Downrigger Trolling: How long of a leader behind the Cannon ball?

[@jamesm791]

Lake Huron fisherman here. Just wanted to say that I really appreciate that you made this video. Thanks Marc; great information!

[@mikhailstrut7875]

I was first to like it. Please make a video on what type of cannonballs to run, round, fish imitations , donuts, color of cannonball gold, silver , black. And how you select weight of ball. Sincerely, appreciate your videos. Learn a lot from you, I am across the lake from you departing from olcott, ny mostly. Sincerely, Mikhail Strut

[@duanecalhoon3322]

You talk about graph pics here is my best one,,, watched the fish hit my lure

[@f1speedfreak447]

I run out of Bronte mostly in summer and port Dalhousie in spring and out to the bar, got my boat 2 years ago and had some really good success this year. Thanks for these tips Captain. Just about to put the boat away and already looking forward to the spring…… keep em coming pls.

[@iratherbfishin]

Great video Marc, you talk about some good useful information

[@wkillam]

Very useful guidelines for setting gear behing a downrigger. Any advice for those that want to rig the flashers directly to the rigger lines? Clearly not setting them back so far. Maybe only do this when fish are close as in your last example? Thanks

[@gtcih]

Hi Marc. I saved this video last year and I’m watching it again this year after 3 days of an empty box on Lake Huron. My son and I are still learning how to salmon fish. I’m considering using a flasher behind the ball as an attractor and two stackers (Chamberlain) above with lures. Is this technique common or advantageous. Thanks

[@KingsLandingSportFishing]

@@gtcih not super common. I honestly never run it that way…

[@shawnschotter9208]

Wow interesting info. I fish ocean salmon in monterey. We run 15ish feet set back when it’s calm and 30th or when it’s rough. Tight lines.

[@eddie3682]

Capt. Marc, great video, thank you for posting! My wife and I recently bought a boat and trolling set up to include downriggers and outriggers. We're completely new to this and are having fun learning through your videos. Question regarding the longer leaders... how do you keep spoons, or anything really, down when they are that far back from the downrigger line? Or do they still track at the same depth? Thanks in advance!

[@KingsLandingSportFishing]

The combination of the downrigger weight and the speed you’re trolling pull the bait down to the desired depth.

[@Mark-dj5qf]

Great information!! Thanks

[@jimdrechsel3611]

When I try to set leaders longer they get tangled up with dipsey wire lines when I try dropping the line. Any suggestions?

[@KingsLandingSportFishing]

Let the rigger down slowly and I sometime pull the line towards the transom with my other hand and let go when it’s 5ft away,.. this will pull it down immediately…

[@jimdrechsel3611]

@@KingsLandingSportFishing I see so you are holding enough of the line for 5 foot away and wait until the slack is taken up while the rigger goes down and then let it go. The line that is from your hand to the release is in the boat until it is taken up or out in the water? Hope you make sense of that.. thank you. I think I got what you mean. How do you set divers back out without tangling? Do you let them go out the center for so long and then start to give resistance to the diver? What is going wrong with my divers when the line wraps around and won’t release when I try to bring it back on. Such a pain in the neck cause it’s hard bringing a dipsey back in that won’t release. Thank you for the replies and help!

[@jayfogarty7544]

Marc, I see you have a cannonball weight that looks like a fish. Do you like those better than the round ones? If so, what do you like about them compared to the round ones? How well do they track in the water? I have round ones now. Thanks!

[@KingsLandingSportFishing]

They track amazing…. Huge fan of them.. Checkout Powcasting.ca - they also come in different colors. I like using the glow version down deep.

[@mikef6948]

Another good video Capt. Marc ! This was a question I was going to ask you and you nailed it for me. Thanks. I think I remember you saying you like to run 16 lb fish shaped weights. My other question is , what lb strength or test is your downrigger cable ? I'm thinking to upgrade mine from the standard cable to handle those heavier weights. I'd hate to lose one cause of the cable snapping. That'd be costly

[@KingsLandingSportFishing]

Yeah…. I run the 17lb Titan weights or 16lb POW weights. As for downrigger cables I use the standard stuff that comes with a Scotty downrigger.

[@mikef6948]

@@KingsLandingSportFishing Thanks for the quick response Marc ! l). I'm still a little gun shy about using the standard that comes with the scotty riggers which is what I also have cause this past season one of mine snapped and I lost the ball and my fish hawk probe. Ughh

[@KingsLandingSportFishing]

@@mikef6948 - I’m going to guess you had a damaged cable…. I run the Scotty 2106 riggers and we’ve never changed the cable in many years…. That said I have re-terminated it a few times when I noticed a damaged cable.

[@rnendzame]

Ty

[@scottrouwhorst881]

Nice

[@captainkttyhwk]

100 rule, what if your down 110?

[@rickw9169]

Troll your lure in front of your ball below 100 because things go negative below 100.

[@markjundt8611]

The rule of 100 might apply to you in the Great lakes that are so clear, what about when you have your downrigger down 100 to 110 where I fish? negative 10 feet? Ya, not possible.

[@KingsLandingSportFishing]

When I’m below 100 I use a 15 ft lead the majority of the time…. Spent a lot of time fishing 100-180ft down this year.

[@rickw9169]

@@KingsLandingSportFishing You need to respond correctly to such posts. Everybody knows that when you troll below 100 feet your leader goes in front of the ball. Geezzz.

[@KingsLandingSportFishing]

@@rickw9169 - not sure I understand what you’re talking about.. either way I run about 15ft front the ball when fishing below 100ft. Which I’ve had to do a lot this year.

[@rickw9169]

@@KingsLandingSportFishing A joke, simply a joke. I go by the rule of 100 too. I am usually at 20 feet anywhere below 90.