stacking on riggers

[bandrus1]

Over the past couple seasons I have been running 4 riggers on my little 19 footer and I am starting to think that is to many riggers to close together

 

I think I may run 2 riggers this year with paddles on the bottom but want to stack spoons on top about 20-25 feet above the paddle

 

 

 

Question is if i have the paddle out 8-12 feet and the spoon out 30-40 wouldnt they tangle if the paddle/fly got hit?

[Sk8man]

My sense of it is that if you run your paddles closer say 6 ft. there shouldn't be a problem as long as you are using something like flutter spoons on the top ones.If you use something that "digs" down or diver stick baits there could be a tangle. I used to stack my downriggers and never had any problems except when I was using the old large dodger/fly combos and had a big rainbow go into the other line.

[Hooked on Kings]

We stacked last year,  paddles off the torpedoes and spoons above with no problems. Usually paddle back 10 to 20 feet and spoons above 15 to 20 feet and back anywhere from 40 to 70 feet. Setup worked well for us. If you keep releases loaded going down minimizing blow back and have apposing angles with you poles, the paddle will clear when hit. 

[Hooked on Kings]

Hey sk8man, I see you fish out of Sodus, nothing like going to Captain Jacks and having a prime rib sandwich after a good day of fishin and can't forget the  or    ha ha ha. Maybe see your whaler out there this summer.

[LongLine]

I often run a paddle  stacked 10 ft up and 15 ft back with a clean spoon below it & 25 back.  Have never had a tangle on that setup. (and it's generally the spoon that gets nailed)

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Sk8man]

Hooked On Kings- Sounds good to me pardner. Always a lot of fun at the Point....in the old days you didn't have to be so careful of the beers either :>)

[Tim Bromund]

With all the other deployment options available today I very rarely stack, but when I do  the upper rod is always a spoon run behind a big jon mini diver disk, with the weight set at 90 deg so that it runs almost directly off to the side (port or starboard, depending on which rigger)let out about 30 feet and clip the line into the stacker release.  Then very slowly let the rigger down to the target depth.  The upper rod/line is pulled off to the side and out of the way of the lower rod if it fires, which keeps good separation between the two rods and they pretty much never tangle. 

 

The toughest part is judging how slow to let the rigger descend to keep the mini diver disk more or less even with the release as it is dropping.

 

Tim

[LongLine]

Then very slowly let the rigger down to the target depth.

This is the whole secret to stacker fishing and getting tangles is a big reason many don't stack anymore.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Gill-T]

Back in the late 80's early 90's the way we fished on the family boat was four riggers all stacked on a 8' transom.  Like others have stated, set your rod holders at opposing angles to pull the line (once released) away from each other.  I would vote for the low line down having the longer lead and the stacked line with the short set back to avoid tangles.  I do not stack anymore instead opting for sliding or fixed cheaters.....keeps the back of the boat cleaner for netting and allows for additional junk lines.

[Rippin'Line]

i used to stack. hated it. Lower rig fires and gotta start all over. Perhaps try running 3 riggers with one either ran down the middle or angled towards the middle.

[Has Been]

When I only had 2 riggers ,I stacked all the time. Rarely had probs. Would run the bottom 10-15 back & one stacked about 8-12' over it back 15-25( kept it out of the blowback of the bottom line). I still do it if I feel the fish are spooky & only want to run 2 riggers. I use to put a dodger on the bottom & a J plug or spoon 15-20' above that & stagger the weights 7-10 ' apart. everything was at a different depth so tangles on turns were minimal. sometimes the bottom would fire & catch the stackers hooks on the way up ,but only once in a while. I used Roemers w/ an Offshore on the metal hoop of the roemer  so when the stacker hit the pulley it would fall down the cable automaticly.

[BALLS DEEP]

I've had a few captains tell me that less is more with salmon. To much junk in the water can turn into a big mess.

[GAMBLER]

I still stack once and a while if I have enough guys in the boat to put extra rods out.  The key to keeping them tangle free is rod holder placement.  Stacking works best in the transition times of the year when fish are scattered at different depths.  Try stacking a rod and put a cheater on the top rod.  You are covering 20' of the water column with 1 rigger.