Can you successfully troll without a down-rigger?

Keep at it English, often you just have to put in the time to the salmon gods

One thing you may want to do is shorten your leader from the main swivel to the flasher.  It looks like you are using an 8 foot total of line that can not be reeled up.  This could be a problem when it comes time to net the salmon (unless you are using a long liner like akfishergal, or a really long rod).   Don't ask me how I know.  I now use about a two foot leader between main swivel and flasher and about a 36-42 inch (or so) leader after the flasher.  However, all I seem to catch are natives that have to be put back so maybe you should not listen to me.

I ran into that long leader problem at Freshwater Bay, damn near fell off theboat trying to net the salmon while holding my rod as far up and back as possible.  Guys in PBs were laughing themselves sick, till they saw the 26# king I netted!!!   NOw cutting my 50# leader from flasher to Coho Killer to 40inches, and from Deep-6 fiver to flasher just 6 inches.

+2 on the Longliner!  Have had great success for trout and kokanee down to about 70'.  I had one sockeye on and up to the boat but he negotiated an early release.  Headed for the Snake River for Salmon and Steelhead tomorrow and hope to have a good report about the longliner. Give one a try, I think they are perfect for kayaks.

I caught many salmon this year trolling open ocean from just offshore to 7 miles out.  Most of my salmon came from 30-60 pulls using a deep six, herring dodger and green and glow hoochie.  Keep your leaders short.  Salmon aren't line shy.  I tie my own double hook rigs using 60lb test.  My leaders aren't more than 2 feet long from deep six to flasher/dodger and flasher/dodger to hooks.

~50 salmon caught this summer from my kayak in Humboldt.

Ok, guys, I have some questions related to this thread.

Say I am seeing a lot of coho at 45 feet. I know there are a ton of variable at play here, but let's make some assumptions about the variables.

No tidal currents to worry about. Using a thin diameter braid, trolling with 6 oz of weight, what feels like an "average" amount of line out (nothing insane but definitely a ways back), and what seems like "slow to average" trolling speed (maybe a slow walking pace), what kind of depths do you think I am reaching?

What I would like to be able to do is troll at a decent pace, speed up to hit the 25-33 feet fish I see, and then slow down to hit the 45 foot schools. How much weight do you think puts me in the ballpark based on those basic assumptions?

If your using weight, 2 oz or 2 lbs, your playing the guessing game on depth. And you'll never know for certain where your at.  Why not get a medium size deep-six or pink-lady, pull it along at 2 to 3 knots and you'll be at 35 to 40 feet all the time? Assuming this is your target depth. It's working for me, today was day 10 with at least 1 coho landed from the 'yak.

Ok, guys, I have some questions related to this thread.

Say I am seeing a lot of coho at 45 feet. I know there are a ton of variable at play here, but let's make some assumptions about the variables.

No tidal currents to worry about. Using a thin diameter braid, trolling with 6 oz of weight, what feels like an "average" amount of line out (nothing insane but definitely a ways back), and what seems like "slow to average" trolling speed (maybe a slow walking pace), what kind of depths do you think I am reaching?

What I would like to be able to do is troll at a decent pace, speed up to hit the 25-33 feet fish I see, and then slow down to hit the 45 foot schools. How much weight do you think puts me in the ballpark based on those basic assumptions?

Beyond the troll speed and weight being used,  Flasher vs. No Flasher and type of lure / bait your using can effect the depth your gear will be at.    Are you using a rather heavy lure or something light like a Hoochie?

Use a line counter and protractor and do the math. Pythagorus is your friend. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Use a line counter and protractor and do the math. Pythagorus is your friend. 

If only the line under the water was completely straight ...

-Allen

First off, the answer, as others have said... YES!  The salmon caught at the Slayride is also testimony to the reality that you can catch fish without the downrigger.

This is what I have learned.  Just weight can get your line down but not all methods are equal.  I have found a similar method described above works well for me... YMMV.  I use braid (I use 40#)... A slider... To this slider I will attach the dropper I want with the weight I need (more on that later)... Then a barrel swivel... 18 to 24 in of mono leader -I use 30# but would use something that equaled my braid if I had it... Then I attach my flasher with bead chain on either end... I then do 4-5ft of 15# leader that attaches to my "bait"... I'm a spinner/spoon guy...

The what and whys... The dropper... I use 6-8 inches... Longer then this and I have found it has the tendency to tangle, when I went to this length I haven't had anymore tangles.  I was using 5/6oz and found it pretty easy to keep it at 20 ft of depth.  I haven't tried more weight, but plan to try. Another reason I like the dropper... I find it easy to tell when I hit the bottom... Playing with this can give you a feel for the weight you need in the depth and the current you are fishing in.  I use the different leader cause if I an gonna lose something I don't want it to be my expensive flasher... I had a nice king on this weekend, and while I lost it, it was cause it broke off the 15# leader.  If you are concerned about it, use 20#... In truth that is what I would do... But I have 15# not 20#. 

Lastly, I have used this exact same setup to catch lings and have found it very effective. 

You got me, Allen, need to use a catenary and have way more data on many variables than any of us is likely to be able or willing to undertake.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD