Down riggers VS non down riggers

[cheesechucker]

Looking at maybe adding acouple down riggers to my boat. I was just wondering do you really catch more fish with them or not, I dont know anybody that has them or I would just ask them. Either way they look fun to use thou....
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[CVfisher]

If you plan on fishing deeper water for big fish, they are essential.
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[CROSSINEYES]

i use them for kokanee salmon. but thats it. and yes for that they do get moore fish.
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[ReelMasta]

Not just for Salmon, but if your going to troll Bear Lake or the Gorge for Macs they're an esential weapon + hot late summer months on all the reservoirs, so much better than all the weight you need to get down to the 30' mark to consistantly catch fish.
For me I would not waste your time with a manual one it will drive you crazy as you learn the techniques. I upgraded last year to electrics and had the best year of my life. 15lb laker at Bear Lake and lots of Kokes at the Gorge and even managed one outing at Porky and nabbed a limit of the lil ones up there.
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[GorgeHound]

Nothing wrong with adding more tools to your arsenal, eh?
When the target fish are deep, the downrigger can place your lure "spot on" to the depth the fish are at, and you can use lighter tackle for the "fight". I have two on my boat and have found them VERY usefull in quite a few situations.. If you got the room on your boat, I say go for it......
Good luck!
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[DKStroutfitter]

I love to fish with riggers.
I hate dragging pop gear. With a down rigger, you only reel in the fish and not a lot of heavy dead weight like you do with pop gear.
Another great thing about a down rigger is that you see the ball on your fish finder and you know exactly how deep your lure is.
I don't mind manual riggers but I would love to have electric riggers. I just can't justify their cost.
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[bearlakebob]

Ive got one of each and I guess you know who gets the electric LoL.
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[ReelMasta]

Man i tell U what that manual rigger i had got thrown away.... I can't believe how much better the lectics are. That up and down while learning how to set the release bout wore a hole in my elbow. I had downrigga elbow for over a year... so sore. Now just comfort, and easy to teach newbewies too. I had one of the vets using it last year at Soldier Creek and he out fished me. What a blast. Best investment especially for the kokes. After years of trying to catch em we finnally got it figured out. Riggers.... Dodgers.... Squid.... Scent.... how far to run the dodgers.... blah blah blah

The Laker was released.... the other pics are Flaming Gorge Kokes
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[OCF]

You will love using down riggers. Once you get hooked it is hard to fish any other way. Once you get experienced, you can pull twice as many lures through the water at any given time and fish in 3 dimensions instead of two. As mentioned earlier, they are essential at the Gorge, Strawberry in the summer, and most other deep lakes.

I have 4 on my boat and get depressed when the fish are shallow and I can't use them.
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[feeeshon]

You cant beat downriggers for multiple lines being fished,also they are awesome for nailing fish and having it down to a science.I use them always.Wipers,Muskie,all Trout,Salmon,even halibut and bottom fish on the ocean.the sky is the limit.Besides how else can you run 10 lines and not get tangled.you will never regret buying them just be prepared to get addicted !!!!!
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[ocean]

Most definitly it will improve your catch ratio. I love using them at deer creek for suspended walleyes .Get them you will not regret it.[]
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[Quicky]

I've got a thread on making your own electric downriggers using power window motors and am upgrading to use window wiper motors. I am still collecting scrap aluminum but I think I will be into two of them for less than $120 total. I will share what I learn/make in future threads. Ps my two first two versions available pretty cheap if someone wants to pm me and I will see if it would work on your biat. They're gimball mounted so may not work on swivel bases.
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[cheesechucker]

well after all your guys input and a few hours of you tube video's they look like a must have. I think I will go with cannon. looks like a good brand to me.
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[ReelMasta]

Take your time, make sure you have all the info. I have two electric cannons that work great for me but there are some that can integrate with a finder and automatically adjust depth based on the terain.
I am not so lucky and I really need to pay attention to the fish finder for the depth and structure. Very easy to get complacent and forget while your trolling. When Cuddy Buddy and I fish, she pretty much takes the helm and puts us on the fish while I man the riggers.
But agree they are a great addition to your arsenal.
You may want to see if a fellow BFTer would take you out and show off how they work and all the little things that might help make it easier to make your decision.
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[cheesechucker]

Thanks reel masta[]
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[cheesechucker]

Well I know that I have to go with a couple Maual units for now. Just upgraded to a bigger boat. purchased a remote troll on ebay. So I have just about everything needed. I have been trolling for years. And love it " my wife says she dosent fish she trolls". But any ways My budget is shrinking fast. But would love to get a couple they dont look to hard to use you tube has some great videos of how to use them.
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[feeeshon]

I would definately go with cannons they are by far the best I think,and I still have one manual just for fishing really up and down bottoms with manual it comes up alot faster as for lake trout fishing canyons.
I have used all kinds of them and cannon is the easiest to run as for newbies also.and very strong just make sure you mount them solid and a backer plate is even more secure as for when the bottom of the lake bites lol
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[Coldfooter]

If you have to go manual my advice is go with a unit that picks up a couple feet of cable with each turn of the crank..
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[cheesechucker]

ya I was wondering about a backer plate. hitting the bottom not good on the boat. lol
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[cheesechucker]

Ok big crank check. that just dont sound right. lol
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