Need some suggestions for my lure spread

[downrigger45]

I fish with a buddy (the boat owner) alot on lake michigan, and he loves spoons, while I love f/f combos. We always argue over what to put on for baits. We run 2 riggers, 2 braid dipseys, and 2 leadcores or coppers out on boards. What and where should we run stuff? Is it ok to run both at the sametime, and if so, what speed at the ball is a good one? Just looking to settle the everlasting debate between us. Thanks all.

[Killin' It]

This is always a fun topic!

What I do.. does not mean it's right, just my perspective.

Higher Rigger 10 inch paddle or spin doctor

Deep Rigger 10 inch paddle or Spin Doctor

Deep Diver 8 inch paddle or spindoctor

Higher Diver spoon on long lead

Core- Spoon or Plug

Core- Spoon or Plug

Of course this is just a general idea break down. You can run anything almost anywere. If spoons ar firing ... put them on EVERYTHING.... If your short core is firing and your Flashers are not... change the setting on the diver and run it with a spoon up high.

On my boat, every morning starts the same.

Rigger Big white paddle

Rigger Big White Paddle

Low diver 8 inch spinny

High diver 8 inch spinny

5 coppers 100-400 copper an assortment of spoons and plugs.

If the flashers and flies are dead I will start to change them over to spoons on the divers. I will leave 1 rigger on the bottom at ALL times. If I pull the other rigger, I will put out a 6th copper with a spoon on it.

as for speed...... I will let someone else take that one.... my feelings on down speed do not match what others will respond with.

As I said, this is what I do... but it does not make it right.

[LongLine]

On one rigger - modified MUP. Flasher-fly High, very similar spoon low & about 15 ft behind it.

[EdB]

Let him take half the spread and do whatever he wants, you take the other half with your choices and the contest is on!

[j1musser]

Let him take half the spread and do whatever he wants, you take the other half with your choices and the contest is on!

My thoughts exactly!

[highpointdf]

I'm with Dave on the setup. But run with Ed's idea. My guess is you will win.

[BlueCollarOutdoors]

Challenge!

[Gnarf]

If its the morning here is my 8 rod spread.

deep rigger - mag double trouble moonshine.

other rigger - big white paddle - poofster fly

dipsy - flasher/fly

dipsy - standard size blue flounder pounder

long lines - assorted spoons, mix of colors, uv etc.

after sun gets high switch the moonshines for flashers if bite is good, else throw SS blue dolphin and mag blue chilly willy out.

After that its gametime decision. Usually some meat mixed in.

And as always, if one things is hitting, replicate it. I remember a trip last spring where 8 in pro trolls of any color were working, within an hour i had all my lines setup with them and took a limit.

[N II Deep]

We do the your side / My side contest all the time when were fun fishing.

our setups are very similar to Dave's.

white paddles inside and deep.

if spoons are taking fish - they will also go on the riggers, sometimes with fixed sliders.

spoons or plugs on the high lines. I have run smaller 8" flasher off high lines, but with a 50% tangle rate.

[The Salmon Slayer]

I’d ask this question of you, “Do you guys catch fish using the boat owners spoon presentation?†If you’re looking to catch more fish by adding flasher fly combos to the spoon spread you may find yourself catching fewer fish because there are lessons to be learned and dollars to be spent searching for a combination that works well together. I say this for two reasons, the boat owner apparently prefers spoons and knows how to run the spoons to catch the fish that you guys come home with and he already has an investment in his spoons and you will not necessarily have the same success as someone using a brand of flasher at a speed they find works in their presentation. Trolling speed varies greatly between boats, speed units and trolling direction.

I’m not about to say you shouldn’t try adding F/F combos to a spoon presentation but just as spoons by different manufactures require a particular trolling speed for optimum bait action so do flashers. Each manufacture’s flasher performs best at a particular speed. Then there is always the fly leader length that works best and trolling speed factors into that as well.

It’s important to remember to stick with what works for you. It’s just like the old saying, “You Never Leave Fish, To Find Fish.†If the trip catch numbers are good don’t make changes.

If you’re determined to add F/F to the spoon spread I’d recommend you attend some seminars about Greatlakes fishing, like Jason Woda puts on each spring. Yeah it’ll cost some money but you’ll gain knowledge on different presentations that work together instead of spending money of the flashy new baits and attractors that catch your eye in the bait shop. Make sure the boat owner goes along with you to the seminar too.

As some have already posted, you certainly can use a flasher on downriggers, diving planes and different weighted line types. You may not catch more fish on F/F combos but you may find the flasher(s) actually attract fish to your presentation, but flashers can also spook fish too at times.

If you want to add a flasher as an attractor try adding a flasher with or without a hook less bait to a downrigger as an option. Use about 24†of line ahead of the flasher and attach the flasher to the downrigger weight. Use a stacker release and attach the baited rod line about 5’ above the flasher, this will minimize line tangles. When selecting a flasher color it’s good to remember that light wave colors are absorbed the deeper you go down into the water column. So if you want to attract fish in the top 30’ use an orange flasher, 0 to 50’ use chartreuse, 0 to 70’ green 0 to 100’ blue. White or glow flashers can be used 0’ to infinity. All silver flashers in today’s gin clear water may actually spook fish because there’s too much flash but a silver flasher should work in 0’ to 125’.

The coho fishing right now is best done using a 00, 6â€, orange/red herring dodger with a 1-1/2†to 2†tinsel fly with a leader length of about 12â€. The hot setup is an orange Dipsy Diver, set at 3, followed by a clear 12†snubber, four to six foot of line a snap swivel the 00 dodger and a green crinkle with gold banded mylar peanut fly. Dodgers require a slower trolling speed, usually 1.6 to 1.8 mph to have the right action which will mean you’ll need to use lighter spoons in the presentation similar to Diamond Kings, Evil Eyes, Pro Kings or Michigan Stinger spoons.

Good Luck

[Screamin king]

Try flasher fly on dipsy and on deep rigger. Opposite sides of boat want 1 high and 1 low in spread fill in rest with spoons. If start hammering on ff add another or 2.flasher fly sometimes draw salmon you your spread but they take the spoon and vice versa, let the fish tell you what they want and go from there.