Downrigger extra bait

[jeffmac85]

I know some will think this is crazy.  Let me start by saying I will only do this walleye trolling, definitely not trout and salmon.   And also, I run fixed cheaters also for those who are going to say just do that, I do.   I run chamberlain releases on my riggers so my release is above the ball.  This leaves the eyelet on the tail of my ball open.  I was thinking about running a worm harness directly off of this with a 1-2ft piece of 25-30lb fluorocarbon with a snubber between it and the ball.  On my fish hawk rigger I have a good 8-10 inches between the release and ball, I think this will help prevent tangles.  My hopes is to possibly pick up a couple hitch hikers maybe every time I bring the ball up.   I see them come to the ball on my lowrance, so I figured what could it hurt, as long as I can keep it from tangling on the way down of course.  What are people's thoughts, anyone ever tried this?  I talked to one older guy on Erie that says he's done it and it works so I figured what the heck might be worth a try.

[scobar]

that's awful close to the release line, I would think tangle city, unless both lines were the same set back and same lure so they dropped exactly the same speed. Maybe if the ball line was a diver lure to pull it down faster it would work, good luck, report back on it

[jeffmac85]

I'll bring scissors just in case lol.  Can't hurt to try.  Walleye fishing this year on Erie has been pretty damn slow 

[scobar]

slow for sure, my last 2 trips out, 2 fish each time.

[Lightbringer]

If you bring the ball up often enough this might work in execution. Though, as im sure others will note - it's probably not exactly the best for the fish... if it gets dragged around too long, it could die of exhaustion / drown.

That aside- One of the bigger concerns I'd have with waiting for ball retrieve is that if you pick up something undersized, protected, or out of season and wear it out to exhaustion/ death - what then?

I think it's an interesting way to get another lure in the water, but I'd just stick with the standard approach if it were me.

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[jeffmac85]

Thats a good point that I hadn't considered lightbringer.   I'm not super worried about dragging a walleye because we keep them anyway (an undersized fish goes back of course).   But im definitely not out there looking to intentionally drag and kill fish that is for sure.   We have gotten into the habit of checking rods every 20-25 minutes walleye trolling because we get a lot that don't trip the release or pull drag on the planers.  But I would hate to be that jerk that drags a Sturgeon or something protected or out of season around for even a short period of time.  

[NyFallGuy]

I've been dying to try this out.  I thought it would make a funny vid.  Sitting back, hit the Cannon auto-retrieve, and find a 

30 pound king hooked right off the torpedo!  Beer in hand, of course.

Edited August 10, 2021 by NyFallGuy

[rolmops]

Your main problem will be lowering that setup. It is too close together and the lower line being shorter is prone to get tangled in your cable.


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[Steve.e]

Maybe try picking up your speed a little when lowering, will have less upward drift.

[jeffmac85]

The drop down was my concern as well.   Thought about lowering it slow by hand by releasing the clutch, speeding up a bit might help too until it's set

[rolmops]

Speeding up will make it worse. A few feet at a time will make it work better.


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[jeffmac85]

Thanks rolmops, slow and steady if I do try will be the way I go.   I'm still not sure if I will try this, was just an idea I had for the hell of it

[Kevin J Legg]

Would the rigger be considered a second rod as there is no release to a rod ?


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[Crayfish]

That's what I was thinking, Kevin.  

[Houndog]

Run a deep diving plug off of it,I believe it would be considered a second rod or line.

[Prof T]

This was an old trick from the 90's on Oneida. Release, like a Black's on the cable above the ball. Run a stick bait like a Rapala or Thunderstic Jr. back about 40ft. Small snubber, like a 3/16 dia on the rear eye of the ball, tied to a short leader say 6 ft, pulling a shad Rap ( or similar diver).

 

Don't know about the legality or ethics of dragging a lure in such a fashion as you never know when you have a fish on until you pull the rigger up. I think I recall that being what tipped the scales in the illegal/unethical direction.

[Skippers Trophy 01]

My buddy used to do this on the Fingerlakes with a bungee cord!

Said occasionally a big Laker would take it and shake hell out of the downrigger boom.