Typical Downrigger Setup

[BenLubbs]

Hi guys,

I'm wondering what you run for DR setups. I currently have two sets. One set is Okuma CL300's on Medium Action 8'6" Okuma Classic rods spooled with 20 lb mono. In the past I have only run these poles off my downriggers. This winter I got another set of Penn 209's spooled with 12lb mono on Medium Light 8'6" Travers Bay rods. I plan on dedicating the light line set to spoon duty and the heavy line set to running F/F's. The question comes up after talking today with one of my suppliers at work who fishes out of Grand Haven. He runs lighter rigs than what I do with 6"6' rods and small reels (didn't catch the model but they looked like bass reels almost) spooled with mono or super line.

Thanks,

Ben

[Hit N Run]

Ben, he's more than likely running Shimano Tekota reels on 6.5' Ugly stick rods. I run 20lb Berkley Big game for F/F combos and spoons. I don't run any light line rigger rods. Many do, but I personally feel many of the guys that I talk to, get broke off! Be sure to add an SWR (2colors of lead core) to one of those rigs! Some days it makes all the difference! BTY I run Shimano TDR's all the way around.. a couple 209's but mostly Diawa 47's.

[Seawolf XI]

Man its hard to beat a penn 320 or diawa 47h with 20lb mono and a 7'6 or 8'3" ugly stick or shimanto telora.....im not a big fan of tekotas they have a drag system that sticks unless u back then off alot to adjust and the one click adjust is just annoying as hell on a rigger rod....great reel for copper....just not the greatest all around...and very expensive buy american and get a great drag system with a 310 or 320...i use diawas only because ive had then for 30 + years and can rebuild one in about 10 mins....but if i had to buy new id go penns all the way......and if you go ne lighter on the line you will have nothing but problems...releases love to eat up light line.

[Legacy]

Its nice to have some light line setup at you disposal. Coho, steelhead, and kings are not line shy so i run my heavier line setups on them and sometimes with flouro leaders. Chasing browns with downriggers or flatlining the top 15' of the water column the lighter rigs come out to play.

[its an addiction]

I've got 8'6" Daiwa Firewolf M action rod with a Daiwa Accudepth 27LC right now. I plan on updating the 27's to okuma CV30's. I also run 20lb mono at all times.

The light line setups I could see being fun from time to time to fight big fish on light line with light action rods, but to me I want to get that fish in as quick as I can and not have to play him out for 20 minutes because I'm using 12lb test. I always want to be able to crank down on the drag and control that fish if I have to and be able to try to turn his head when he's going the wrong way.

Maybe for early season coho action I could see 12lb test, but not in the later parts of the season.

JMO, but I'm not pro.

[Nailer]

Ben, I'm with the guys above me. For summer time Kings, it's 20# all the way. The 209's are a good reel, but there extra slow retrieve rate makes them less than desirable to some. You will break off this summer with 12#, and it's no fun loosing equipment.

[killerbe20]

i think light line setups would be fun but just not conducive for my fishing. I would not trust the average customer to know how to catch a fish one it and it just does not fir in my spread. I also do not know if it would really increase my fish catch the way i am setup.

I run SWRs on each outside rigger and usually the center is deepest with a ff/fly or meat. this program has worked extremely well for me to keep my downriggers active all day long. All 8'6''medium action Daiwa inline rods with Okuma Titus T10L reels, 20lb line. I did pick up a set of 8' medium Daiwa inlines i plan on switching out this season.

[Adam Bomb]

8'6" Shakespear Wolverine Charter Edition rods for me w/Daiwa SG47LCA and 20# mono....With spoons at 4-8 dollar a pop and a buck a swivel im not into losing them with any regularity.

Spring browns we use the walleye gear with 10-12# line. But for the most part, thats board fishing for us.

[Paulywood]

I run 15# for my spoon rods and 20# for my f/f's. I also have a 12# rig that I put out with a spoon on it once the bite slows and the sun is up. I have caught quite a few fish on it and can't recall being broke off. I usually run an SWR on the other one at the same time. Rigger rods are 8' Daiwa Heartlands except for the 12# rig, that is an 8'6" Berkely Power Rod with a very soft tip. Reels are Convector's except the 12# rod, that is a Daiwa Sealine. The drags on the 209's tend to be a little sticky, you want a smoother drag for the light line. Up until last year I ran 209's on my f/f rigger rods and they were fine with the heavier line.

[mattmishler]

20lb big game for spoons

25lb big game for plugs

30lb big game for flashers.

There also on pen 320s

[Daybreak]

I have all 12lb. test rigger rods, with a few 15lb. for flasher flies. We boated dozens of Kings last year over 20lbs, and 40+ Kings the year before over 20lbs......mostly on 12lb. set-ups. There is no way you should be breaking off gear, unless the line was nicked or damaged before the fish hit. I have caught 100lb.+ Tarpon in the Keys on 15lb. test, so I am pretty sure out tiny little Kings shouldnt be breaking it off.

Adjust your drags and enjoy the fight. Its not a race!

I use 12-15lb leaders at Stannard Rock all summer to catch fish well over 30lbs. without any issues.

[eastcoasttransplant]

I'm with Daybreak.....I use 12lb mono downrigger rods for spoons and 20lb for flashers and flies.

I have not had any issues with the 12lb line at all and really feel you get more action out of the spoons.

To each his own I guess.

[pulpfishin]

12# mono on Charter Specials. 8' Rapala downrigger rods. Fun stuff! Never have had a break off on the 12#. We run Big Game, it seems to be super tough. For the FF setups we use 15 or 20# Big Game or Ande.

[KJ pluggin]

I have been using 20# for the flashers and 14# for the spoons on the riggers. I did have some break-offs with the light line rigs due to the the wear on the line from my blacks release. I have fixed that by using a rubber band and putting that in the release instead of the line.

[miltcop]

I agree with kyle. The rubber bands in the blacks works for me. 12lb. stren for clean spoons on 47SH daiwa reels. Rod is a 7' short stick. F/F i use 25lb. triple fish.

[killerbe20]

I have too many rods and reels as it is already, I don't see having separate setups for ff/flys and spoons. Besides I change a lot at times and don't want to worry about whether I have the correct rod/reel for the bait I am changing

[Justtrollin]

Its allways 20 lb all the time for me>

[Turfwrench]

I run 7 'StormThunderstick rods rated for 8 - 20lb( I believe are ML) 15lb Big Game on Diawa 27H reels. I run rubber bands for releases so don't worry about line pinch. I like to keep my drags set somewhat light and never have a problem with break offs. Big board rods are 8 - 81/2' M and ML rods with the same reels and line.

[sherman51]

hey

just my 2 pennies worth. i dont fish salmon any more. but i use to fish new buffalo in the spring. we used 8# line for awhile for the cohos. and we would hook into a nice king and the fight would last forever. we didnt have any break offs, but just lost to much fishing time. with a big king on and 8# line we always cleared the other lines. if you set your drags right you shouldnt have to worry about breaking your line. but after awhile i figured out we were just losing to much time. and we used 20# later in the season. so we went back to 20# all season. didnt hurt our catch rate, but gave us more fishing time. hence more time more fish in the boat. good luck. have a great season.

....sherman....

[ChampionShip]

SWR is on a Charter Special as is my light line rig which has 15lb ande with 15lb fluoro leader (pline I think), Fugly Stick 7' ML rods. Backing and leader on SWR is 20 lb mono. Flasher rigs are 20 lb mono on daiwa 47lc's and I forget which rods are on there right now. Running a 4 rigger set I usually have FF's on the out-down and spoons in the deeper set inside riggers. Drag is huge for riggers since the fish tend to take a pretty good rip or 2 close to the boat causing a panic. I wouldn't want a rookie touching the drag on a fish ,let alone one with 12 lb test on a Charter, but fun fishing should be fine.

If you're paying $1 per swivel, you need to look at the snap swivels from Torpedo Diver, they're flat out awesome and IMO every bit as good as SPRO or Sampo I've used for half the cost.