3 or 4 Downriggers

[Richard]

I have Four set up on my Thompson. It give me the option to run any combination of what the fish tell me they want. Usually it is three or four unless there are some bad currents or I am fishing extra deep, then it is two. If I only had two on the boat than my options are limited. I hope to be installing a kicker this year, this may limit me to a three rigger program but I still will have four on the boat for additional options or to avoid issues due to any failures. . 

[salmonaddict]

I run 4 most of the time. But sometimes I swing a corner rigger 45 degrees so it rides almost dead center and only run 3. Other days I only run 2 depending on the fish and how deep I am running


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[Gill-T]

I saw a recent viewing on the rare instances that killer whales catch and kill great white sharks off the Farallon Islands off California.  In two recorded instances of orcas killing white sharks, researchers noted that white sharks (numbering over 100 strong) left the area immediately and did not return til the following year.  A tagged white shark was recorded as leaving California and ended up off Hawaii.  The take away point I got from watching the show was there are underwater clues, smells, noises, sounds that fish pick up on that we have no idea of their effects on fish movements and mood.  When considering the possible negative clues that cable hum and engine noise have on fish, consider every downrigger cable in the water may be cumulative.  Check out this underwater video with sound to hear how obnoxious high thrust trolling motors and downrigger cable hum is down there and consider a fish that is 3 or 4 years old may have been stung by hooks before and associate those noises as "danger".  The success of long 500'-600' copper set-ups in pounded waters such as off Oswego is probably not from some "magical" hum or rise and fall of a bait but more to the point that your bait is presented in quiet water.  Click the link below to hear what you have been missing.

 

http://www.michigansportsman.com/Tips_n_Trix/Seeing.htm

 

 

[Tyee II]

I use a camera on my downrigger and have heard the engine noise and cable hum. The cable hum gets magnified on my setup dramatically because the sound is conducting into the camera housing through the termination swivel. Using an isolator on the connection greatly reduced the noise in my footage.

 

I'm one of those that thinks fish are very curious to noise, and often times the hum of the cables and engine draws fish into my spread. Depending on the fishes "mood", they will either come in to have a look and leave, or aggressively strike your bait. 

 

I may have to set up a second camera rigger with braid to test if there is a noticable difference on camera in strikes or interest from the fish.

[Gill-T]

It would not be a true test unless you remove all the wire downrigger cable from the set up.  When I first started with downrigger braid I added it to one rigger but keep the other two riggers with wire.  The braid rigger didn't catch crap.  Wire outfished braid on riggers 4 to 1.  Fish can key on the hum and vibration of wire cable.  The question I had with the wire attraction was- would it be a deterrent later in the season?  When I swapped out the other riggers for braid, I noticed my big fish bites increased exponentially.  

[Tyee II]

 It probably wouldn't be a proper test. Maybe I could try it one rigger at a time, but fishing circumstances might end up different that way, and I don't know if I could handle only using one rigger for too long, lol. 

 

 

[BrokeOff]

On 12/24/2018 at 2:43 PM, Gill-T said:

It would not be a true test unless you remove all the wire downrigger cable from the set up.  When I first started with downrigger braid I added it to one rigger but keep the other two riggers with wire.  The braid rigger didn't catch crap.  Wire outfished braid on riggers 4 to 1.  Fish can key on the hum and vibration of wire cable.  The question I had with the wire attraction was- would it be a deterrent later in the season?  When I swapped out the other riggers for braid, I noticed my big fish bites increased exponentially.  

So do you use braid divers as well or stick with wire divers when running braid riggers?

[TyeeTanic]

8.5 ft beam ... I'd stick with 2, or 3 at most ... 4 would be insane with stray currents or wild weather pushing your boat sideways (not wild enough to call it a day, but wild enough to make it fun).

[Chas0218]

I run 3, I try to get the 2 side riggers as far forward as I can then run the 3rd as close to center as possible. The center rigger is usually my probe rigger. 

[sherman brown]

I like 4 for salmon fishing. 2 with 4' booms out the side and 2 with 2' or 3' booms off the corners. but now I only fish walleye on erie and run 2 out the side with 6 lite bite slide divers.

[Guppiekilla]

To tight of spread! used to run 3 now I run 2. Can’t run 4 dipsy’s with 3 or 4 riggers, out of my boat that is...