# Trolling Spread With Downrigger



## Cast-N-Call

I have never fished a downrigger much and would like any tips I could get. If you are pulling a typical blue water lure spread would it be wise to run a bait on a downrigger below the short or long corner? What kind of bait would you put on down rigger, cedar plug, stick bait, jet head skirt, flat/slanted face skirted lure?

If you are pulling a dead bait spread, would you do same as above, or would only run dead bait on downrigger with dead bait spread?

I have been told it is always wise to put a live bait on downrigger if you are trolling live baits. Is this correct?


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## MULLET HUNTER

i personally would not try it. gonna slow you way down, and is a sure thing to cross up other lines. use your down rigger when you find a nice weed line. drag your spread by a couple of times then pull them in and drop a hardtail on the downrigger about 60ft and hold on.


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## Chris V

I also like to troll a live bait off a downrigger but you have to troll slower speeds with live bait and in return you really have to decide whether you are going to pull live baits or a dead bait/artificial spread.

My favorite lure on a downrigger is a black/red or black/purple ilander with a horse ballyhoo rigged on #9 singlestrand wire. We usually pull only one downrigger bait in our spread but you could use 2. I set the bait back about 50 ft. behind the ball and then deploy about 75ft. of cable. At about 7-8 knots the bait will be about 25-30 ft. down or so.


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## SUNDAY-FUNDAY

with a typical spread (iislanders, molcrafts, etc) it would slow you down too much to have the other lures run correctly. if you wanna get soemthing down use a heavy trolling weight. we use downriggersa lot whenyou're marking tuna around the floaters and the current is too strong to chunk and/or the sharks are thick. send down ballyhoo or bridled livies to the depth the fish are marking and bump troll. as tunapopper said, let at LEAST 50' of line out before clipping on- it will give the bait/lure a more natural appearance as opposed to running 10' behind a big lead ball.


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## SUNDAY-FUNDAY

My favorite lure on a downrigger is a black/red or black/purple ilander with a horse ballyhoo rigged on #9 singlestrand wire. We usually pull only one downrigger bait in our spread but you could use 2. I set the bait back about 50 ft. behind the ball and then deploy about 75ft. of cable. At about 7-8 knots the bait will be about 25-30 ft. down or so.[/quote]



never thought about this.... have to give it a try. i bet the hooters rape that black/red


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## Cast-N-Call

Thanks for the responses.

I have only fished a downrigger with live bait and I know you only bump troll live baits, and typically pull dead bait slower than lures. So what is the maximum speed that you would pull a downrigger bait, islander/ballyhoo combo?


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## Chris V

I wouldn't and don't pull it more than about 7-8 knots although I've heard of people going faster. It isn't as practical at higher speeds and you have to let out a lot more cable on the downrigger to get to any kind of depth. 7 knots is about right and you can still pull other baits with it. 

Yes, Landon, it takes a toll on Mr. Hoo


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## Chris V

> *www.fishing (5/6/2009)*Had 2 downriggers and only thing ever caught on it was big kings.Use Inline trolling weights or planers.Im sure if you was specifically targeting just wahoo than it would be fine to troll slower speeds with live baits but you will cover less ground so you need to pick your areas wisely.


The king problem can be especially true around the nipple. We pull artificials on them only when we are targeting wahoo. At 7-8 knots or so you can still cover a fair amount of ground and the angles on your downrigger lines aren't too bad to where you're still getting your baits a decent depth and tanglesaren'tmuch of a problem.


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## Cast-N-Call

Thanks for the relpies. 

I am not thinking of targeting wahoo, more of thinking of throwing a deep bait in the billfish spread. What do you think, stupid idea?


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## Chris V

A lot of good fishing strategies were probably once thought of as stupid ideas. I've heard of anglers in central america having great luck livebaiting both black and blue marlin using live baits off downriggers and plenty of blues and whites have been caught on live hardtails intended for tuna off downriggers here in the gulf. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work well in the gulf.


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## 4wahoo

Anyone ever try slow trolling with downriggers at night for swords? Seems like it should work.


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## Chris V

Hadn't tried yet but me and my buddy Jimmy are planning on doing it this year around the steps. I've got some glow in the dark and strobing baits that I'm going to try.


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## gwhite33

ive never pulled artificals on a downrigger but if i did i probably would run a islander or a jet head would probably be your best bet i would think.


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## true-king

I've heard of teaser systems being pulled with downriggers, but I haven't tried it.


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## Captain Woody Woods

> *true-king (5/6/2009)*I've heard of teaser systems being pulled with downriggers, but I haven't tried it.


i cant understand the practicality of this one. when we pull teasers behind our boats, and a bill starts slashin at it, we are literally pulling it outta his mouth in hopes he will focus his attention on a hook bait. be a bit hard to do on a d-rigger....?


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## Stressless

I have a downrigger in the left rear for just that. Islander naked or with a 'hoo 7 - 7.5 MPH like Tunapopper said at least 50' before the clip and out. First rod cleared is the rigger so there's not 100' of line cutting cable out there. I troll for meat so can't say how a billfish would react or risk of a tangle if she charges under the boat. 



:mmmbeer

Stessless


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## Captain Woody Woods

> *Stressless (5/6/2009)* I troll for meat




boy that one could go a few different ways lol

i love u bob


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## Stressless

Ahhhh crap Woody. Dude I've been married for 21 years I don't know what strange even is! ...but I do like'em a little on the WhiteTrashy side.














Sorry for the derail... BLUF: Downriggers good but a bit much for the 18' bass boat.



:nonono

Stessless


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## true-king

I saw it on an episode of spanish fly where they were pulling dredges with electric downriggers. When they got a fish on they hit the button and it pulled in the teaser for them.


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## Chris V

I could understand using them with a dredge for white marlin or sails off south florida or mexico but I wouldn't put a big single teaser like a black bart breakfast on it. That would be pretty interesting when a big blue decides it doesn't want to let go.


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## true-king

> *tunapopper (5/7/2009)*I could understand using them with a dredge for white marlin or sails off south florida or mexico but I wouldn't put a big single teaser like a black bart breakfast on it. That would be pretty interesting when a big blue decides it doesn't want to let go.


Yeah, they were using it for sails. That would have been interesting if a blue showed up!


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## Island24

I pulled the yo-zuri Bonita with a pre-made cable and did not have much luck - just as the previous post indicated. Would you take your chances with heavy mono oruse awire leader?


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