Sliders Question

[Jimmyfishny]

Hey Guys,

 

I see a lot of you guys use sliders and cheaters on your riggers. We only have two riggers on our 19ft boat and I usually stack two lines on each rigger when fishing below 40 ft. I usually separate the two depths by 15-20ft to avoid messy situations. I dont get a hell of a lot of hits on those stacked rods but the few fish we get have kept me putting them on. We are switching over to using copper and lead core this year so I cant be stacking since its just my Dad and I on the boat and limited to 6 poles.

 

Sliders: I guess I'm not completely familiar with the set up (I started fishing the big pond after the three rod per person went into effect). I know this was a system created because of the two rod rule. Do you place your rigger down then slide a swivel with a 6ft leader to a spoon and let it freely slide down the line? How can you tell where the line is in the water? Do any of you use a rubber band on the main line to stop the slider from going all the way to the ball? Or do you attach the slider to the cable at your desired depth. Any information would be appreciated. I am going to play with options this weekend.

 

Jimmy

[brucehookedup]

You make up a 5 to 7ft leader with a swivel on one end a snap on the other. Clip the snap on your main line once the rigger is 6 to 10 ft down, let the rigger go to your depth. That is a free slider. That will find a belly in your line usually half way between your rod tip and rigger depth. The deeper your rigger the deeper your slider. Many days this time of year that is what the fish like. Sink the rig and get the slider hits. Fixed (cheater) slider set your rig in the water 6ft put a rubber band on your cable. Then take your snap end and run that through your main line and the rubber band, done. Notice when your cheater hits the water on the rig counter. You can then adjust to separate them 10, 15, 20 ft or what ever. One more way is use alligator clips with rubber on them. Set your rig, go down 5 ft put the clip on your main line, put your slider on. Now it can only come up so far as the alligator clip. You do lose those once in a while, they are cheap. Reach up and grab it on the way in to the boat. Hope this helps. Just few ways to make it happen.

[Shelby Lynn]

Check out Rick's website he does a good job of explaining the slider options and how to rig them!

 

 

http://dreamscometruecharters.com/

[John E Powell]

Sliders or cheaters are used to place a second lure, usually a spoon, on one rod.

 

The only real difference between the two is whether the lure "slides freely" on the mainline or whether it is "affixed in place".

 

There are advantages to both methods. Fixed sliders (or cheaters) can be held at a controlled depth with the use of a small pinch pad type release or rubber band. Most people will rig a fixed slider so both the snap and release/rubber band attaches to the fishing line. Then there are those people who might rig the snap to the fishing line but attach the release/rubber band to the downrigger cable. Either way will work, but attaching to the downrigger cable usually requires a heavier rubberband or more powerful release than necessary if attaching solely to the fishing line.

 

"Free" sliders use only a snap that goes around the fishing line, never around the downrigger cable.

 

To deploy a slider, rig you main lure into the release and drop your rigger to depth. Reach out and attach the slider snap around the fishing line and carefully toss it over ensuring the lure runs true. Depending on a variety of factors including currents, lure type, cable angle, boat speed and other factors, most people would tend to agree the lure will settle to a point somewhere around 1/2 to 3/4 of the way to the ball, but in shallow or deep  conditions could be even higher or lower than that. It's because of all these variables that many people choose to affix the slider at a specific distance above the main lure.

 

To deploy a fixed slider with a rubber band (or pinch pad type release), set your main line as normal, then lower your downrigger weight a few feet below the surface. Consider both the depth of the release below the surface and how high above the water you can conveniently handle the fishing line to affix the slider. For example one might set a rigger at 4' deep and reach out to attach the slider about 6' above the water to get the fixed slider lure to run 10' above the main lure. Half-hitch a rubber band around the fishing line, then attach the fixed slider snap to the rubber band AND the fishing line (some people forget to go around the line and only go through the rubber band. If you forget to go around the fishing line, you will lose the rig to the first fish that breaks the rubber band). Drop the rigger a few feet to take the slack out of the fixed slider line and then toss that over making sure the lure runs true.

 

When a fish hits on a free slider rig, there isn't a lot to do except reel the fish in. If the fish is on the mainline, the slider will just slide down the line to the main lure and the slider lure will trail a few feet behind the fish. if the fish is on the slider, be careful not to catch the mainline lure (which is closer to the rod tip) in the net as you reach past the main lure to net the fish on the slider lure.

 

When a fish hits an affixed slider or cheater rig it will be slightly different. if the fish hits the main lure, the affixed slider will still be affixed to your fishing line quite a bit in front of your fish. it will be more than the 10' you rigged earlier because you also have to add in how far the main lure was running behind the release. For instance, if you set the main lure 15' behind the release and the affixed slider 10' above that, you will have to deal with un-attaching that affixed slider with the fish on the line about 25' behind the boat. If the fish is green and running all over the place when you bring him in, the affixed slider will be dangling around and can catch in other rigging complicating matters quite a bit. The person on the rod has to watch not only the fish but has to bring in the dangling affixed slider between the other gear so the netter can un-attach it. Probably the easiest way to deal with it is to un-attach the slider leaving the half-hitched rubberband on the line and then wind the rubber band up through the guides and onto the reel as you bring the fish to net. Other people prefer to break the rubber band off completely. If you decide to leave the rubber band on, just do a pre-check to make sure your rod guides and reel levelwind are large enough for your rubber bands to pass freely. If they are not, you might be better off using a pinch pad type release instead of rubber bands. Now if the fish hits the affixed slider, it will either break the rubberband or pull the pinch pad release loose and turn the affixed slider in to a free slider and you will net the fish as described above.

 

Affixing a slider takes more work to rig and to remove when changing lines or netting fish, but most people would agree you have better control of where lures run in your presentation, and some feel the affixing of the slider offers a more solid hook set in a fish's mouth than a free slider.

[Jimmyfishny]

Thanks guys I appreciate the help. I guess my follow up question is when getting a hit on that slider. I imagine there is quite a bit of slack created from the line difference. Do you jut reel as fast as you can to pick up the slack? Any tips on keeping those fish buttoned up?

[GAMBLER]

I prefer heaters over sliders. Every time you put a slider back down, it ends up in a different depth and will change with speed, or current. Cheaters can be duplicated over and over again.

[John E Powell]

Jimmy, yes. You basically have to reel the main lure up to the snap of the free slider as quickly as possible to get tension on the slider lure. It is during this time when there is no tension on the line (and lure) when most free-slider fish are lost. The hook was never really set deeply, and the fish just shakes the poorly set hook loose. The quicker you can take up the slack line the better the chance the fish will make it to the net.

Edited May 29, 2014 by John E Powell

[GAMBLER]

Thanks guys I appreciate the help. I guess my follow up question is when getting a hit on that slider. I imagine there is quite a bit of slack created from the line difference. Do you jut reel as fast as you can to pick up the slack? Any tips on keeping those fish buttoned up?

Buy high speed reels and life running sliders will be way easier! 

[Jimmyfishny]

Another quick question do you try to match your color of spoon on the main line to the slider or cheater spoon? Or all dependant on conditions and time of year.  Ever throw a flasher fly combo on main line then a clean spoon as a slider? It would seem like that would create a mess with a fish on the spoon in that scenario. Thank you again for all your expertise

[GAMBLER]

Another quick question do you try to match your color of spoon on the main line to the slider or cheater spoon? Or all dependant on conditions and time of year.  Ever throw a flasher fly combo on main line then a clean spoon as a slider? It would seem like that would create a mess with a fish on the spoon in that scenario. Thank you again for all your expertise

I do but not necessary.  Running cheaters/sliders makes one hell of a mess.  Not recommended. 

[markmonkey1]

Don't run a slider with a flasher/SD at the main lure or you'll have a big mess!!!! I admit, I tried it....once.

[John E Powell]

In the past I've fished 10 dodgers and squids on 5 riggers and 5 rods... you haven't lived until you land a pair of 28lb kings in the same net on the same rod...

 

I kid you not.