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Coho Salmon using a Downrigger on my outback - video
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Author:  kardinal_84 [ Fri Sep 06, 2013 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Coho Salmon using a Downrigger on my outback - video

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33Li1GFp8QQ&feature=c4-overview&list=UUd6j3DT8tGbY5Gu9j534ZDQ[/youtube]

Great day out of Valdez Alaska. It was slower the day before, but turned into a short duration "whack and Stack" meat fishing for salmon to put into the freezer before winter on day 2 after pedaling 5+ miles one way to "the spot"! I wanted to practice the downrigging for the upcoming winter Chinook season. Downriggers worked great!

Video is longer than normal but I wanted to show an uncut unedited segment of deploying the gear on downriggers to landing the fish. Fortunately that segment was only 3 minutes long.

Author:  Jcanracer [ Fri Sep 06, 2013 2:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coho Salmon using a Downrigger on my outback - video

nice productive trip!
I tried to use a home-made downrigger last weekend for King Mackerel, but the lines just tangled like whoa. Do you think its because downriggers are not suitable for livebait or I'm just not going fast enough to prevent tangles?

Author:  kardinal_84 [ Fri Sep 06, 2013 3:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coho Salmon using a Downrigger on my outback - video

I think it must be the speed when you deploy the rig. It seems like I tangle sometimes when I slow way down or stop pedaling as I lower my gear and it takes a little longer than I expect or the wind was going in the wrong direction where it slows the momentum of the kayak.I never have issues if I am continuously pedaling. I don't see any reason why it should be any different than on a boat (going the same speed as the kayak). How big of a weight are you using? I use 8lbs and its still a tad light when trolling with large flashers and larger baits. Can your bait out swim your pedaling?

Obviously I am just guessing. We don't use much live bait up here.

Author:  Jcanracer [ Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coho Salmon using a Downrigger on my outback - video

using a 4lb downrigger weight (which I thought was a lot, but i guess not!) I guess the tangles come when i slow down or actually stop to do vertical jigging. guess I can't have it all out there at the same time eh?

Author:  kardinal_84 [ Fri Sep 06, 2013 7:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coho Salmon using a Downrigger on my outback - video

Yup. Dead stop will tangle you at least half the time. I do drift sometime but I always try and maintain some line angle even with dead baits. You might get away with adding a slight bit of weight and a leader long enough off the ball that your bait sinks below the ball which would minimize but not eliminate the tangles I think.

I'd be careful. 30 lbs line or more wrapped around a downrigger cable and a big fish hits, I imagine it could flip the kayak in a hurry if you weren't ready for it. I have a drag on my downrigger. It allows me to fish right on the bottom and even if it snags I don't come to a dead stop. When I remember, I try to set it where it just stops the ball and then a tad more even when I'm well off the bottom. I've hit kelp, large jelly fish, and other who knows what they were that's made my kayak come to a sudden halt.


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Author:  Jcanracer [ Mon Sep 09, 2013 8:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Coho Salmon using a Downrigger on my outback - video

very good points, thanks.

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