is 4 downriggers a good set up instead of dipsys

[little guy]

I've got 4 downriggers, instead of dipsys. Just looking for advice on the best way to optimize all 4 the best way possible. I'm new to big lake fishing and don't know if I can get away with not using dipsys because it seems like everybody's using them.

[Porcupine]

Dipsys and long lines can always be added in the future as your experience and confidentence grows. Four riggers is all my dad fished with when I was a kid, it wasn't until I got infected with the salmon bug that more rigs were added to the boat. He thinks I'm crazy pulling up to a dozen lines now if I have the crew to do it.

Vary your depths and leads from the balls to see what the fish want. Fishing them in a V formation will help keep ya tangle free, center riggers at deeper depths and out downs shallower. Any type of lure can be ran off them, spoons, plugs, flasher/flies, meat rigs, ect.

Pay attention to your cable angles at trolling speed, somewhere between 2-3mph typically(again experiment with speed), trolling into a current will result in more ball blow back, and the opposite trolling with the current. Make a mental note of the rigger cable angles when your catching fish, try to replicate that next time out.

The guys on this site are real helpful so don't be afraid to ask questions. Where will you be fishing out of? Likely someone might take ya under their wing and show ya some tricks.

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[little guy]

Wow that was super helpful, I'm outta holland only been out twice and got skunked both times. It's convincing me I gotta be doing something wrong.

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[highpointdf]

Here is the thing. As the water seems to be clearer the fish are more skittish. We have had many trips the downriggers were dead. The advantage to the dipsy divers and boards is they widen your presentation limiting the effect of the boat. We run two riggers, 14' beam on the boat, so we could run more, but, the divers and the boards are cheaper, and seem to be more productive. Plus, we can cover 200' of water instead of 14'. Just my opinions.

[Fowlpursuit]

Agreed down riggers aren't as effective as they once were. Dipsys and slide divers are better delivery application choices. And wire divers rein supreme in that department. However I hate to say this but copper is probably the #1 fish producer. Particularly the 300' 45 copper. It's not necessarily fun to deploy or retrieve and fighting fish isn't that enjoyable either but when push comes to shove whether fish are active or not copper will almost always put fish in the box.

[Trina Rose]

I also only run two riggers. They produce mostly in the early morning and late night because of the low light. I think fish hear the boat and see the cannon ball so they get spooked. Riggers although mostly effective during low light hours do also work well when fishing in really deep water. In my personal opinion i depend more on my wire and braid dipsys than any other fish catching tool i have. Divers just plain catch fish, but riggers also have there days. Good fishing to you.

[Salmon_slammin]

I personally would recomend 1-2 downriggers and 2 dip sets especially this time of year say the fish are more skidish. It's not good to put too much down there on the riggers cuz the fish can see everything. It may also depend on your lure selection. This time of year meat and flies are usually the ticket. Good luck out there, and have fun!

[gmfishon]

use what you have and can afford add dipsys and other stuff when you have the downriggers perfected. you can run long leads and or only run 3 if the fish are spooky. you will see days when the other stuff outdoes downriggers but there are still days when the riggers shine. they worked before we had this stuff and still work. IMO dipsys are a pain and not worth the little extra off to the side factor you get. i agree with the other poster if i was going to use any non rigger device it would be copper. i also do not consider a wire diver to be remotely stealth like. thats my 2cents good luck and go every chance you get.

[1mainiac]

Your not covering much water with 4 riggers you have to drive right over the fish. And you need a bait they can't pass up because your limited. I dropped to 2 riggers years ago. And frankly there are days I would not even fish the 2 riggers. I can get my wire divers as deep as my riggers if I want and they will be off to the side. Other than harbor patrol which I hate and fishing the mud out front I would just as soon not have riggers any more.

[sslopok]

I fish lake huron and more fish come on on my 2 riggers than my 3 braid dipsies and wire dipsy. I've started to run leadcore more and that has been the best producer of the three.

[little guy]

Like I said I'm new I don't know what lead core or copper is, I know I can't afford them, any advice on how I can optimize my chances with the riggers? Right now I'm doing the only thing I could figure out, which is one rod, one lure, one rigger. I feel like I could do better.

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[slickwater]

Don't get rid of the 4 riggers. I catch 98% of my salmon on the 4 riggers I have. I run 2 dipsies but they can't get down as deep as my riggers. Get use to running the riggers and catching fish on them then get a couple dipsies when you can afford it.

Like said before. Use different leads lengths off your riggers sometimes as far back as 60ft or farther. That will take care of the fish spooking.

I run a full core to but I don't catch very many fish on it. I only run it as a just in case rod because sometimes it catches a fish but most times it doesn't.

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[1mainiac]

Sadly this can be a very expensive addictive sport it is not hard to collect thousands of lures and dozens of rod and reel setups. Heck most days my fishing tackle is worth more than my boat. Get some planer boards or Slide divers you can add them pretty cheap or find someone like me and take them fishing as long as they bring extra gear LOL. While my boat is down I have done most of my fishing with friends and I always show up with too much gear. Will be fishing with a friend tonight I am bringing 8 rods and a 48qt cooler full of lures and gear plus he has 8 of my planer boards and 4 boxes of lures of mine on the boat already and he is using my track system and rod holders 8 Berts ratcheting rod holders and 2 4ft tracks he will be sad when the shop has my boat running soon and I have to take my gear back LOL.

[little guy]

I've only got about 150 lures, a few flies with Dodgers, I have two gypsies but the line conflicts with my outside riggers. Do I just need to move the placement of my dypsy rods?

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[little guy]

I also have no idea where to get meat rigs, wondering if I could meet up with someone else outta holland to maybe get a tutorial on how to use them and maybe purchase a couple from them

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[slickwater]

150 lures. That's more than I have and I've been salmon fishing for more the 15 years. Make sure your dipsy rods are set to runn on the right or left side of the boat according to the dial on the bottom of the dipsy. A #1 setting will be closer to the boat and a #3 will take the dipsy farther from the boat.with dipsies you need to remember to not make to sharp of turns.

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[slickwater]

Meat fishing is a whole different ballgame. You need different flashers and meeat rigs than other methods. Sounds like you are expecting to catch salmon every time out. Well that doesn't always happen. You just need to do trial and error fishing and look at alot of fishing reports to see what other people are doing.

One thing I can tell you that every boat fushing salmon should have is a way to find the right temperature of water. Let it be either a temp/speed probe like a depth raider or fish hawk. Just get a thermometer that you can clip on to a rod and send it down on a rigger rod but reel it up as fast as you can.

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[scuba]

You can run free sliders on your down rigger rods, than you will be covering more of the water column.

[tom]

I've only got about 150 lures, a few flies with Dodgers, I have two gypsies but the line conflicts with my outside riggers. Do I just need to move the placement of my dypsy rods?

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I've never run gypsies before but I imagine with all that flashy jewelry they wear they attract fish into your spread. How long can a gypsy hold their breath or do you rig them with scuba tanks? That being said try setting your dipsys on a 21/2 or 3 setting. That should keep your lines away from your DR's. If the currents are bad they are tough to run unless you are going into or with the current.

[little guy]

What's the best rig to use for steelhead

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[tom]

What's the best rig to use for steelhead

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Steelhead have been all over the place this year. Historically a 2-3 core 100ft out and 300ft back using Steelie Stompers, double orange crush, blue,green dolphins, and flounder pounders have filled my smoker.

[sslopok]

3 colors of leadcore with an orange crush spoons is my best for steelies.

[Z boy]

I would suggest posting a picture of your boat so people can make suggestions on rod placement. There is a lot of knowledge on this board.

As many have said, 4 riggers is very "old school". Mid 70's that was the way to go, but not today. The water is so much clearer I think that the extra cables and canon balls will do more harm than good. I would rather see you stack two lines off each rigger or run sliders than put down 4 riggers.

A simple 6 rod set of 2 riggers, 2 dipseys, and 2 core can catch an awful lot of fish. Every day is different and rarely are all 3 presentations good. Usually one outshines the other. Sometimes one (riggers for example) can be good at first light and then something else may take over.

Don't give up on the dispsey's ! Learn how to run them. Flasher Fly off a dipsey is a great Big Fish combo in mid to late summer!! I always have a minimum of two dipseys out for the reason below..

Dispseys = Speed and direction!!!

I do not have down speed / temp on my current boat and I do not miss it. I constantly look at my dipsey rods to tell me if the speed is right and what the currents are doing. Based on your reports, you are struggling to catch fish. Speed and the direction of troll are very important. Running a dispsey on either side of boat can tell you a lot. How much bend in the dipsey rod can tell you how your speed is. Experiment and change speeds and see how much bend there is in the rod. When you do start hitting fish, make a note of how much bend there was. Try to mimic that amount of bend the next time. Through trial and error you can get it figured out.

The direction of the troll is also important as it effects how well your lures are "working". I want to see both dipseys pulling away from the boat equally. If I see one side pulling way out and the other being pulled slightly behind the boat, under water currents must be pushing all my lures to the side. I will turn slightly until I find the direction where my dipseys on both sides are pulling away from the boat.

There is lots to consider. There is a lot of knowledge on this board. Keep asking questions and keep reading. Then experiment.

[danagnello]

Up until a few years ago I would almost always run two riggers and two dipseys; 2012 in Manistee that's all we ran and on 2 1 1/2 day trips got 14 kings and 25 kings.

Now I add copper and high lines on boards for Steelies, etc.

[little guy]

Thanks for the tips, here is a pic of what I'm running. I'm thinking of cutting down the long riggers on the side to make room for dypsys. And I see guys with dual holders on the riggers, is this something I should add

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