Solo- 3 rod setup

[Hotdog71]

As the fishing season gets into Aug. and Sept., I lose my fishing buddy for a few days here and there. Fishing out of G.H., we have a few days that I would try a solo trip. Given the three rod limit and the many presentations available, what would be your stud setup? We'll say that the fish are out 50- 120 fow, not in the river. What do you run? How do you present it?

[Nailer]

Two Mountain Dew spinnies off divers, and 1 Ace Hi plug, off a long copper, or long core.

If you get two fish on, then reel the core in second.

[killerbe20]

when the dog and i go fishing, i usually start with one SWR rigger, a full core (or copper), and one dipsy. three different presentations and i adjust depending on which one/ones are getting bit. Baits totally depend on what has been working the trips leading up to when i go.

[anthonyyost]

I've got a mannequin from a department store, I just put her in the passenger seat and run 6 lines. Not much for conversation though.

[its an addiction]

I end up doing half my trips by myself and I agree with Killerbe. I also put out one downrigger with a spoon, a dipsey with a flasher fly, and a planer and leadcore out. Leadcore would vary but in the depths you stated I'd go with my full core and adjust from there.

If I catch a fish or two on a downrigger and nothing on my core I tend to pull my leadcore and run two downriggers because realling in a full core with a fish and trying to steer the boat and net at the same time can be a PIA. a downrigger line with 80 to 100feet of line out sure beats reeling in a full core.

I give each bait about 15-20 minutes and start switching out spoons and flasher and flies until I can get something to go.

[Hotdog71]

Tony- LOL You could use her in the carpool lanes too! Too funny.

I was just thinking, Could I run like a teaser rig or a paddle without a fly on it, on other rods or downrigger itself,to draw fish in or is that illegal?

Thanks guys.

[Paulywood]

You can only have 3 rods in the water. However, you could run a flasher/attractor off your other downrigger with no hooks on it. Just attach it to your downrigger ball.

[anthonyyost]

What about running sliders on the downriggers?

[pulpfishin]

What about running sliders on the downriggers?

As far as I know, or am concerned you are able to run sliders and it only counts as one rod. The law states 3 rods, not 3 lures.

[BlueCollarOutdoors]

In wisconsin, sliders are an extra lure. I guess you have to check the fine print in your state.

[SPOONWASHER]

Its 3 poles and 6 hooks I believe the regs say. If you have a boat or trolling motor with autopilot that would be helpful as you could run a possibly more productive core and not have to worry about how much line youve got out and drive the boat. I have had success with just two down riggers out and make tight turns on schools of fished marked. You could just make tight circles on marked fish and change out your presentations. Just throwing some options out there...

[cduced]

I get out quite a bit solo but in New Buffalo. Just made my first solo trip with "Ray" my new Raymarine S1000 AP. What a treat and under $900. Drives a perfect straight line.

In the past, I've run two riggers with fixed/free sliders with spoons and a wire dipsey w/ flasher and fly. This has been my goto solo setup.

Sometimes, I change it up and run two dipseys (flasher/fly) with a rigger with slider and sometimes, I run a core of some sort, with a dipsey and a rigger with a stacker and a rigger with a flasher hanging off of it. Sort of depends what seems to be working best. You also want to make sure everything is working together just like with a normal spread.

Hope this gives you some ideas and think about that auto pilot. If the S1000 will work for you, it is really affordable.

-- Bud

[steeliebob]

I fish solo alot and enjoy the lack of company sometimes. I prefer to launch about 4 am so I do not wait at the launch site. In the early am the fish are up high so I run two on the downriggers at 30 feet. I do not run stackers or sliders until daylight and I can set my cannon balls deeper. About 95 percent of the time I run spoons. I have a size 0 dipsey that I run about 100 feet to 125 with a glo spoon