Just 2 Downriggers!

[mrhookup]

Ok so I've been working on my smaller 16' boat all summer. It's finally ready enough to take out for it's first trip in a number of years. The only thing is that when I say it's ready "enough" well so far it only has 2 riggers set up on it and no other rod holders. And this doesn't really bother me to fish with just 2 downriggers for a few trips as that was how my dad fished with me growing up. So my scenario is...

If you were gonna fish out of Port Sheldon this weekend or next what would you put down if all you could run was 2 riggers? And I know conditions are different everyday but where would you probably start fishing? I'd like to hear some opinions for both evening and morning trips.

[danthebuilder]

I hope you plan on adding a couple sliders.

[mriversinco]

I've got an 18' boat and only run 2 riggers. It doesn't seem to bother my fish catching too much. You can always put stackers on those riggers and get 4 lures down but I commonly run my 2 riggers, 2 dipseys and then 4 leadcore off the boat. I'll sometime switch 2 of the leadcore for 2 more dipseys but still catch fish.

[Nailer]

Go out to 50 fow, troll S/SW at 2.8 mph, (sog) put the low rigger at 50' with a 30' lead, and the other one at 45' with a 40' lead, with sliders 10' above each. Use the normal sized spoons. Glow early/late, and chrome/yellow, green at full light.

[Priority1]

It's pretty tough to put more than 2 riggers on a 16 footer.

[mrhookup]

thanks for the info so far guys, and remember more rod holders are going to be making there way onto the boat, i plan on running a spread of 6 rods when they make it on the boat, it's be hard to run more than that with this boat unless you had a lot of high line boards while fishing in shallow in the spring, besides it'll probably just be two people on the boat most times unless were planning on staying in close. keep that advice coming!

[mrhookup]

and yes I was planning on using sliders. I figured I'd start with a couple glow spoons with no sliders for the first hour for the low light bite, then switch them out and add sliders along with the new baits.

[j1musser]

rigger 1 down 48' with a Moonshine Mongolian Beef Mag and a fixed slider mini size MS Mong Beef 10' up

rigger 2 down 35' with a Mag Modified Blue Dolphin with an Area 51 slider up 10'

Start setting in 50fow and head sw or nw until u get a hit then turn straight n or s, then crack a beer and play the waiting game

9 Am switch to a blackscrewball down 55 w/ Stingray craigs christmas slider

Leave blue dolphin if taking hits- Killer dolphin slider and a big white paddle about 5' off bottom.

2.5-2.8 MPH SOG

[CITM]

Consider sticking with 2 riggers then add double dipsy holders each side & a set of tripple rod trees. Very versatile and the cash you would have spent on 2 riggers will buy the dipsy holders, trees, and a few rods.

[BenLubbs]

Consider sticking with 2 riggers then add double dipsy holders each side & a set of tripple rod trees. Very versatile and the cash you would have spent on 2 riggers will buy the dipsy holders, trees, and a few rods.

That's not true

Kevin, if I was only going to run two rods on riggers, one would get a Mongolian beef moonshine in the morning/evening. Then then for the rest It's pretty much a crap shoot for me. I've caught some fish on a glowback blue dolphin, a yellowfin, and a few others. Also, be sure to run sliders. I've been catching fish on my free sliders but my fixed sliders have been dead.

[Killin' It]

Long leads off your bottom rigger... We have been running our spoons back 100 to 200 feet.

Use florocarbon leaders

Change out the hooks on the spoons.

In the dark

Double trouble moonshine

Blue Flounder moonshine

In the light

BLL Patirot

BLL Mod Blue Veggie

Stinger Mix veggie

Stinger Green slush

[BlueCollarOutdoors]

I run a 16 ft with a 6 rod spread, and it is very easy to run out of my boat. Ask anything you might need. You will not want more rigges on that boat.

Are you saying you only have 2 rod holders period?

2 riggers, 2 dipseys, and 2 leacores or snapweights would be your easiest way to run a nice spread. If the guys are only telling you to fish 50 feet of water you could scrap the dipseys and run 4 boards. If there are steelhead around run an orange spoon in the top 10 feet of water, then the next board inside of that run a 5 color leadcore. On the other side the farthest board away from the boat run a 4 color, with a 7 to 10 inside of that. Run the riggers down a little deeper than the board lines and you should be all set.

Run sliders or fixed sliders, or get 2 more rod holders and stack 2 more poles on top of the main lines.

Good luck, ask if you have any questions.

[mrhookup]

Haha yeah at the moment I only have the one rod holder on each rigger unfortunately. Like I said though I'm itching to get out so I probably won't wait until my additional holders are done:D. BTW, I'm gonna be fabricating some 3 holder trees with the bottom holder set horizontal for dipseys and the top 2 at angles for boards, much like Nailer has done. I think this will kill 2 birds with one stone because between the riggers and the driving seat there is really only one good spot to mount a holder and not much room period. So I think combo trees like this will be very versatile and allow me to create a wide variety of spreads. I don't think I'll ever want to run more than 1 dipsey per side on this thing anyways. We'll see. Thanks for all the input guys! Now I wanna get out there even more haha

[BlueCollarOutdoors]

I used to run double dipseys but that was before I got the riggers. Stick with 2 riggers and 2 dipseys, it will save you some headaches and you wont have to drive so straight to avoid headaches. You really dont need to run double dipsys if you have the riggers.

Good luck and let us know how it goes, Check out some of my videos at bluecollaroutdoors1 on youtube to see how i do it.

[mrhookup]

another quick question guys, how much is the parking pass at the Port Sheldon parking lot now? I know Grand Haven is $10.

Oh and Jeff, just watched one of your videos and I have the exact same downriggers, got my Rivieras from BenLubbs. I think our setups will end up being very similar, thanks for your help so far.

[BlueCollarOutdoors]

If yours dont have counters, on mine 1 crank was 2 feet down. But I got sick of that right way and got 2 counters to add on. Otherwise I couldnt remember what I had them set at after 10 minutes.

Good luck. you will find running your own rig and catch 3 to be more exciting that riding on someone elses and catching 10.

[mrhookup]

yeah i figured they looked like about 2ft per crank with that large spool, but mine have counters anyways. i use to have a pair of smaller short arm walker manual that only took up a foot of line per crank, man were those a pain in the butt for my dad to crank up from the depths back in the day

[steeliebob]

That's not true

Kevin, if I was only going to run two rods on riggers, one would get a Mongolian beef moonshine in the morning/evening. Then then for the rest It's pretty much a crap shoot for me. I've caught some fish on a glowback blue dolphin, a yellowfin, and a few others. Also, be sure to run sliders. I've been catching fish on my free sliders but my fixed sliders have been dead.

Try running free or fixed sliders off from dipsies, use a smaller spoon and get ready for some steelhead or salmon action

[sherman51]

another good way to get a couple more lines in the water. i use 15 lb braid and long line one of the small dipsy divers with a purple spoon from galeforcetackle.com. i run it 300 to 400 ft back and pick up alot of steelies this way. and there clear of everything elce on the boat. i just flatline one out on each side. just something to think about when you get your rod holders mounted. then you have your big divers and riggers for getting deep.

when i want to get deep with my divers i use the lite bite slide divers. you can get extra rings and weights for them. i just use the large ring and the 4 oz weight. she will really get down there with this set up. anything under about 60 feet i just use the small ring and standard weight. 240 ft out on a 4 setting i hit bottom in 60 fow. using 65 lb braid with a floro leader. just alittle food for thought.

sherman