To Reel or Not to Reel

[jicama1]

Maybe you guys can help settle a minor disagreement. We run 2 Dipseys and 3 riggers, my buddy always insists that we reel in all the lines once we hook up on a fish. His reasoning is that it will tangle all the lines and also harder to net with all the rods in the way. I think we should leave them out, can't get a double if your lines aren't in the water. loser has to buy the beer when were up in the next few weeks. Thanks for the input.

[bigCOHOnes]

The only thing we reel in is what we run down the pipe. Let everything fish takes too much time to put everything back down and good chance you may miss a lot of fish. Not to mention hands are full when or if a rod fires!

[King Slammin]

Leave those rods in. This is where extra holders come in handy. I move my rigger rods to the furthest holder out on each corner to open the back up for netting. I only run two riggers though. U should be able to move your center rigger rod over to a holder on either corner to open the back up for netting. With that said, there are some crazy fights that will tangle you up but that's just part of fishing. I just think u might be missing out multiple hook ups by pulling rods every time. When the fish are biting good, I actually go to a 4 rod spread. This allows me to turn quicker without the worry of tangling lines and get back on the fish.

[Legacy]

Maybe you guys can help settle a minor disagreement. We run 2 Dipseys and 3 riggers, my buddy always insists that we reel in all the lines once we hook up on a fish. His reasoning is that it will tangle all the lines and also harder to net with all the rods in the way. I think we should leave them out, can't get a double if your lines aren't in the water. loser has to buy the beer when were up in the next few weeks. Thanks for the input.

 

How are you ever gonna quintuple if you reel them in??? Keep the lines in the water and keep fishing! 

[Sk8man]

I know I'll probably be flying in the face of many folks here but I think it is a judgement call.....if the main objective is catching and actually landing a fish (as contrasted with doubling and tripling etc.) a lot of factors come into consideration such as your beam width of the boat and line spacing, wind and waves, and the "guesstimate"about the type/size fish you have on. Also you may wish to consider how adept and quick you are at untangling twisted wire rigs and mono downrigger lines. Large kings often require a different approach than browns or lakers for example. Sometimes you'll expend much less time bringing and letting back out  selective lines to create more "working space" than untangling. Just a thought

[Glenn -Brazee]

I know I'll probably be flying in the face of many folks here but I think it is a judgement call.....if the main objective is catching and actually landing a fish (as contrasted with doubling and tripling etc.) a lot of factors come into consideration such as your beam width of the boat and line spacing, wind and waves, and the "guesstimate"about the type/size fish you have on. Also you may wish to consider how adept and quick you are at untangling twisted wire rigs and mono downrigger lines. Large kings often require a different approach than browns or lakers for example. Sometimes you'll expend much less time bringing and letting back out  selective lines to create more "working space" than untangling. Just a thought

Great reply,I think we have all considered the options of losing a trophy and gear or catching more fish. I think you'll find more is better...enjoy your beer the next few weeks

[TileMan Dan]

I normally fish 4 riggers and 2 dipseys with a copper down the chute. I leave everything in but move rods to outside holders. Speed up the boat a little when fish is on helps bring them right up the chute for easy netting.

[John Kelley]

I too, run 4 riggers, 2 wires, and a copper down the chute, and only reel lines in if it is a big, uncontrollable King, and then usually only the copper down the chute.  Sometimes the wires come in as well, but the downriggers always stay out, on my boat.  I have an 8' beam, and steelies get forced right up the chute and in, with no lines in.

[kingfisher8]

Here's my technique. I have a small boat. I run 2 corner riggers, 3 dipseys,one off each side and a large dipsey down the middle on a zero setting (to take the place of the copper I don't have). Usually,no matter which rod hits, I bring the fish to one side of the boat or the other. I never net off my back with the outboard in the way and the riggers are right there too. It's easy. The fish generally dictates which side. I don't care. One is the same as the other. Half the time, the fish will come in straight and you guide it to the side. The other half of the time,they dart left or right. DON'T REAL IN THE OTHER RODS! The fish goes under or over them. Only two options here. Use your partner to lift the rod and it is clear what you have to dose-e-do. It's all good until you get them close. The only issue(and only sometimes) is when the fish is coming near the corner of the boat and the guy with the fish HAS TO watch the rigger cable. 95% of the time, the fish is beat and you can drag it right past the rigger cable and right into the net. Whew,my finger is cramping from typing. Lol. Sorry,I forgot. Sometimes I bump my speed down if the fish is bigger to help the guy fighting it. Also if its big, I turn the boat slightly one way in a large arcing circle to keep the fish on that side. Don't laugh, it works. When you do, just move the side dipsey rod to the back pole holder. It will ride right over the rigger. Last, if its during a tourney,and its a screamer, I'll do whatever it takes to boat it. I have reeled in the rods and chased it. It's fun when you are fighting that screamer and you're watching your buddy sweat bringing in the rods. Ow, the cramps! Lol.

Edited August 26, 2013 by kingfisher8

[traveling man]

i leave everything in the water except i might pull a dipsey if i have to. you have never had fun until you get 3 or 4 fish on with 2 or 3 people in the boat!

[rustyrat]

I never pull anything period. Its up to the captain to keep the fish straight behind the boat at all times.

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[G-Daddy]

Depends a lot on currents.  Sometimes the currents are pulling a corner rigger to the center so I may pull a corner. I like to keep the center of the boat clear for landing a fish.  After all, I'm the idiot net man who gets all the blame if we lose a fish at the back of the boat.  I also may pull a wire if it looks like it may get crossed.  If we get hit while setting lines - and that has happened a lot this year - we usually stop setting on the corners until landing or losing the fish on.  We will still set our out-downs and our divers if the currents are ok.

[devilfishIII]

Agree with sk8man, anything over 20 lbs guesstimate bring r dips its in, if the fish hits. A copper it won't fight at the boat so leave everything out, if u leave ur riggers down check for zebra mussels if u slow the boat down to idle

[duckreaper]

The first few trips we pulled lines but now only if we have a bigger fish no problems the bows seem to be the worst because there in so fast lol

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[sabonation]

I know I'll probably be flying in the face of many folks here but I think it is a judgement call.....if the main objective is catching and actually landing a fish (as contrasted with doubling and tripling etc.) a lot of factors come into consideration such as your beam width of the boat and line spacing, wind and waves, and the "guesstimate"about the type/size fish you have on. Also you may wish to consider how adept and quick you are at untangling twisted wire rigs and mono downrigger lines. Large kings often require a different approach than browns or lakers for example. Sometimes you'll expend much less time bringing and letting back out selective lines to create more "working space" than untangling. Just a thought

I agree with this 100 percent. It is definately a judgement call. If it is a trophy fish you shouldn't take chances. However I try not to pull everything if I can avoid it. One thing I have been experimenting with is not slowing the boat down too much. Where you get into trouble is when the fish charges the boat. If this happens just have the driver speed it up a little. On those big ones you can't budge, slow it down for a second, put it in neutral for a moment if you have to, but be ready to gas it again. You don't want that fish coming in too fresh!

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[gander lander]

We run 4 dipseys 2 riggers and sometimes 2 coppers. The only time we pull anything is if we suspect a big fish we pull one of the riggers so we have more space for netting. Otherwise we let them all just keep fishing.

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[kingfisher8]

All good comments. One thing I disagree with that sabonation said. He said to put the boat in neutral for a moment and get ready to gas it. I say, NEVER put it in neutral! I do slow down a bit for the bigger ones. When you go in neutral, picture what your lines are doing, especially the dipseys!! The dipseys need speed to track. Without speed, they sink and they can flip on themselves, getting caught on its own line and therefore never releasing. Same effect as if you send the dipsey out with no tension (like new people on the boat do). The coppers sink also, as do the rigger lures, even though they should have short leaders from the ball. Then, when everything is sinking, you start to gas it, everything comes back up in the water column. You're looking for a major mess. Picture the 600' copper, running in say, 200' fow, it's down maybe 132' (22' per 100'). You have only 68' to sink to the bottom, not counting the sink rate if you turn. Neutral? Never.

[sabonation]

Neutral is only something i use momentarily when i cannot gain on a fish. It stops you from wearing a hole in the fish's mouth by dragging him forever.I can't speak for the copper bc I don't have a rig yet, but I've never had a problem tangling lines when I do. Its definately a fine touch though, too much either way is bad.

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[kingfisher8]

Too much of anything is bad. Everything in moderation. Every boat is different. Different things will work for different people. Some lessons are learned the hard way too. We all go through the learning curve. It depends who is on your boat too. I have one buddy that I never have to watch or help. Some people come on my boat and it becomes so much work, but the payoff is when they catch fish or get that line screamer on that rips 400' of line.

[tinfin]

Too much of anything is bad. Everything in moderation. Every boat is different. Different things will work for different people. Some lessons are learned the hard way too. We all go through the learning curve. It depends who is on your boat too. I have one buddy that I never have to watch or help. Some people come on my boat and it becomes so much work, but the payoff is when they catch fish or get that line screamer on that rips 400' of line.

All good answers,for me i try to play fish out as far behind as possible,in doing so it buys you the needed time to either pull one or two rods or just move to another holder. by that time you pretty much know what your dealing with and what your next move will be,Most of the time i prefer to let rods in!

[Richard]

All above is great information and this is deffinatly a personel choice due to the abillity of the people on board.

 

Like above I have four riggers, two wire divers, possibly two slide divers, and a copper off to the side. I have an eight foot beam. I do not pull any rods and take the fish up the shoot. I relocate rods to more forward rod holders to get the lines out of the way.

 

Also do not forget that when a fish hits and releases from the rigger he is going to rise and fall back behind the boat. He may run straight back or to one side. If you release the other device its line will also rise and drop back. You could possible be creating more of a chance of tangles by releasing other rods to take them in. Just a thought.

 

Good luck and tight lines

[jicama1]

Thanks Guys. I appreciate all the info. I consider myself a rookie considering I only get the chance to make it up there once or twice a year for the past 4 yrs. It's nice to have people that are willing to share what they have learned through the years. Good fishing and be safe. I'll have a beer for all of you. And not all at once....still want to be able to reel the fish in...lol

[WalleyeLJ]

Just my thoughts but we tend to cut speed back a touch and cut a slow arc towards the side the fish runs to (or which it fired from). We don't like taking fish on out the chute because our boat design doesn't lend itself to it as well as others (engine housing takes up the middle third), plus it leaves the fish two props and four downrigger lines to plot a last minute escape. We have a 4 rigger set, and will rotate the outside rigger back 45 degrees and bring that one ball up. If it's not the rod that fired, we clear it. Otherwise, we keep it in. If we have a dipsy on that side, we move it to another rod holder high and out of the way. So while we do it bit more work than it sounds like most others do, we land roughly 80%-90% of the Kings we hook up for more than 10 second drivebys. I'm always surprised when I see how many people land under 50%, but when we watch other boats out on the water, it seems like a lot of folks just crank down and horse their fish in - be it 5 pounds or 25 pounds - and a lot seem to come off in the process. We enjoy the battle and try and treat each one like it's the last one we might see - so we don't want to lose it. The last King we lost off a rigger cable broke off the flasher, fly and itself, but ended up thrashing around on the surface, unable to get under. We chased that damn fish for ten minutes, trying to troll around yet line up on the fish before I was finally able to net it and save the gear AND the fish. A fun memory - but not something I need to repeat any time soon in the middle of 300 boats  ! 

 

L.J.

[sabonation]

One time we were trolling boards out on Erie for walleye when the cord ripped a rod out of the boat. We parked it immediately, cranked the board in, and luckily it never released so we got the rod back. Our dipsys and riggers seemed to be alright after this episode, however we weren't running spin docs or paddles or anything.

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[K Gonefishin]

If I have a big boy on I clear the chute rod or move it depending on which way the fish wen on it's run, then I clear one diver so it opens up one side of the boat for netting. I like to have one side completely clear for netting then I'll steer the fish to that open side. Having a smaller rig with a kicker and a completely open platform that I can walk on I can net a fish anywhere even from anywhere on the side I have completely flexibility to net a big fish just about anywhere I want. A benefit to having a boat designed for walleye fishing. I guess it really depends on how many rods you run, how your boat is laid out and how good the guys are running it.