Finally put a downrigger on my tinny, and being new to the "old man" fishing, need some advice on what to get for lake trolling. Mostly local Okanagan fishing, but head up to Kinbasket and Koots regularly.
Thoughts?
Finally put a downrigger on my tinny, and being new to the "old man" fishing, need some advice on what to get for lake trolling. Mostly local Okanagan fishing, but head up to Kinbasket and Koots regularly.
Thoughts?
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Ford Fender, half nickel/brass is a staple in my gear, run 12-18" behind that with a wedding band tipped with worm. Most of the time around 75 to 100 feet back ( I use the old method of number of pulls from reel to first line guide vs number of cranks on the downrigger ) so if I set the ball around 30 feet down it's about 60-80 feet back. I run a 2-3 pound ball on mine as it's a small downrigger and then troll slow enough to get the cable running on 30-45 degree angle.
If you're headed out to any particular lake feel free to shoot me a PM. If I've been there I can point your boat in the right direction.
G.
I use my river rod with a baitcaster and also a cheaper spey rod with a fly real that mimics a scaled down version of a ocean mooching setup. This may may sound funny but I have the most luck with lake trout and bull trout running a gold salmon flasher 15' behind the cannon ball with a glow hootchie or a spin and glow about 20-24" behind it. Troll slow and thank me when you bring in some big fish. I use 10lb cannonballs because I fish the ocean more often and it helps keep that ocean gear down at the depth you want.
Im not pulling your leg either. I use this setup in stave lake, Pitt lake, Harrison and lac lehache. I'm sure it will work elsewhere. Good luck
Last edited by Brew; 02-05-2017 at 08:58 PM.
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I like to use the baby sized Dodgers that are half nickel/half brass and trail a Rapala floating minnow 18"-24" behind. I have also converted some big ocean spoons like the Tom Macks to small flashers and they work great for Rainbow, Bull Trout and Kokanee as well.
I alternate what I trail behind between Rapalas, flatfish, wedding rings, hotspots and sometimes a leader with a worm. They all work.
Another option is to run a dummy flasher, a flasher off the ball with no hook. Set your line 6 ft or so above that with an apex, flatfish, small spoon whatever. When it hits its just you and the fish and you can get by with a lighter rod. Disclaimer - I know about this from ocean fishing, but don't see why it wouldn't work in fresh water too. I'm going to try some big lake trolling this summer as well and will try this.
its gonna take a life time to hunt and fish all this
I put a Scotty lake troller on my 12 ft tinny and I have since stopped using it. I was trolling along and the ball hit something on the bottom and I was worried for a while the boat was going to sink. If you can picture some waves lapping the rear of the boat and me stuck, Couldn't go forward and spun around. The down rigger line I was using was 200 lb steel cable. Whatever snagged the ball was a bugger to get unstuck. I promptly swapped that out for a line I could cut with a knife. This is the stuff. https://www.westmarine.com/buy/scott...19_570_005_525 Just something to consider. Now when I use the down rigger I make sure there are no waves.
If I was you Colin, I would wait until the ice is off the lakes, and then try some of the above methods.
Live to hunt, hunt to live!!!!!
Sinking fly (lead ) line... 2 1/2 colours peeled off ... Leader the length of your fly rod your using at the time Vintage Dick nite spoon or a F4 flatfish in the black colour with the shinny speckles.... Works good.. Around the last two weeks of May ... Troll slow and make lots of turns
reel: penn squall
rod: almost anything...walmart specials work.
line: new lightweight lead core line...maybe for the non downrigger side
this is my set up for lakers.