Sk8man

Matt is very right about the slack situation. Sometimes especially with smaller steelies or rainbows/landlocks you may even see them jumping behind the boat without realizing they are on the slider other than perhaps seeing the rod tip moving so it is important to pay close attention to your riggers when using sliders and take up the slack as he said. Sometimes even browns will come into the prop wash for sliders as the lures on them generate quite a bit of action with the short leaders. Having extra lures in the water is always good when you fish solo a lot as I do and as Matt indicated having a couple fish on at the same time is a real adrenalin rush especially when trying to net solo

I used to use stackers way back when but once I realized you could get the same or better result using fewer rods (rod limit was 2 per person back then) I switched to the sliders and have caught as many fish over the years (especially rainbows and landlocks) as on the main downrigger lines during the summer months in particular when the thermocline has formed. I prefer the free sliders with small lightweight spoons.

I devised what I think is a quite simple setup back in the late 70's and it can be used both as a fixed slider and a stacker. It is basically a clamp used for catfish trot lines (Netcraft?) with a large Duolock snap held on by some heavy duty shrink tubing and a small rubber band. The trotline clamp is clipped or snapped onto the downrigger cable at the desired distanceupfrom the main lure after it is let out and I usually allow 10-15 ft or so above it before snapping it on. The rubber band is placed in the end swivel snap of the slider leader along with the main line and then the other end of the rubberband attached to the duolock snap on the downrigger cable. When the fish hits the fixed slider lure the rubber band breaks and the slider leader becomes free on the main line and unless the fish is real small it usually releases the main line from the Black release as well but if not it can just be manually released. If used as a stacker you just use a half hitch on the rubber band to the line and put the other end in the Duolock snap and clip the trotline clamp wherever you wish on the downrigger cable. The trotline clamp has enough tension to hold yourline on the downrigger cable but when you bring up the weight the clamp will slide and not hang up when it reaches the end of the downrigger.

I guess I distinguish between a cheater and a slider. The traditional cheater is a leader with a spoon on it that is located in a fixed position a few feet above a set of cowbells (used to be called "flashers") and it is long enough so that the spoon angles downward in back of the peanut or cut bait setup so that the fish is attracted to the cowbells and may or may not hit the peanut but then sees the spoon trailing behind it appearing wounded. The slider on the other hand is a short section of mono or fluoro (mine are 8 ft which is 6 inches shorter than my downrigger rods to allow for netting fish) with a swivel snap at either end. I use cheapo swivels for them but ones that have rounded fasteners (e.g. like duolocks in shape)so that the lure can operate freely in them. I use one a size smaller than the other (the end that slides down the main line) so that it can't get by the terminal one (ball bearing swivel) with the main lure on it (if somehow the lure should come off that the slider lure wouldn't also be lost). I roll a few slider leaders up on a section of foam noodle so they are ready to go if tangles occur etc. and with spoons already on them to save time. One of the reasons I use cheapo swivels on the sliders is that over the years I have found that it doesn't make any difference on them and if the line gets tangled (e.g.from excessive speed etc.) it is less expensive if you lose some from cutting. It is the only setup that I use them on ...all others I use solid ring ball bearing swivels.

Sweet! and great looking fillets.

Spinneys work fine on lakers or kings especially in deep applications and relatively close to the ball.

Nice going Ed. I used to watch those bows with their dorsals out of the water in mid lake near the high banks in years past gobbling those flies and they came right next to the boat sometimes as their attention was riveted on the bugs. We sometimes forget they have a fairly diverse diet....not always sawbellies

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/Search/crimps.aspx