A shout out to the Yankee Troller!

[Rookie Fisherman]

So I have always (for the most part) run a typical spring brown program of sticks on planers and spoons on riggers.

I have never run divers in the shallower waters for browns (inside of 40') but I have read his reports talking about running Chinook Divers just off the side of the boat.

Then at the Salmon School in January he mentioned this tactic again so I bought a couple of #2 Chinook Divers.

Well the last several days it was all stick bite for us with only a couple of hits on the down riggers. So today I decided to give the shallow diver a try.

Ran the leader 12' off the diver & let out about 12' of line. This put the divers down about 4-5' and just off the back corners of the boat.

Ran a green one on the Starboard side and a black one on port. Needless to say we had success with these today taking a few shots on both sides. Several extra fish over the rail as a result.

So Thank you Rick!

Edited April 26, 2018 by rookie fisherman

[Yankee Troller]

No Problem! Happy to help. I run shorter leaders than what you described. Usually, 5-6' leaders. I clear the counter with the diver a foot from the tip of the rod. Then run them 10' out in 10' of water. Or 5' out in 5' of water. I match the line out to depth of water I'm in. They get a 2:1 dive curve out that short. 

[Rookie Fisherman]

Thank Rick!

 

We have been playing with leader size, whats manageable to net the fish and still get bit etc. We have settled in at 8' at this point. Good tip about matching line counter to depth, easy management.

Do you have a preference in color for your shallow divers? We have been running green on one side and black on the other. Black has taken more shots but I could also contribute that to the spoon selection.