downriggers

[springer99]

Just started fishing the bay this year and I'm wondering why I don't see more references to their use here. Used them a number of times in the great lakes and would think they'd be a great way to really cover the water column. What am I missing?

With Christmas coming up, I was thinking of putting one on my "must have" list.

 

[Megabyte]

Delaware Bay or Chesapeake Bay?

The reason you don't see a lot of people using downriggers here in the Chesapeake is because of the severe variations in depth.

Downriggers work very well in waters where the depth is constant, or close to being so.

In the Chesapeake, you have widely varying depths... from 20' to over 100'.
Downriggers can be used, but you must be very careful of your depth and stick to areas where they will be effective and not be constantly bottoming out.

This time of year, if you want to troll deep, use a bottom bouncer rig. They work well in these waters. :wink:

 

[springer99]

Delaware Bay or Chesapeake Bay?

The reason you don't see a lot of people using downriggers here in the Chesapeake is because of the severe variations in depth.

Downriggers work very well in waters where the depth is constant, or close to being so.

In the Chesapeake, you have widely varying depths... from 20' to over 100'.
Downriggers can be used, but you must be very careful of your depth and stick to areas where they will be effective and not be constantly bottoming out.

This time of year, if you want to troll deep, use a bottom bouncer rig. They work well in these waters. :wink:

 

[Outta Here]

Thumbs up on downriggers. Sometimes just 10' deep is a different fishery. I have transferred a manual Penn to 3 different boats over 10 years.

 

[B-Faithful]

I have a set of manual downriggers. However I rarely use them. Since slow trolling is what is done most in this area, most just weight the line with in line sinkers. For me it is a laziness thing. Downriggers are great for more accurately setting depth but require adjusting constantly when working varied depths. For fast trolling for tuna, we use inline pole planers..

 

[springer99]

Thanks for the feedback. Since I've never been a big fan of large, inline sinkers to get depth, I may still give them a try in spring. Like you say though, gotta be careful with the depth.

Just as an alternate, Megabite- what is a "bottom-bouncing" rig?

 

[Outta Here]

Just as an alternate, Megabite- what is a "bottom-bouncing" rig?

def: "bottom bouncing" rig?------Mercury :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[B-Faithful]

Just as an alternate, Megabite- what is a "bottom-bouncing" rig?

See here:

 

[Megabyte]

Just as an alternate, Megabite- what is a "bottom-bouncing" rig?

Greg posted a pretty good representation...

I generally rig my tandems a little differently, but the idea is still the same.

The idea is that the weight 'bounces' lightly across the bottom keeping the lures tighter to the bottom contour where the fish hang out in the holes and other ambush spots. Rockfish are creatures of opportunity, so when something that looks like a meal swims by, they strike.

I also use a slightly lighter mono line attached to my weights. Reason is, if I get into some rocks or other obstructions and the weight snags, the lighter line will break first saving my lures and other rigging. You loose the weight, but that is all.

This is the time of year for bottom bouncing here in the Chessie. The fish are deep and you need to get your baits down there to them.