Downrigger Usage in Erie Western Basin

[bear]

I'm thinking about investing in a couple of down-riggers for Walleye trolling in the Western Basin. Don't recall seeing many boats running down-rigger out there last year. Does anybody use them consistenty for Walleye trolling?

[Boatnut]

I'm probably in the minority, but my one fishing buddy and I use them pretty consistently. Very short leads. Produce as well as any other method for us. I hear that they are a waste of time, water's too shallow etc but I'm just saying what works for us.

[Terroreyes]

I use one out there. Works fine. Only drawback is that you tend to drag around alot of garbage fish without knowing. Hard to see something like a little white perch hitting. Best use for the downrigger is when there's alot of weeds floating around. I run it straight behind the boat and it eliminates any weeds getting to the lure.



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[j9f]

They work, but there are a lot of other more productive methods to get lines that produce fish in the water. Mainly for the reason mentioned above..... trouble detecting strikes.

I have 4 nice electrics mounted on my boat but leave them in the basement except on rare occasions when it's really weedy or I have enough people on the boat that I can run say 14 or 16 rods. Rods 1 through 12 will have some type of diver on them.

[Nodak7mm]

BoatNut & T/Eyes:

What weight ball do you use when after eyes? If your use a superline, what release do you use.

I am no longer near the great lakes and want to try stinger spoons behind mine for eyes too. Wondering if I should park my 10 lbers and get some 4's. I also run primarily power pro now instead of mono and am wondering if I'll have problems with the release holding the line?

Rod

[FISHINFEVER]

I use them, They work well, along with my dipsey's and the jets on the big boards I run 2 down riggers. I also run power pro branded line and use a cannon release with a rubber band. I run spoons on the dipsey's and Jets and run crank baits on the riggers. Most days the riggers get the biggest fish.

FISHIN'FEVER

[Burr]

>BoatNut & T/Eyes:
>
>What weight ball do you use when after eyes? If your use a
>superline, what release do you use.
>

Rod, I just use the same 10 lb ball. I use the Black's release with superlines - I'm really happy with the Black's release. At least I'm not looking to replace releases anymore. Their easy to rig up, and trip settings can be set mild.

[RickyP]

I agree with j9f. Downriggers are certainly not necessary in the western basin. I have a buddy I've fished with a couple of times who has them on his boat. Both times the jets/big boards and dipsie rods outproduced the downriggers by a large margin.

I can see where they would be helpful when the weeds move in.

[Spanky]

I was a 1st mate for about 4 seasons. We ran downriggers. Yes we caught fish but the most action was on the big boards. We have a boat & don't rund the downriggers becasuse of the lack of action.
We go out with a charter once a year & the same applies there, the downriggers don't compare to the action on the boards.
While a frist mate we had trouble "reading" the downriggers as well.
We would pull them up to double to make sure there wasn't a fish on.
I know the bigger fish were caught on the boards or dipseys.

[TRIPLE J]

I have used downriggers while walleye trolling the last 2 years seeing as I just got them. Worked good for me. Caught quite a few walleye on them last year early around april-june. Started by using the Blacks releases also, but I too had trouble reading them when a small fish was on, so I changed to a rubberband release. I really do like the Blacks releases the best, very easy to use, and use them when I'm trolling for steelhead or salmon. But for walleye it's alot easier to read the rods with the rubberbands. Found that with the power-pro line I was using I had to double wrap the rubberband on the line though.