downriggers for steelhead???

[JinxCanada]

ok. i have fished a couploe of times for steelhead with my buddies using dipsy divers and spoons, but i was wondering if downriggers are a) better, b) will catch more fish c) easier to use, d) worth the rediculous prices they sell for? TIA

[ALLEYES_]

If you are just targeting Iron noggins. Then, no they aren't worth buying. Steelies usaually are higher in the water column than salmon. They like to feed on insects near the surface. That is why scumlines are so good for them. Dipseys and boards will catch the majority of steelies along with the old school long lines.

[silverstalker]

we still fish them for steelies and did well on riggers in lake ontario last year in aug.deep off the ball for kings and then a slider run diwn the line for steelies. we have had them grab the spoon and run rite up the cable and jump rite behind the boat and never trip the rigger fun stuff.

[K Gonefishin]

We run riggers alot on Erie in the summer, they are usually the bread and butter program off Cleveland and to the East. We'll run slider's off of them and target fish up and down the column, jet 10's and jet 20's do catch great off boards when the fish are eating months and other bugs, but when they are deep and eating on smelt riggers are the ticket, I know guys that run them for walleye including me, they work great as well, helps to run baits for walleye 25 back from the ball, this is usally the good number as far as dropback.

[Boatnut]

ok. i have fished a couploe of times for steelhead with my buddies using dipsy divers and spoons, but i was wondering if downriggers are a) better, b) will catch more fish c) easier to use, d) worth the rediculous prices they sell for? TIA

a, b, c- to me they are just another "tool in the box". We caught steelies off Wheatley last year and I don't think we ever got the downriggers rigged up. They were hitting so hard and fast off 40 jets and big dipsey's that we didn't have time to use them. Other years, yes they worked very well. I like to catch fish with them, because once the fish trips the line, it's just you and the fish, no dipsey or jet /board etc. to fight along with it. If you do get them, definetely spend the bucks and get electric. that cranking gets old in a hurry!

Bottomline, are they better? will they catch more fish? are they easier to use? Probably not, but if you have the extra bucks, it's a good way to expand your "arsenal".
my 2 cents

[Homer]

a, b, c- to me they are just another "tool in the box".

Bingo. You certainly don't have to run out and get riggers if you don't already own them, because you can catch a ton of fish with out them. They happen to be my favorite tool in the box, though, because I enjoy fighting the fish without the additional hardware on the line. When I fish Wheatley solo, my dipseys never see the water.

[JinxCanada]

ok so further to this then....when and how far out say in Wheatly do i have to go to get steelhead on dipsy's? what size/colour is best to get? i have only done this a couple of times with a buddy in his boat..but i want to learn myself as well. i normally up until this past year only fished for walleye in the detroit river, and never ventured into lake erie or st. clair, but now that i have a bigger boat i really want to get out there and catch some other species of fish (that i can eat :yum:) and steelies are delicious!!

i have 2 Okuma 8 6" rods w/ line counting reels already, i'll buy 2 more soon. is there any chance to catch salmon from wheatly? if so where do i go? how far out? how deep etc and what lures? TIA

[marcbodi]

Hi,
Boatnut is right about Riggers being another tool.When me and my 2 buddies head out I always ask if its okay if I use the two riggers and they use the Dipsys or Boards.I just love the way they hook up on the Dipsys.When I get the right depth and lure I can knock **** out of them.They do not change depth as much on turns as Dipsys.I think you will catch more of a combination of Walleyes and Steelhead on the Dipsys because they are going up and down on turns.The Riggers stay right at the Steelhead depth with is the most important.I have 4 dipsy rods and they read the same but different than the other guys rods.Sometimes the Riggers are hot and sometimes they are dead.

[marcbodi]

Hi JinxCanada,
The steelhead will be from 6 to 12 miles out of Wheatley.You could do okay with 4 dipsys # 1.As far as lures spoons work best.I would not go out and Buy a ton of them However here are some to look for Jerrylee,Greasy chicken wing,Rainbow trout,ProKing000023,000044,000046,000072,000070,00 0136.If you want to find these just run a search.When they start running in Ohio Waters around the second week of June we will be posting right up to the end of Aug.From Ohio to Wheatley.As far as Salmon over at wheatly there are a few caught but not many and also some Brown trout.

ProKing Spoons
Tom Doss 269-685-1192