spring brown downrigger question

[stevo]

Hi everyone! How far back am i running my lines back from the downriger when trolling for the browns in the spring,and do i need to run any type of flasher or dodger in front of the spoon? Thank you !!!!!

[Tim Bromund]

I like running a thin flutter type spoon about 60-80 feet back and 3-4 feet down on one rigger, clean, no flasher/dodger for browns. The other rigger may have an orange baby spin doctor and peanut fly about 6-8 feet back, right in the propwash for coho's.

Tim

[fishman08]

For spring browns stick baits and flutter spoons both work. Browns don't like the flash of a flasher like coho's so no need for them. Lead length depends on the color and depth of water. If i'm trolling a mudline i'll keep a few as close as 40 feet back to as far as 100 some days. If you find a warm pocket that is pretty clear then don't be afraid to stretch your leads even further out to like 150. Stealth is key many times.

[LongLine]

When in doubt - Let it out.

(Line that is)

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[ReelSilver]

Well, I know I'm gonna get a lotta flack for this but here goes. I don't run my riggers much in the spring, at least not in early spring. I run everything off the boards. The reason is simple, they just get in the way. I can't tell you how many nice fish, especially walleye, have come to the back of the boat and got the fishing line from the rigger around them. When that happens you can say goodbye to most walleye and some nice browns. They don't like it and they spazz, shake like crazy and jump off. But, I'm almost always running in 5-9 feet of water, if I were fishing deeper, I would use them... I run spoons off the boards with small split shot. In dirty water I only run loud vibration baits.

Capt. Dave

www.ReelSilverCharters.com

[Missdemeanor]

I run a little different than most. My opinion on running for spring browns is stealth stealth stealth.....longer leads. My board leads are 160 to 200 back and my riggers tend to be 120-140 feet. Unless of course there is a lot of boat traffic.

Like reel silver, I like to keep the middle of the boat open, so my chute rigger stays in the shed. I run my corners at 45 degrees to the stern. That keeps the whole center open.

In super shallow water, the longer leads help with the stealth...especially in clear water. Murky water you can get away with shorter leads.

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[stevo]

Thanks a million guys!!! All this info is very valuable to me,i am pumped and ready!!! lol Just waiting on the weather to get better,i live 3 1/2 hours away,outside of Albany,I plan on launching out of Oswego,what are the best winds for warm water?

[Yankee Troller]

Stevo - water color will determine your leader lengths more than anything. If you have crystal clear water then you generally need longer leads. If there is color to the water your fishing you can shorten up your leads. Water color is really the trick to Spring BT trips. Find it and find the fish in general. Only putting spoons and sticks down a few feet off your riggers makes it interesting when fighting fish. So, dont go too long or else you will begin to see a lot of tangles.

[Jolly II]

When we're running riggers in the early spring, 5-10 FOW, and we get a spunky brown behind the boat I will often just clear a rigger rod on one side and try to keep the fish to that side. I usually don't bring the spoon all the way in, just let flat line off the back, then when we boat the fish it only takes minute to reset it back on the rigger. On a couple of occasions over the years, when in the browns thick, that cleared rod, flatlining has gotten us into a double.