Fly rod off a down rigger

[eviltroll]

I know you can purchase a mooching reel but, has anyone ever put a fly rod with sinking line? I am curious and want to try it and don't see where there would be a problem except blow back from your line. But putting a long and strong enough leader this would work with a 8/9 reel and 9/10 rod I imagine, correct? Thank you for any input or experiences

Sent from my SM-G935P using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[skipper19]

You can run just about any rod on a downrigger. The spey or mooching rod would be a choice, however it depends on your choice of quarry. Power of the rod is by far the single most important choice in respect to power of the fish. Rod length is second. Big fly reels with adequate drag and size would be next. Mooching, or spey rod would have enough power in the butt end but too long for easy work around the downrigger and back of boat. Netting would be a real challenge as well as the rod length being the advantage to the fish in leverage. A really skilled angler would have fun with a mature king, but it would be a challenge for sure.

Many disadvantages to the downrigger style of fishing with that type of rod.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Edited August 4, 2016 by skipper19

[eviltroll]

You make good points, pretty much the same things I was thinking/worried about. I might just have to atleast try once well like you said make sure I'm respecting the fish and not going to kill it in a forever ending battle

Sent from my SM-G935P using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Rich D]

What are you trying to accomplish by going with the fly reel? I have done it numerous times with a centerpin reel on 9'6"-11' rods, and it is a blast. But these have no drags, so it is really one on one against the fish.

Capt Rich

[eviltroll]

I went over kill with my reels I have okuma cold waters, Penn squall 60ld for my copper, Penn 309 connector, magdas, and 8'6-9'6-10' rods either with braid 50-65, copper 45lb, lead core 36lb and use 30-40 fluro leaders. Sometimes I reel I'm fishing with overkill equipment but in the beginning I got sick of losing fish and money

Sent from my SM-G935P using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[eviltroll]

So I figure this would be a good alternative that won't cost much if I lose tackle

Sent from my SM-G935P using Lake Ontario United mobile app