Banging Bottom With Rigger Balls

[Consigliere]

Seems that one of the keys to triggering lakers to bite is using the rigger ball bouncing on bottom.  How do you do this effectively without also dragging your setup through bottom and fouling, especially with the mossy bottoms and mussels we have all over the lake?

 

We normally hook the rigger release to the back of the weight and I when you get tension on it the release is above the weight by a foot or two but with the lead say 20-50ft back, usually the weight of the cowbells or spoons results in dragging on bottom...obviously missing something in how to setup properly.

 

Any tips?

[GAMBLER]

There is no need to run cowbells more than 20' from the ball.  I run them as short as 5' and 15' is my max.  Drop the ball to the bottom and lift it a foot.  Let the ball settle back and repeat.  There is no need to keep it dragging on the bottom. 

[Xxx]

A really good thread about this not to long ago, there were some excellent ideas and thoughts on there, the one idea that I took a liking to was to make a rigger ball like a bottom bouncer, buy inserting a 2-3ft piece of 3/8 all thread into the bottom of a rigger ball, and let the rod stir along the bottom keeping the ball up and your rig above the bottom.

[on the lam]

Gambler just described how to bottom fish lakers, no other method needed. Pretty simple

[Consigliere]

Thanks for the info on the lead length and ball technique.  Will give that a whirl.

[JC heir]

I went to a seminar not long ago, where the speaker recommended using a cannonball snubber, and hooking the release to the top of the snubber, and the ball to the bottom. that gets you a couple feet higher than the ball.

[Sk8man]

Rather than chancing hanging up on bottom and losing your weight and whatever is attached why not just set up a bottom oriented wire rig with a 32-40 oz sinker on a mono drop line and cowbells behind it and drag bottom with that. All you risk is the sinker and you can control it on bottom much better.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Sk8man

[Silver Fox]

Rather than chancing hanging up on bottom and losing your weight and whatever is attached why not just set up a bottom oriented wire rig with a 32-40 oz sinker on a mono drop line and cowbells behind it and drag bottom with that. All you risk is the sinker and you can control it on bottom much better.

I've never heard anyone losing a ball with an occasional bounce of bottom. Also, that 2+# weight bouncing all over the place while landing an Ontario laker is the last thing you want to deal with.

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[Silver Fox]

I went to a seminar not long ago, where the speaker recommended using a cannonball snubber, and hooking the release to the top of the snubber, and the ball to the bottom. that gets you a couple feet higher than the ball.

I use an offshore about 2' above the ball. I never get zebras on my rigs.

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[on the lam]

To get a drop ball down 120 140 you'll need 350'or more of wire out, plus it will constantly ride up off the bottom losing contact. I'm Def not interested in dragging a lifeless laker in from 350 out on the wire. 140 on mono is about my limit. Two riggers, one man on each, bouncing the weight, controlling the depth.

[Silver Fox]

To get a drop ball down 120 140 you'll need 350'or more of wire out, plus it will constantly ride up off the bottom losing contact. I'm Def not interested in dragging a lifeless laker in from 350 out on the wire. 140 on mono is about my limit. Two riggers, one man on each, bouncing the weight, controlling the depth.

Exactly and you'll be real busy.

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[ifishy]

Rather than chancing hanging up on bottom and losing your weight and whatever is attached why not just set up a bottom oriented wire rig with a 32-40 oz sinker on a mono drop line and cowbells behind it and drag bottom with that. All you risk is the sinker and you can control it on bottom much better.

smells like a seth green rig. thats a whole different topic

[Sk8man]

It can be but usually a Seth Green rig uses multiple lures and leaders. What I'm saying is why potentially jeopardize major expensive equipment when it can be done much easier with greater control over the bottom with a wire rig than with a downrigger. I have done and still do use my downriggers NEAR bottom but not bouncing it. ON Lake O it may be easier to use the downriggers that way than on other bodies of water because of the relatively low structure and the gradual nature of the bottom. I guarantee that if you were to use that method often on the Fingers you would be losing a lot of expensive equipment because of the extreme changes in bottom topography.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Sk8man

[GAMBLER]

It can be but usually a Seth Green rig uses multiple lures and leaders. What I'm saying is why potentially jeopardize major expensive equipment when it can be done much easier with greater control over the bottom with a wire rig than with a downrigger. I have done and still do use my downriggers NEAR bottom but not bouncing it. ON Lake O it may be easier to use the downriggers that way than on other bodies of water because of the relatively low structure and the gradual nature of the bottom. I guarantee that if you were to use that method often on the Fingers you would be losing a lot of expensive equipment because of the extreme changes in bottom topography.

In 30 years of fishing Lake Ontario, I have only hung bottom once ( i hooked a cannon ball on the Van Lare intake crib).  Most of the laker grounds is flat mud bottom.  Thumper rigs work for lakers BUT, they are not nearly as effective, They play the fish too long and they do not fight at all on this rig. 

[skipper19]

I watch the sounder. Weights are always in sight when doing 1.8 mph or less and when the bottom and weights are one...there ya go. Scotty cable clamp release just above the ball..and don't use your temp probe down there trolling. Only to drop once at rest to get the temp at the bottom 5 feet.

4 to 8 oz. White twister jig dropped directly from rod and banging bottom as ya troll cowbell 1.2 or less works nice!