Methods of deployment

[Billy V]

Cabin fever is definitely setting in even though I just spent the weekend skiing at Stowe (which was incredible by the way...check my blog for pics of that!). But......I WANT TO GO FISHING!!!

I don't know if you do this or not, but I'm sitting here going through different salmon set-ups in my head. Riggers, dipsys, copper, leadcore, big boards, in-line boards, spoons, sticks, flashers, flys, cut-bait, you name it and my mind has been going through all of the various possibilities. I've been thinking about things from an under water perspective...you know, how it looks to the fish when you drive over top of them. So my question to all of you guys is what is your go-to set-up for summer Kings? I'm not asking for your top-secret colors or brands that you use for tournaments. I'm just curious what methods of deployment you choose most of the time.

We typically run all three of our riggers with spoons or flies, and then get 4 wire dipsys in the water with most likely flies. Throw in a copper rig fished off of a board and that's been our #1 set-up. But this year we'll be running more copper rigs. Every day is different and some days we run a lot of leadcore too. But most days out of Fair Haven the Kings are deep so we need to get our gear down 100+ feet.

I'm curious what you guys run.

[fosterm22]

We too have been messing around with many rigs. I typically run a 4 rigger set up with either dipsey's or lead core out the sides. I think there are some days flasher/fly other days it is all spoons.

In the summer, one thing has remained consistant for us. Mag spoon on deep rigger, 20-30 foot lead. Next rigger, flasher fly, 10 foot lead. Then throw anything else in the mix you want. Here is my thought- deep kings are attracted to the flasher. If they do not hit it, as they turn to go back to the bottom, the mag spoon will pick them up.

Here is the trick- we know that different colors fade in the water spectrum the deeper you go. My deep rigger is often down around 100 feet, which means glow/purple/copper/green are the colors that work the best.

[Legacy]

i typically run four riggers- the two outside riggers higher in the water column (chart, purples, frogs), 1 rigger deeper (usually a mupped rig), and the probe rigger the deepest (mag nbk, echip and fly)

1 10 core centered out back

wire rods- 1 off each side (typically flasher/flies)

obviouslly conditions will dictate but this seems to be a very "comfortable" spread for me.

[Fishtails]

Billy, been to Stowe a couple times skiing. Isn't it an incredible town?

Buddy, I'm right with you on the fishing. We are leaving on 2/27 for Key West for two weeks and what keeps running through my head......freaking Salmon fishing on lake O.....what's with that ???

We do basically the same as you guys, no need for my redundancy. Only thing not mentioned above that we had major success on last year was the thumper rod, and I'm just learning it. This year I am going to tail gun it and run the copper & core off the boards a little more often. Last year, I ran the thumper same as a dipsey. There were days it took the majority of the wire hits and out fished the dipsey, other days not. I don't think I had a day it didn't take at least one rip.

[F/V Uncorked]

I have heard of the thumper before. but dont know How to rig one. Id prefer to keep the meatball on the line but Not really necessary.

[Fishstix]

After the last couple yrs. Im starting to think "Less is better"

Meaning I don't catch any more fish with a couple rods out than

6 or 8. If the fish are biteing two rods are enough.If their not biteing

two are to many.

In the spring when they are on top I like to run as many rods as I legally can. But mid summer I do better with two cannonballs down w/4 rigger rods. Two rods per rigger.I run down and outs stacked on the top rigger rods. Its a bit of a pain stacking rods on a rigger line but it seems to pay off when the bite is slow.Most everyone catches fish when they are biteing,not many do when they arent. I use the adjustabe dime dipseys.

[Fishtails]

I still consider myself somewhat of a beginner (to salmon fishing ....certainly not to fishing in general), but even so I didn't have a skunk in the boat the entire season last year in at least 40 trips. Some days we lit them up, some days we got one or two, but always got fish.

As long as I have a crew, I always start out with three rods on the riggers, one copper, one dipsey and a thumper. If I have less guys, I pull one rigger rod and I rotate one of the wire rods with a copper till I get rods popping. Then I adjust to what's hot that day. I remember one day in Oswego last season we ran this routine on a bad day after a few days of easterly winds. Nobody caught squat that day, one here, one there. We worked it pretty hard and only caught two kings that morning. Nothing on a rigger, no dipsey hits either. Both fish were on the Thumper rod.

Not to say the thumper is anything especially great, It's not. It's just a different presentation. My only point is if I don't have a variety of presentations in the water, I feel like I may be missing out on the hot ticket on that given day.

[Tim Bromund]

I usually run a 6 rod spread, even with 4 in the boat. 2 riggers, 2 divers and then usually a 200' copper on a board on 1 side and a 10 color core on a board on the other. it's a simple, tangle free setup in most cases and usually catches plenty of fish for us.

Tim

[rustyrat]

3 riggers. 2 outside riggers: Flasher flies, Center rigger mag spoon just below the other riggers.

2 wires: flasher flies. 1 thumper big paddle, long leader, fly.

Thats it for me on salmon rigs. Run that at the bar and run it for the fall.

I don't fish that many spoons anymore unless I get a first hand report while i'm out there.

RR

[ray koziatek]

add weight light fuse and throw overboard 1/2 stick should get your limit the fuse length is important

[Billy V]

Somehow I knew that was going to be your preferred method Ray!

[L&M]

LMAO Ray

[LongLine]

Hey Ray - Fuse length depends upon boat speed. Faster on GPS allows for shorter fuse & you'll cover a lot more water. However if fuse is way too short, YOU will cover a LOT of water. (in small pieces) :roll:

Tom B.

(LongLine)

p.s. With two rods: one's down and the other as far away from the boat as possible/practical. Being on the "straight & narrow" doesn't apply to spring fishing. i.e. Zig-zag trolling patterns.

[Storm Warning II]

2 corner riggers in a "suck 'em in" set up. Dodger/fly on higher rigger about 20' off the ball. I use the Dodger to have a constant "eye" on my down speed. Use it a lot like a thumper. The deeper rigger has a MAG Ole Yeller Silver Streak on it, generally about 50' off the ball, unless it is deeper than 100 and then I will reign it in to 10 or so feet off the ball. I really think that ball acts as an attractor that deep because often that deep spoon will light up when its leash is shortened up.

2 deep wire divers, 1 with spoon, 1 with Spin Doc / fly. Run the wire diver w/ spoon closest to the corner rigger w/ the dodger/fly on it. Run the flasher/fly diver closest to the corner rigger w/ the MAG Ole Yeller.

2 braid high/out divers 1 with a spoon the other w/ Spin Doc / fly. Run the spoon braid diver next to the wire diver w/ the flasher/fly and the Spin Doc/fly closest to the wire with the spoon.

Then start seeing what's working (hopefully something) and make changes from there.

[ray koziatek]

dark glow in the early am,maybe some gold in the top 50ft .sunup till 10am blue silver dolphins ,after 10 am if its sunny go to green and silver(this is for salmon)its that easy ....if the fish are there and your speed of 2.7 mph at the ball is there..oh ya better be in the right temp too.opps

[Penn yan 88]

man I can't wait until the season starts. Spring we will usually run as many rods as we can, 4 downriggers/boards and depending on how deep the fish are 2 slide divers/dipseys or wire along with some cheaters. One of are most productive spoon in the spring for us is a silver NK 28 dL with a red treble hook. In the summer I have started to run less and it seems to be more productive. Last year we ran 3 riggers with 1 rigger typically being high in the water column and 2 wires and caught more fish. Green krinkle fly caught more fish than all my fly's put together. Besides buying the new Penn yan last year the best purchase was the shimano tekota 600lc wire reel. Plan on buying a few more this year

[Gill-T]

Usually, six rod spread. Two braid lines off the Otter Boats, two dipsys, two riggers. If I can add rods, a deep six down the chute, maybe a stacked rigger rod, maybe two fixed sliders...it depends how fast the action is and the wave height. I love rigging, but the guys in the boat like it simple esp. when the fish are biting. This year, I am diving into the copper game.