Down Rigger fishing

[Marble Eye 62]

My boat I bought a couple years ago came equipped with 2 Minn Kota electric down riggers. I have never used them, or any down riggers period.
I intend to utilize them next season, but needs some advice on equipment I will need to purchase, such weight balls to best style and length rod/reel.
Thanks in advance!

[Misdirection]

The weight of the ball depends upon where and how you will be fishing.

For example, here in the central basin of Lake Erie, max depth is 75'. Recommended weight is 8 lbs to 10 lbs ball.

Up on Lake Ontario, where you'll be fishing depths of 100' or more over a couple hundred feet of water at faster speeds for salmon, you might need a 12 lbs pancake weight.

I personally like a Chamberlain or similar release.

Make your your rod is a "downrigger" rod when you order it. Cheap from a Diawa Wilderness up thru more expensive Okuma, etc. These will be stiff at the handle and yet flexible enough at the tip to bend over. But I've also been known to use a perch spinning rod in shallow to allow for a better fight!

Good luck!

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk

[Ozark Bob]

Originally Posted by Marble Eye 62

My boat I bought a couple years ago came equipped with 2 Minn Kota electric down riggers. I have never used them, or any down riggers period.
I intend to utilize them next season, but needs some advice on equipment I will need to purchase, such weight balls to best style and length rod/reel.
Thanks in advance!

I found this book helpful when I wanted to start using downriggers. Trolling top to bottom by Mark Romanack.(1998) If you look on Amazon you will also see others

[Snowking]

How long since minnkota made downriggers?
My guess is they would only be rated for 8 lb max weight. I would just go with round ball with a small Finn for 8 or under weight. You might want to consider putting new cable on. Just starting out maybe just the blacks type of downrigger release. The chamberlains are great but more expensive. I like cannons https://www.amazon.com/CANNON-SS-SMS.../dp/B000MN0K0U for the loop at the end of the cable. Just make sure you route the cable right. Or the tried and true many brands https://www.amazon.com/Scotty-1153-T...383466&sr=8-31

I have used 7 to 8.2 length rods. Mainly ugly stick bwd rods. Some people like the longer rods so it takes up slack when the release goes. Boat storage can have allot to do with lengths of rods you buy. For small boat I never found a need to go longer then 8 foot for downrigger.

[Shellback]

I don't know of any downriggers branded as MinnKota. But MinnKota and Cannon are owned by the same parent company, Johnson Outdoors. As is Humminbird also.

[Marble Eye 62]

Originally Posted by Shellback

I don't know of any downriggers branded as MinnKota. But MinnKota and Cannon are owned by the same parent company, Johnson Outdoors. As is Humminbird also.

I swore they were Minn Kota, but they are in fact Cannon Magnum 10 STX’s

[REW]

Helen may know if your downriggers were made by a branch of Johnson outdoors.

https://web.archive.org/web/20070103...am_our_hle.asp

[crzytoad75]

What are you targeting fish wise using the riggers? I run the Cannon Mag10 STX like yours for both walleye and lake trout. Totally different equipment required. Laker rods are Eagle Claw Starfire 8'6" down rigger rods. Walleye rods are medium Cabelas Whuppin' Stick 7'. Releases I use are Offshore OR-1 medium tension for lakers and Offshore OR-4 light weight releases for walleyes. Need some tension to set hooks otherwise fish spits out hook. A lot of the time I can see rod thumping before line releases. I have some Chamberlain releases but never had patience to dial them in. If I change species I just change the release to match. For weights I use the 10lb Huron Tackle troll-rite weights. Long keel so they track well in current on Lake Superior. Keeps everything straight and minimizes tangles.
Rods don't have to be expensive since they sit in rod holders any way and wait for them to pop. Needs good flex to load rod in rod holder.

[Marble Eye 62]

Originally Posted by crzytoad75

What are you targeting fish wise using the riggers? I run the Cannon Mag10 STX like yours for both walleye and lake trout. Totally different equipment required. Laker rods are Eagle Claw Starfire 8'6" down rigger rods. Walleye rods are medium Cabelas Whuppin' Stick 7'. Releases I use are Offshore OR-1 medium tension for lakers and Offshore OR-4 light weight releases for walleyes. Need some tension to set hooks otherwise fish spits out hook. A lot of the time I can see rod thumping before line releases. I have some Chamberlain releases but never had patience to dial them in. If I change species I just change the release to match. For weights I use the 10lb Huron Tackle troll-rite weights. Long keel so they track well in current on Lake Superior. Keeps everything straight and minimizes tangles.
Rods don't have to be expensive since they sit in rod holders any way and wait for them to pop. Needs good flex to load rod in rod holder.

Walleye will be the main target, I already have some Shimano 7’ (M) TDR rods I’ve used for planer boards that I believe should be adequate for rigging.
From what I gather so far, an 8# ball with keel and some kind of release?
As far as a release, what is the preferred method, attaching to the ball, or cable?

[Coho975]

Marble Eye,


We use DR's quite a bit, here's my .02. Generally glass rods are the best choice for Dr's, your TDR's will be great. I would strongly recommend going with #10 balls, they don't blow back as far when your trolling deeper / faster (over 2mph) and you will still be able to see the balls on your graph. DR is about presenting your lures at a precise depth, if you cant see them on your graph, you are guesstimating your depth. As for releases I would recommend starting with Black's, they are only about $10, are adjustable and work slick. They mount inline between your cable and ball. Then put a size 5 or 6 Duolock on the back eye of your ball and leave it unclasped, you can then also use rubber bands instead of a mechanical release, some days when the bite is lite they work better. As far as set back,the 100' rule is a good place to start, 30' deep=70' setback etc. I like to choke them up as close as the fish will allow so you can make tighter turns. Good luck!