Northwest Fishing Reports

Just to Un Hijack the Ole Girl thread. It would be a shame to muck up such a chronicle.
Just to get it started, lets see what ya go and what ya use. Pics of course.

Snubbers, a lot of times, say you hook a stump, just the stretch alone will keep the ball from getting wedged tight or it just sling shots it out and it keep from breaking stuff on the boat. The other big one is the bridge anchors on the floating bridges.

Fins, shamelessly stolen from Silver Horde Catalogue:



I go Dr Line, fin, snubber, ball. I like the splatter back for some reason but chrome flashes more.......

Thanks Toni, I use the small scotty clips and they work well but the learning curve on where to set your line is the key to it all. I find with larger main line the deeper I have to set the line in the clip. I to use the snubbers on my DR balls but still manage to loose one on American I pulled hard but it just would not let it go.

...

...

gfakkema wrote:One more vote for the scotty mini clips. Like mike, I bury my line as far as I can into the clip. I don't use snubbers or fins on the balls either. I have braid on my scotty 1106's and tie it directly to a ball clip. I've found with my booms extended, there's no need for the fins. As far as the snubbers go, I hate how they bounce when you stop the retrieve. I've been using the directly tied to the clip method for years and have yet to loose a ball, even getting the balls stuck to the point where the boat is doing circles. I don't use a retrieving stick either. I just swing the arm/rigger up to bring the ball in close. I don't like the idea of rubbing something constantly on the braided rigger line. The scotty braided rigger line has a special "slick" coating on it and I don't want to compromise it. I feel like it's more likely to fray when you are constantly rubbing the hook on it. Not only that, but it's (retrieval stick) one more thing that I feel like I don't need cluttering up my limited space.

I I use stacker clips on my downrigger lines.

I now use the retrieving stick for the downrigger lines, release lines, putting the kicker motor in and out of gear, and it can be used as a hook remover at water level.

...

gfakkema wrote:I stack my riggers as well toni and the mini clips work on the stackers as well. As far as putting the motor in/out of gear and releasing lines and fish, I find that my hands work best. I tried a hook for a bit, but just felt that I had much more control with direct contact, and not on the end of a pole. For releasing fish, I have a little grabber (think one of those things that people pick up trash with, but a lot smaller...made by berkely). But hey, if you find that the hook/grabber works for you, then keep using it. Who am I to say what works for you? I personally just feel like I have more control and get along sooo much better without it.

You are situated different than I. My kicker is beyond my reach. I have to crawl into the splash well in order to do anything to my kicker. I do not like crawling up there and am happy to use my extension hook.

I've posted this before. It's a great, inexpensive way to stack. These clips I found at Goodwill, I think 18 for $3. On Ebay yu can buy them for $8-9 a dozen. I just cut out a little foam pad and glued to each side of the clip. Then add the shower clip and a 2-3 oz weight. Attach your stacker line to the clip (all the way back), let your line down using the "pulls" method, each pull is one foot. When you reach depth put the rod in the rod holder. You'll see your line on your depth finder so you'll know exactly how deep you are and can make adjustments.

This systems saves you having to bring up your downrigger when the stacker rod gets a fish. The weight takes the clip down to your DR ball weight to be retrieved later. You can drop multiple stackers down on top of each other as you get bit. I've used this system to great success on Cle Elum when I wanted to fish one rod down 250 ft for lakers and the other rod 30 ft for koks. Total cost with weight (which I pour my own) and shower clip is about $2. vrs the current $8-9 for a retail stacker clip.

Thanks to Anton Jones who showed this to me years ago.

Right now I go braid to ball. For small setups I use mini clips, for heavier the big clips.
I get the idea behind the snubbers but wonder about the bounce as well (but won't know until I try it).
I have yet to lose a ball but did get one hung up for a bit on Cle Elum( long enough for me to decide I probably better get a spare).
As for the fins, what benifit do they provide? My DR experience is very limited to date but I really haven't had any tracking issues with the ball maybe it is an issue in rougher water than I've had the pleasure to fish yet??

Gringo Pescador wrote:Right now I go braid to ball. For small setups I use mini clips, for heavier the big clips.
I get the idea behind the snubbers but wonder about the bounce as well (but won't know until I try it).
I have yet to lose a ball but did get one hung up for a bit on Cle Elum( long enough for me to decide I probably better get a spare).
As for the fins, what benifit do they provide? My DR experience is very limited to date but I really haven't had any tracking issues with the ball maybe it is an issue in rougher water than I've had the pleasure to fish yet??

I read on Tonis and thought it was better to post here. I would use dacron or weed wacker line for your down rigger clips. Right now Im using 90# cable used to make pop gear/gang trolls since I didnt have dacron and my weed wacker line was too big to fit in the hole on the scotty clips.

The fins really keep the lines away from the kicker. I have to have my RD's mounted a few feet up from the stern and the fins just drive the lines away from the boat enough to miss the kicker no matter what kind of turn you're doing.
They become a lot more attractive after you spend and good hour or so hanging over the stern of the boat unwrapping the line from around the kicker prop shaft. The tricky part is doing it with your fingers crossed hoping the line didn't cut the seal on the shaft.

Idstud - Thanks for the idea, I have all of the cable that came with my DRs sitting around collecting dust. Good way to put it to use.

Bodo- that makes perfect sense!

I use Scotty minis for all downrigger work. Am really interested in trying the Chamberlain release, just haven't gotten around to buying a pair yet.

Downrigger fishing is my least favorite method, by far, but we do transition to them in the summer if we want to target kokes or 'bows.

Here is what my set up looks like.. I run a long line on my clip so I can keep my ball in the water and away from the boat. It also keeps it from spinning. I can wrap the clip over the DR boom or since I have the cannon mini manual I can stick it between the spool and the boom. I use a wooden dowel 3ft and screwed a small hook in it to crab the clip from the water. Im only in my 30's and have had it called my old man stick. I then tell the story of my 2nd or 3rd time fishing DR's which was in the sound and a wave came as a friend was leaning over and he went in. We were in our 20's and wearing life jackets and the wave warning was hollered. All turned out good and still got fish. The ball bungee is scotty brand I found I like because there shortest I have found.

I bought one of the Chamberlain releases but Ive only had one chance to try it out. I use 30# braided line on my salmon poles and so far I like it a lot better than any other release I've tried. Mainly because on that one day of fishing I had zero false releases and the one fish I caught came off just fine.

Needs more testing to be sure, but Im impressed so far.

Larry3215 wrote:I bought one of the Chamberlain releases but Ive only had one chance to try it out. I use 30# braided line on my salmon poles and so far I like it a lot better than any other release I've tried. Mainly because on that one day of fishing I had zero false releases and the one fish I caught came off just fine.

Needs more testing to be sure, but Im impressed so far.

Ive looked at those releases but Im not sure if I like the idea of leaning out of the boat every time.

Idstud wrote:Ive looked at those releases but Im not sure if I like the idea of leaning out of the boat every time.

I don't see how it would be any different than any other release? Without a pull stick or the Scotty line retriever (what I use) I'd have lean out to reach my Scotty minis.

Anyone make there own releases?.... I order clips online and just make my own using 150 lb mono and clevises... For straight to ball I use a large duo snap and for stacking, small halibut clips with rubber tubing.... Cost me about 3.00 per release.

hewesfisher wrote: I don't see how it would be any different than any other release? Without a pull stick or the Scotty line retriever (what I use) I'd have lean out to reach my Scotty minis.

The Chamberlain releases connect directly inline between the downrigger and ball or the stacking on right on the line. Others have line that extends them away from the cable so you can use a retriever to pull them close to you how ever long your line is.