mollyputzer

Just switch over to slide divers. You can have as long of a lead as you want, and still be very short to net. No hand lining. They also have a new kit out this year that turns you normal slide diver into a magnum. \

Chasin's response is almost dead on of what I am doing with my downriggers. I use the small slide diver to gain both depth and width of my trolling pattern. You run a lead behind your small slide diver, lets say 10 pulls or arm lengths of line, you then let out the slide diver (I use 50 feet or so), hook your line to the downrigger ball (I use rubber bands), then let the ball down. By doing this, you are getting away from the ball and open up your trolling pattern at depth. A lot of people us SWR's, or lead core on their riggers. This does the same thing, but also gets wider and you can control how far below the ball you are. -Eric, Owner of Slide Diver

The 2 to 1 ratio is based on the fact the last fall we were fishing with the ultimate kits on 50 lb. power pro. We had 225 feet of line out, on a number 2 setting out to the side, and snapped one off on the bottom in 109 feet of water. -Eric

This year, Slide Diver did purchase a smart troll (www.smarttroll.com) and will be making better, more accurate charts. We will be doing the same thing that Blood Run did with theirs. Eric