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Bro in law just inherited a boat and we're outfitting it for fishing. We will most likely spend 90% of our time at DC and the Nelle, with hopefully a yearly trip to the Gorge and Bear Lake.
Neither of us have any experience fishing from a boat. Particularly speaking of DC and Jordanelle, what feedback would any of you have regarding planer boards versus downriggers? Can you fish as deep with a planer board as you can with a downrigger? And do any of you use a strategy of locating fish on the finder, then vertical fishing while stationary (as opposed to trolling)?
Another issue.: We only own light tackle right now. If any of you would be willing to post what size pole, line, etc. you use, this would be helpful. I am guessing you can vertical fish fine with light tackle, but that trolling would require a heavier pole (and line). I could be wrong. . .
Yes, I am and will continue to search Youtube and this forum. Any insight is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
-Aaron
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You have asked for info on many different methods of fishing and what you have asked for is difficult to relay via message boards. Well for me at least Utu is easier to show. To start off light tackle works well for vertical jigging and chucking lures. For trolling you will need heavier gear. Anywhere from medium to medium heavy to heavy. Down riggers aren't a must unless you really want to go deep. Some use lead core line and that works very well. I use heavy flourocarbon. I take a size 1 egg sinker slide it on the line. Then tie on a #7 swivel then add a piece of leader. This will get you down to the fish. I have used this method on a few lakes with success. Planet boards help keep the lines apart and not tangle. Also they help cover more water and can help catch the fish that don't like the sound of the boat motor.
Feel free to stop by and I can show you different rigs and methods for fishing from different boats and craft.
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Planer boards are a pain to fish with and are only necessary when one is fishing shallow water. They are designed to get your lure away from your boat to the side and they are not designed to fish the lure deeply. Planer boards work best at places like Willard Bay. Also, you are asking for trouble using planer boards at either Jordanelle or Deer Creek. At both reservoirs, back in the day when I often trolled, I had my tackle cut off numerous times, from boats cutting too close behind my boat, at both of those reservoirs. I lost four rigs, in one day, at Jordanelle. If you used planer boards you would just increase the number of times you are cut off.
Downriggers are designed to take your lure as deep as you want to take it, to a controlled depth, and without the necessity of using additional weight or a Dipsy Diver or similar to do so. They work well, but also can be a lot of work; especially, until you get the hang of it. They would be a much better option at Deer Creek and Jordanelle, but I would suggest first try fishing them without either one and go from there.
Another option for the two places you mentioned is a rod rigged with leaded line.
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Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like we definitely should work on becoming successful fishing from the boat without a downrigger or planer boards. That will give us plenty to learn, as it is. Once we feel confident in those skills, we can see about the expense and learning curve of a downrigger.
I'll research the lead line, and the overall technique and gear needed for vertical jigging down deep.
Wish I could be out on the boat right now. I just went outside for a fire drill, and it's such a beautiful day!
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Yep, I recommend you go slowly. Too often I have thought that I needed something only to find out later that I either didn't need it at all or I needed something different.
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You have a pretty wide learning curve right now. Take it one step at a tIme. There are techniques I learned a long time ago and never use. There are new ones I find that I use all the time. Learn and know the species you are going after. In time you will build up the arsenal needed. One of the best ways to learn is go out with other anglers and see how they fish. There is no one right way.[cool]
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