. No real need to be back much from the ball. For chinook, I'll run about 30-40 feet, for silver, more like 10' Keeping them in tight helps with control and help eliminate tangles.
GBS

[Boatdog]

Agreed with quote below...

I'm with you 20-30 feet when salmon trolling. I think less distance give faster line recovery and faster hook set after the line pops out.

As long as we are not talking about stacking lines.

[BARCHASER]

tomictime is right on. I love my Tomics, the big dudes are the best. 50-60 feet back, 120-150 ft down and fast, 3-4mph. Flashers, 20-30 feet back and much slower. I use tomics a lot off of Uclulet and the Straits and even puget sound when they let us fish that is. I fish Tbay also, but I've never tried the plugs down there. Bet they'd be good though. Couple yrs ago I was fishing with a buddy at Tbay in Oct. He didnt have DRs on his boat. I was sitting in that Italian joint in Wheeler, in the bar talking to a coml guy who was real chatty. He was telling me they were knockin the nooks outside using plugs, while fishin around the jaws was kind of spotty. Always wanted to try plugs down there. I stack lines, but only with a plug cut herring on the top, no dodger/fasher. Trying to use two flashers on one cable hasnt worked for me.

[BARCHASER]

One more thing, close to the ball gives tighter more rapid roll, good for silvers. Further back, wider, slower roll, more of a nook deal. I dont like their DRs much but I do like scotty releases the best.

[Spoiled Daddy]

I tend to run my gear about 30' off the cable for chinooks. I haven't had much success running the flasher off the cable or hooked directly to the ball, then my line way back behind the flasher on the release. I have much better success running the hoochie or whatever I am pulling 3-4 feet behind the flasher.

Just my .02

SD

[Soft Plastic]

One time to run your gear close to the wire is when using the Black Box. I have had great luck running the flasher off the ball and the release hooked to the wire above the ball. I run my gear 5-6 feet above and 10 feet behind the flasher. I have had days when the Coho are swarming around the flasher while rebaiting. I have also hooked BIG Chinook at 150 feet using this method and plugs (Silver Hordes or Tomics). I have ran my gear 100 feet back when Lake Trout fishing.

[slabhunter]

My favourite method is to run a herring six feet behind a rudder 45ft back looking for migrating fish(at 30-65ft). :grin:
I'll go 30' back down to 90'. 15ft on the flasher spoon/hoochy 150-180ft down. Good luck!