Downrigger, Outrigger Gear

A downrigger is a device used while fishing using the trolling method, which places a lure at the desired depth. A downrigger consists of a three to six-foot horizontal pole which supports a cannonball (large weight) by a steel cable (generally stainless steel). more...

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A clip, also known as a "release" attaches a fishing line to the cannonball weight. The bait or lure is attached to the release.

Operation of a downrigger

Downriggers consist of four major components, the weight, cable, pole, and the spool. A fishing line is attached to the downrigger cable by means of a "line release." The weight is normally a five-to-ten-pound mass of lead which is connected to the stainless steel cable. The spool is brought up either by a manual crank or via an electric motor.

In addition to attaching a lure to the fishing line, an oval piece of metal(often hammered or curved for reflective purposes) called a dodger is often used to attract fish from greater distances. The types of lures used to troll with using dowriggers range from metal "spoons" that are often decorated using color tape, to plastic or rubber "squids" that also vary in color.

The length of fishing line between the downrigger release and the lure is known as the "lead" and this varies in length depending on how far behind the boat the fisherman would like to lure to trail. This fishing line is typically between ten and twenty pound test. When fishing for salmon this lead is often quite lengthy in order to avoid the fish being frightened by the noise of the boat's trolling motor. When many boats are trolling in a small area this often results in crossed lines and tangles which are a detriment to the fishing experience.

The speed at which the lure is pulled through the water has a great impact on success or failure. For this reason fishermen use devices that accurately track speed. Typically, trolling from one to five knots is the range that allows for fish to be caught. This varies from specie to specie as Chinook Salmon may prefer higher speeds while the more docile Lake Trout may prefer a much slower-moving lure. Trolling motors are used to calibrate this speed more accurately than large outboard motors. Trolling plates may be used with larger motors to slow the boat to the desired speed, although some anglers experience mixed results using plates.

Brief History

Using a downrigger began in the early 1900’s in effort to increase productivity of fishing in larger bodies of water. One of the more popular models of downriggers is called the "Scotty set up". It was developed by two Canadian west coast fishing innovators named Charlie White and Blayney Scott. They developed this model in the 1970s that used a ten pound weight. It was described as "a good model for finding the right depth at which fish were feeding." Downriggers are used to troll and maintain the lure's depth in accordance with the thermocline at which the fish species being sought normally feeds. People began using downriggers in oceans, while others later developed smaller downrigger systems, which are good for smaller bodies of water such as the Great Lakes. They are now used all over the world and catch a large variety of fish.

Read more at Wikipedia.org