i have a cannon downrigger rigged with 200# mono and an 8# ball. i was thinking of running ballyhoo of it like 20 ft below the rest of my spread for tuna. it doesnt humm anymore like it did with cable since i switched to mono. i've heard people say that downriggers scare tuna away! is there any truth to this?
THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER SAYING ....."YOU MOST CERTAINLY WILL NOT CATCH ONE ON A DOWN RIGGER OR PLANER BAIT IF YOU DON'T PUT IT DOWN THERE"
SOMETIMES THE DOWN BAIT PRODUCES....AND IF IT DOES..... ONE IS VERY LIKELY TO SEE A COVER-UP ON THE REST OF THE BAITS AFTER A DOWN BAIT IS STRUCK.....
ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND "STEALTH" WHEN TUNA FISHIING......
WHILE I PREFER A PLANER ROD/REEL FOR MY DOWN BAIT GEAR , I WOULD ALWAYS ATTEMPT TO KEEP MY PLANER MAINLINE AND PLANER (OR BALL) ..."IN FRONT OF MY SPREAD" AND NOT UNDER IT....
Author, writer, marine artist, charter captain, lure manufacturer, ind. consultant
SAVE LOTS OF FUEL...CATCH LOTS OF FISH!
TOO BAD THIS POST IS GETTING VIRTUALLY NO ATTENTION. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE EFFECT THAT SPIRALING FUEL COSTS, WITH NO END IN SIGHT, ARE ALREADY HAVING ON MANY TROLLERS AND I CAN'T SEE HOW THEY AREN'T GOING TO EVENTUALLY AFFECT MANY OF US.
THAT IS WHERE DOWNRIGGERS ARE GOING TO COME IN FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO FISH DEEP, BE IT FOR TUNA, WAHOO, EVEN MAHIS AND MARLIN. THESE ARE FISH THAT MANY ARE CURRENTLY GOING AFTER WITH PLANERS AND THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, THEY WORK. BUT THEY ARE ONLY ONE OF A SMALL BAG OF DEEP FISHING TRICKS SHARP ANGLERS EMPLOY TO GET AT THOSE FISH THAT, LIKE THE BAIT, SPEND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME DEEP. THE MOST IMPORTANT TRICK OF THEM ALL IS THE HUMBLE DOWNRIGGER, WHICH IN AND OF ITSELF IS A GREAT WAY TO PUT YOUR BAITS WHERE THE FISH AND BAIT ARE, BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, ON MOST BOATS AT LEAST, REQUIRE THE BURNING OF A HELLUVA LOT LESS FUEL THAN THE MUCH FASTER TROLLED PLANERS.
BUT BAITS HAVE TO BE TROLLED FAST FOR WAHOO ESPECIALLY, DON'T THEY? NO, THEY DON'T! IN FACT, THE VERY FIRST SALTWATER FISH THAT I EVER SAW CAUGHT ON A DOWNRIGGER WERE THREE OR FOUR WAHOO THAT THE GUY WHO INTRODUCED ME TO WHAT GREAT WAHOO PRODUCERS THEY ARE SOMETHING LIKE FORTY PLUS YEARS AGO DOWN IN KEY WEST. TURNS OUT THAT WAHOO ARE SUCKERS FOR BAITS AND LURES TROLLED AT DOWNRIGGER SPEEDS.
I AM GOING TO STOP RIGHT HERE. I WRITE ABOUT THIS IN THE BOOKS THAT MANY HAVE GOTTEN, AND I AM SURE THAT I MADE A POST ON THIS SUBJECT HERE OR ELSEWHERE RECENTLY, SO I AM GOING TO CHECK AROUND AND SEE IF I CAN FIND IT AND COPY AND PASTE IT HERE LATER.
MEANTIME, TUNA? I HOPE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO TELL ANYONE HERE THAT SLOW PRESENTATIONS WORK FINE ON THEM MUCH OF THE TIME, EVEN UP TOP. THAT KIND OF PRESENTATION WORKS EVEN BETTER WHEN THEY AND THE BAIT ARE DEEP, ESPECIALLY IF YOU PRESENT THEM WITH THE RIGHT STUFF, THE BEST BY FAR OF WHICH THAT I HAVE EVER FOUND IS PICTURED BELOW.
So I have tried fishing offshore with a downrigger, but even w/ spectra and a 12# ball the line angle is ridiculous even at 4 knots. I have tried z-wings but they rove all over the place and have even crossed them. Is there such thing as a 20# class torpedo type weight that would allow you to get a relatively vertical position at a decent dead bait trolling speed?
Use 1 1/2" dia rebar cut to length drilled and bridled at each end you can cut it to whatever weight you want and the small diameter helps it hang low even at faster speeds.
i am a firm beleiver in using a planer. I fished with Capt Ron on the Sea Cure last yr and we crushed the tunas with the downrigger and this yr after taking martys rigging class, Capt Ron is now running a sniper rod and as soon as i can save up some extra cash ill be dragging one behind my rig this yr use a select or horse ballyhoo skirted and you should be happy with the results.
210lb Piraiba cat fish rio de morte brazil Amazon delta
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Cap Fred This may seem stupid but here goes, so you run a spread bar off an old salty right? So why not go fully crazy mad out with a holographic shoal of bait fish because of weight on drag, and run a slider down the line with a bait, naked hoo 2 feet behind the shoal, planer will trip if big boy or girl comes to play with the photos, set it up that naked hoo or mack is left behind at depth when planner trips! as the photographic main coarse hits the surface the hook bait is still in the water.
If that works how much extra drag would that put on your 80 drag wise, planner, plus full bar plus baited hook.....?
so what your saying box is that i would probably be better off running a hoo behind a cigar weight or just with a heavy ilander just below the surface closer to the boat, in front of the rest of the spread?
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