02-27-2007, 12:37 AM
youve asked a lot of good questions here. im sure it will take a while for you to find the answers youre looking for in full. and even longer to put your own twist on things and find what you are comfortable with. i'd be glad to give you my opinions on the subject!
personally, i like the cannon sport trolls for manuals. i used a gimbal mount and had a swivel when i used them. they also have a good clamp on mount for that rigger. ive since upgraded, but have been able to keep basically the same mounts. what kind of boat do you have? this will determine what kind of downrigger you can use. also, it will determine the length of boom ("arm") you need.
weight of the ball will be determined by your own preference. if you dont mind pulling the heavy weight up, id go with a ten. if you do mind, then go with an 8#. the heavier the weight, the less "blowback" which means your weight drags and doesnt go straight down. this means youre not as deep as you think you are. downrigging is about precision depth control, its important to know how deep you are. go with a fish shape, or pancake... they drag much less than a ball weight.
i never use braided line for kokes, i use flourocarbon or mono. if you do use braid, be sure you have a good drag. this will make up for the lack of give in that braid. kokes mouths can be torn easily, so keep your drag looser than normal. some people use snubbers, which may not be a bad idea if youre using braid. i would at least use a flouro, or mono leader to negate the visibility factors of the braid.
distance behind the weight varies too. if im fishing with my weight less than 20 feet down, i like to put my lure back a ways to get away from motor noise. if im fishing deeper, i move it closer to the weight. motor noise isnt an issue once you get down deep. fishing close to the weight has its advantages, but only when youre deep. one advantage is that you can make tighter turns without tangling lines. another advantage is that you can hook your heavy lake trolls to the weight and then run your lure a few feet behind that. (off of a stacker release connected to the cable a few feet above the weight)
your worm harnesses will work for kokanee and browns, but their are more effective lures out there. what did your tackle box include?
think flourescent for kokes. glows are great too. there will be tons of kokanee manufacturers at the international sportsmans expo in salt lake. you should consider going there for info on downriggers and lures! if you do go, check out the Rocky Mountain Tackle and Macks Lures booth. there is a lot about kokes you can learn there! RMT's dodgers are awesome, and so are their koke lures. and, macks famous "wedding ring" has probably caught more kokanee than anything over the years!
for browns, ive had luck with rapalas, spinners, and flies. early morning and evenings have been best for me with browns. and night fishing can be decent too during a full moon.
let me know if you have any more questions, or if i wasnt clear in any way!
good luck, bkidder
one more thing... check ebay for great deals on downriggers and downrigger accessories!
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personally, i like the cannon sport trolls for manuals. i used a gimbal mount and had a swivel when i used them. they also have a good clamp on mount for that rigger. ive since upgraded, but have been able to keep basically the same mounts. what kind of boat do you have? this will determine what kind of downrigger you can use. also, it will determine the length of boom ("arm") you need.
weight of the ball will be determined by your own preference. if you dont mind pulling the heavy weight up, id go with a ten. if you do mind, then go with an 8#. the heavier the weight, the less "blowback" which means your weight drags and doesnt go straight down. this means youre not as deep as you think you are. downrigging is about precision depth control, its important to know how deep you are. go with a fish shape, or pancake... they drag much less than a ball weight.
i never use braided line for kokes, i use flourocarbon or mono. if you do use braid, be sure you have a good drag. this will make up for the lack of give in that braid. kokes mouths can be torn easily, so keep your drag looser than normal. some people use snubbers, which may not be a bad idea if youre using braid. i would at least use a flouro, or mono leader to negate the visibility factors of the braid.
distance behind the weight varies too. if im fishing with my weight less than 20 feet down, i like to put my lure back a ways to get away from motor noise. if im fishing deeper, i move it closer to the weight. motor noise isnt an issue once you get down deep. fishing close to the weight has its advantages, but only when youre deep. one advantage is that you can make tighter turns without tangling lines. another advantage is that you can hook your heavy lake trolls to the weight and then run your lure a few feet behind that. (off of a stacker release connected to the cable a few feet above the weight)
your worm harnesses will work for kokanee and browns, but their are more effective lures out there. what did your tackle box include?
think flourescent for kokes. glows are great too. there will be tons of kokanee manufacturers at the international sportsmans expo in salt lake. you should consider going there for info on downriggers and lures! if you do go, check out the Rocky Mountain Tackle and Macks Lures booth. there is a lot about kokes you can learn there! RMT's dodgers are awesome, and so are their koke lures. and, macks famous "wedding ring" has probably caught more kokanee than anything over the years!
for browns, ive had luck with rapalas, spinners, and flies. early morning and evenings have been best for me with browns. and night fishing can be decent too during a full moon.
let me know if you have any more questions, or if i wasnt clear in any way!
good luck, bkidder
one more thing... check ebay for great deals on downriggers and downrigger accessories!
[signature]