# down riggers?



## Kenn (Dec 24, 2012)

I had seen some chat about using down riggers for fishing in the gulf. Are they really needed for fishing Kings and spanish within a couple miles of P'cola pass?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Not needed, but can make a huge difference especially on hot summer days when the fish are deeper.


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## Kenn (Dec 24, 2012)

So the Kings and spanish hang around but are just deeper on hot days and not coming to the top?


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## catdad100 (Nov 17, 2009)

Its an extra tool in the tool box an very useful tool if you want to catch big kings especially Ive even caught big reds using them in bay you can put the bait right in or above a submerged school of bait.When I was just starting out my buddy bought one and we were fishing the same area and he was catching 4-1 amberjack and kings,I argued that I should be able to do the same thing with heavy trolling sinkers,etc.but the downrigger is more accurate as far putting the bait in the strike zone and plus your not having to deal with that weight swinging around and pulling all that extra leader in by hand but this is strictly for slow trolling for fast trolling(wahoo) I still use big trolling weights with long leaders sometimes.Theres some really good articles on the SKA site you should read concerning using downriggers.


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## Kevin B (Dec 3, 2012)

Another way of doing it is to set up a couple of Rods and Reels with some 45 LB copper line, we use it a lot in Lake Michigan, I run down riggers too, but have 2 Rods set up with copper, 1 has about about 400 yards of braid backing 100 feet of copper and 20 yards of fluoro leader then your bait. I run it off a planner board, it runs about 25' deep, the 2ND Rod is set up the same but with 150' of copper, it will run about 45' deep.
If you do a Google search you will find a lot of articles about it. the more copper you use the deeper your bait will run, some guys up here are running 300' to 400' of copper, and don't even use riggers anymore.
that is just another option, and it is cheaper then down riggers.

Kevin


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## GWally (May 16, 2009)

Not sure copper would be a good choice for saltwater, however Monel does very well. Used to always have a monel "meat line" in the water and it produced back when I wanted to catch Kings.


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## bit wright (Feb 27, 2013)

I have a pair of Scotty downriggers. Inexpensive when I bought them for Lahawton Lake Trout on Nevada's Walker Lake back in the early 90"s. I use them just outside Destin East Pass for Kings. Run 50' behind the balls at 15 and 25 foot depths. Just a 2 oz white bucktail jig with a sardine lip hooked and a stinger in his back. Killer! 

Use a stacker on the cables and I can fish the water column from 10' to 25' or run them deeper and work from 40 up to 10 in 10 foot increments. 

I like to find bait working the surface in the summer and work around the edges. Always something under them that will hit my baits.


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## Kenn (Dec 24, 2012)

Nevr used downriggers so would be a different learning curve for me


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

Kenn said:


> Nevr used downriggers so would be a different learning curve for me


There is essentially not learning curve. Put cigar minnow on king duster, let out how much line you want to troll, put downrigger ball on cable, attack fishing like to release clip, and let out cable until at desired depth. 

A downrigger is very useful on summer days for kings. It also allows you to troll a subsurface line and a surface line on the same side.


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## just add water (Jan 4, 2008)

What's a good weight to buy to get your lure down around 20 ft.? I assume you use the same weight for keeping it down at 50'?


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## Kenn (Dec 24, 2012)

any particular King duster size and color?


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