SWR Rods

[caznik]

Hey all you new members,

Have any of you members ever heard on the radio while you are out fishing on Lake Michigan that we have taken a fish on a SWR rod. Well let me tell you something you better have one ready for your boat this year. It is a great fishing weapon for fishing on Lake Michigan. I had a lot of fish hit that rod alot last year and you better give it a try to. What a SWR rod is, a rod that has two colors of lead core on the line. How I rig a SWR rod is with 20# test mono for the backing, then you take two colors of lead core and tie it to your backing line. Then you use 60 feet of 20# test mono for your leader and you tie that on your lead core to. The kind of fishing rod I use is a 8 1/2 foot Daiwa downrigger rod with a CV30D Okuma Convector reel with a line counter. The lead core I use is called Mason lead core and you get it in 100 yards with ten colors. Now last year any kind of size spoon worked very well for me. Then later on in August I started using J-PLugs and they did the most of the fish catching for me. Now how to use this weapon rod is to let out all your leader line and your 20 yards of lead core out. Than I reset the counter and put it back 30-40 feet behind the cannon ball. But make darn sure it is your deepest rod down in your spread. Never fish a flasher or J-plug next to this rod. I allways seem to get all tangled up when I do this. Well I hope this year you will get you a SWR rod rod ready for your fishing arsenel and catch more fish.

Good Luck,

Caznik

[Priority1]

Maybe you can convince me Caz. I have been resisting using core or wire.

My Dipsys target the boat shy fish, and keep me busy netting quality fish.

Most late Summer and Fall Kings are not boat or cannon ball shy. They like Priority1. LOL I run spoons, flashers and spoons, and flashers with squid. Anything I hook to a downrigger August and later is never more than 15 ft behind the ball, and most of the time around 10ft back. I have had kings hit sliders in the prop wash aprox. 15 ft down.

I know the stuff works, but my way of thinking is, downriggers were invented to do away with having leadcore and a kazillion ft of line behind the boat. I know that the SWRs are not back a full core or more, but I just can't see an advantage. I did hear boats using the SWR set ups, and found out what they were. I was thinking about adding another Dipsy to my 4 and running it up the chute. Don't you just love spending money on these toys?

I may just beg a ride on your boat and say show me. LOL

[Dv8oR]

Hey all you new members,

Have any of you members ever heard on the radio while you are out fishing on Lake Michigan that we have taken a fish on a SWR rod. Well let me tell you something you better have one ready for your boat this year. It is a great fishing weapon for fishing on Lake Michigan. I had a lot of fish hit that rod alot last year and you better give it a try to. What a SWR rod is, a rod that has two colors of lead core on the line. How I rig a SWR rod is with 20# test mono for the backing, then you take two colors of lead core and tie it to your backing line. Then you use 60 feet of 20# test mono for your leader and you tie that on your lead core to. The kind of fishing rod I use is a 8 1/2 foot Daiwa downrigger rod with a CV30D Okuma Convector reel with a line counter. The lead core I use is called Mason lead core and you get it in 100 yards with ten colors. Now last year any kind of size spoon worked very well for me. Then later on in August I started using J-PLugs and they did the most of the fish catching for me. Now how to use this weapon rod is to let out all your leader line and your 20 yards of lead core out. Than I reset the counter and put it back 30-40 feet behind the cannon ball. But make darn sure it is your deepest rod down in your spread. Never fish a flasher or J-plug next to this rod. I allways seem to get all tangled up when I do this. Well I hope this year you will get you a SWR rod rod ready for your fishing arsenel and catch more fish.

Good Luck,

Caznik

SWR used to mean Secret Weapon Rig!

Note to self; don't tell Caz any secrets.....lol!

T

[Double]

Well....someone has to make this comment. 60' of leader + 60' of lead core + 30' behind the ball = 150' of line. If the ball is whats spooking the fish, why not put out 150' of line and drop your ball 10' deeper? By the time the spoon gets to where the ball spooked the fish, everything should be back to normal.

[caznik]

Maybe you can convince me Caz. I have been resisting using core or wire.

My Dipsys target the boat shy fish, and keep me busy netting quality fish.

Most late Summer and Fall Kings are not boat or cannon ball shy. They like Priority1. LOL I run spoons, flashers and spoons, and flashers with squid. Anything I hook to a downrigger August and later is never more than 15 ft behind the ball, and most of the time around 10ft back. I have had kings hit sliders in the prop wash aprox. 15 ft down.

I know the stuff works, but my way of thinking is, downriggers were invented to do away with having leadcore and a kazillion ft of line behind the boat. I know that the SWRs are not back a full core or more, but I just can't see an advantage. I did hear boats using the SWR set ups, and found out what they were. I was thinking about adding another Dipsy to my 4 and running it up the chute. Don't you just love spending money on these toys?

I may just beg a ride on your boat and say show me. LOL

Oh ya,

Dowriggers and dipsys are the ticket for me also to catch alot of fish. But there has been days for me when that SWR rod did more for me than all the other stuff on my boat.

Caznik

[caznik]

Well....someone has to make this comment. 60' of leader + 60' of lead core + 30' behind the ball = 150' of line. If the ball is whats spooking the fish, why not put out 150' of line and drop your ball 10' deeper? By the time the spoon gets to where the ball spooked the fish, everything should be back to normal.

Well I have manual downriggers on my boat. So if I can prevent me from lowering those rigger any deeper. It sure takes alot of work out for me when I have to retreive them releases back up.

Caznik

[Kings Around]

Well....someone has to make this comment. 60' of leader + 60' of lead core + 30' behind the ball = 150' of line. If the ball is whats spooking the fish, why not put out 150' of line and drop your ball 10' deeper? By the time the spoon gets to where the ball spooked the fish, everything should be back to normal.

One other advantage to this setup is how the bait tracks through the water. The SWR tracks differently than just running long leads. I have run both long leads of 150 feet next to the SWR and have taken more fish on SWR. Remember like any other fishing method, any given day it is the key. Some days the 150 foot leads work better than SWR. It's just another excuse for us to spend money on more gear .

[caznik]

One other advantage to this setup is how the bait tracks through the water. The SWR tracks differently than just running long leads. I have run both long leads of 150 feet next to the SWR and have taken more fish on SWR. Remember like any other fishing method, any given day it is the key. Some days the 150 foot leads work better than SWR. It's just another excuse for us to spend money on more gear .

Thanks buddy,

All I am trying to do is tell a little fishing secret to help others catch more fish.

Caznik

[CaptLevi]

Frank,

If your not running some lead core, your missing out on a lot of action. On my charters there are days when lead core will catch 75% of the box or more. Copper can be really smokin hot too, but is not nessessary if you are limited by money or boat space.

The lead core does have it's own way of tracking through the water which rings the dinner bell at times. The SWR isn't really anything new. Many charter operators and savvy fisherman as well have used a 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, etc. color rig for years. They can be used in other ways too! When running baits shallow try using a 2 or 3 color on a board. Just not when in close proximity to other boats if you value your gear.

And heres one for ya: when fishing extremely deep fish in mid summer (daytime kings), try a full core set-up fished the same way as the SWR on the rigger. You will get much deeper with the stealth and snakelike movement of the core. sometimes it smokes those big Kings!

[caznik]

Frank,

If your not running some lead core, your missing out on a lot of action. On my charters there are days when lead core will catch 75% of the box or more. Copper can be really smokin hot too, but is not nessessary if you are limited by money or boat space.

The lead core does have it's own way of tracking through the water which rings the dinner bell at times. The SWR isn't really anything new. Many charter operators and savvy fisherman as well have used a 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, etc. color rig for years. They can be used in other ways too! When running baits shallow try using a 2 or 3 color on a board. Just not when in close proximity to other boats if you value your gear.

And heres one for ya: when fishing extremely deep fish in mid summer (daytime kings), try a full core set-up fished the same way as the SWR on the rigger. You will get much deeper with the stealth and snakelike movement of the core. sometimes it smokes those big Kings!

You run full core rod on your riggers to when fish are deep? I was wondering about doing that at times.

Cazzzz

[Priority1]

You guys are starting to convince me.

A few reasons for still resisting.

1. Wife counts my rods. Can I hide some @ your place. Walleye, Salmon and Spinning Rods +-30.

2. It's over too fast as it is. Limits before full sun up some of the times. I'm old and slow and can barely keep up now.

3. I'm retired on a very limited budget. My boat repairs and fishing budget is just about spent for this year. Could anybody let me have about $$$ till times get better.

4. This place is GR8 for all the tips. TY Caz for filling us all in.

[caznik]

You guys are starting to convince me.

A few reasons for still resisting.

1. Wife counts my rods. Can I hide some @ your place. Walleye, Salmon and Spinning Rods +-30.

2. It's over too fast as it is. Limits before full sun up some of the times. I'm old and slow and can barely keep up now.

3. I'm retired on a very limited budget. My boat repairs and fishing budget is just about spent for this year. Could anybody let me have about $$$ till times get better.

4. This place is GR8 for all the tips. TY Caz for filling us all in.

If you can just get one rod and thats it. If you have a buddy that fishes the big lake also go in half with him on the full core stuff and split the core in half. Just tring to help you out on the cost. I know how much this type of fishing can get.

Cazz

[Empty Hook]

so i have been thinking of this set up from last year but havent made one yet. when i let the line out and im all set up whats your guess to how much deeper this rig is running under the ball 5- 10 feet? seems like this would be a good rig also for staging kings in closer if you could keep it just off the bottom.