How to troll with SpinDoctors

[BIGFISH96]

Hi seminewbie here, just got into the trout/salmon scene last year caught a couple lunkers on spoons and was hooked. After going out numerous times with out landing a single fish and all the boats around us are pulling them in left and right i think its time for a dfferet set up. Everyone seems to be using these spindoctors with flies. I dont really understand if you have to use wire or if you can just use regular monofilm line. I have a couple poles rigged up with leadcore but i just run a snap swivel and a spoon off my down riggers. I think you just connect your spin doctor to your line via swivel then a length of monofilm to your fly(correct me if im wrong) but here is where im really confused on a website for dreamweaver spindoctors it showed a diagram of only running the whole rig 8-10 feet off your downrigger release,im use to letting out 175-300 feet of line out with my spoons this little amount scares me please if someone could explain i would be grateful thanks

[bandrus1]

the amount you let back is different for everybody... some people like it short some like it longer..... some people here will say 12 feet... I like about 35 feet back

it as all about where you have success... I would say anywhere from 10-45 feet back is normal for a spin DR

watch this

that is a spin dr about 6-8 feet back off the ball where the camera is mounted

[BIGFISH96]

alright so it takes a little experimenting thanks bandrus i was very reluctant about it being so close to the ball.

[f1sh-0n]

As bandrus said it all depends on the fish and the day. Some days the ball adds as an attracter and you want to run stuff much closer to the ball. You'll usually see this on your fish finder where you can see fish come up to your ball and drop back away (streakers). Other days the ball will scare the fish away, this is when you would want to run alot longer leads. Also this is usually when Copper or lead core will produce better.

With all that said I don't think I would ever run 300 feet away from the ball. I have run 100-150 when fishing for browns in shallow water. But yeah on average 10-50 feet from the ball is good. The only way to find out what they are liking that day is to keep changing your leads until you figure out what they want. Remember everyday is different.

Another thing you didn't mention is the lengths between the flasher and fly. I have always gone by the average is 3 times the size flaser. 7 inch flasher and 21 inch leader. Than you place from there. More aggressive fish shorter leader.

[Mortigan]

If the fish are shy, running your spoons far behind the boat may get you action, but I think 300 feet is farther than necessary. If the fish are aggressive, they'll hit a spoon right in your wake, on the surface, six feet from the back of the boat.

Spoons fished far behind or on boards are a stealth presentation. Flasher/fly combos (or dipsies) are the opposite - they catch a lot of light and put a lot of vibration in the water. They don't have to be far from the boat to be effective (but still can be).

[BIGFISH96]

very good input thanks alot guys

[Sweet Caroline]

I think you will have better success if you shorten your leads. I run a 4 rigger spread and rarely set back more than 10-15 ft off the ball with spoons when fishing below 50ft. Above 50 ft, I’m back 20-40 ft and above 20ft I’m back 50-100ft. A lot of times the down rigger balls actually attract fish. Salmon typically aren’t boat shy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught coho in the prop wash. Salmon are used to attacking large bait schools that create a lot of commotion not individual bait traveling on its own. Running spoons tight to your downrigger balls simulates this. I’m mostly using my spin docs of wire dispeys and copper rods, but if I run them off the downrigger I don’t fish them above 50ft down and I put them back about 15ft. Also, I run the fly 22 inches behind the spin doc.

Hope this helps,

DR

[Big Dave]

With the huge leads of mono the streach in the line will effect the hook ups you get.. Flashers and flies I don't run back much farther than 25 to 30 off the ball . Most of the time its more like 10 to 15' The same with spoons. If I want one in another area code I use the copper or the leadcore. Dipsies and wire line are super way to run flashers and flies!! Have fun

[blueghost1]

What speed do you run? If you are running slower than 2.0 you may want to hook the spin doc on the rear eyelet for more rotation @ slower speed. When I target lakers in seneca and run 1.4-1.8 surface I have good luck on the rear setting. Always on the front eye running faster. Don't give up on it, it is a killer setup!

[Big Water]

Another advantage to shorter leads is the ability to "jig" the Spin Doctors up and down to entice fish. If the lead is too long, moving the ball up or down 15-20' has little immediate affect on the SD. This tactic doesn't always triggers a strike, but there are times that it works just like slowing down and speeding up your boat.

[BIGFISH96]

we try to keep it around 2.5mph thanks blueghost

[jekyll]

For riggers, mono to a snap swivel hooked to the SD. They work great any where from 5 feet back to 100 feet.

Dispy, use wire to the dispy and then 8-10 feet of 30# mono to a snap swivel.

Copper/lead core. Use a 30 foot leader of 20-30lb mono or flourocarbon to a snap swivel.

I run mine set on fast turn for 2.2 and under.

[BIGFISH96]

Picked up a pair of SpinDoctors last night, NBK LG Chrome and Green Rattlesnake, along with a couple A-Tom-Mik flies Green pearl and green hammer glow. cant wait to try them out this weekend thanks for all the responses guys.

[bandrus1]

Picked up a pair of SpinDoctors last night, NBK LG Chrome and Green Rattlesnake, along with a couple A-Tom-Mik flies Green pearl and green hammer glow. cant wait to try them out this weekend thanks for all the responses guys.

not bad colors!

if you want another suggestion

Mountain Dew w/Mountain Dew/Crush Glow

and

the white with green dot

[adam2000]

Yup get a green dot and marry it to a hammer fly. Also get a white e chip / glow and marry that to a pro am glow fly. Those are your morning ff combos. About 9am or so switch the slower one out to that rattlesnake.

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