Input please: halibut using a downrigger

Ok.  So the goal here is to fish BIG bait at moderate depths (30' to 60') trolling/back trolling for big halibut.  The area we fish is sandy/gravel bottom with few snags but enough to cause concern. The current here at its peak can reach 5 knts.  Vertical tide exchange can easily surpass 22ft.  Tough to anchor at all but the slack tides.  Even powerboats use 2lbs or more of lead to get down.

I won't be anchoring, but I want to pedal against the current to establish a larger scent field.  I plan on using king salmon heads, pink salmon fillets, or live pollock or cod. I figure with 8lbs cannonball I should be able to reach the bottom in all but the fastest currents.  But snagging bottom in that situation could get ugly in a hurry.  I plan on having a knife close by.  I also have a "drag" adjustment on the down rigger.  But I also was thinking about tying a dropper off the main cannon ball of maybe another pound of weight but tied to a very light line...say 10 pound test.  That way I'd know when my main ball was too close to the bottom when the smaller weight begins to drag the bottom.  On the chance it does snag up  it should easily break off.

Crazy? Will it work? Can someone suggest an alternative?  All my research tells me the halibut feed more aggressively when tide is flowing.  But here in cook inlet, everyone fishes the slack tides because most folks anchor up and then you need crazy amounts of lead to hold bottom.

Be interested to hear if anyone has tried something like this or at least using downriggers to fish very close to the bottom whether it's in a kayak or power boat.

I've fished heavy downriggers (15lb cannonball with fin) very close to bottom with occasional rocky bottom structure and ~3kt speed. (This is from a powerboat).  Couple weeks ago, I believe the ball snagged on a sunken crab pot and we lost the whole shebang.  I realized a couple very important features which might help you: 
1) Clutch and tension on the downrigger spool needs to be adjusted properly (good thing we did this..and it performed properly). 
2) Have a knife handy and be ready to cut the downrigger free (the spool had spectra line and knife was in hand). 
3)We use an 18" elastomer band between the ball and the terminal end on the DR to allow the ball to bounce a little and "feel" it's way across potential snags.  With spectra line and direct connection to the boat in moving current, having a little bit of shock absorption is useful.  The band stretches about 6-10" from the weight of the cannonball, so it's not too terrible to handle at the surface, and that's usually enough of a stretch to bump and know I hit bottom without being a hard catch if its a grabby bottom.

Another fellow fisherman uses a columnar pipe shape for his 15lb downrigger trolling very snaggy lake bottoms for big mackinaw- he says that shape helps mitigate bottom snagging.  And now that I'm in the market to replace a downrigger ball, I might just try that columnar style.

Good Luck! Catch some big butts!

From an engineer's perspective I'd consider even using a length of 2" diameter galvanized fence post held on end.  4ft long would glide over most snags.  Just a thought.

The long skinny weight has some solid merit.
In the commercial fishing industry salmon trollers gear up to fish for lingcod using a bottom trolling method called 'dingle bar' the key to the system is a long heavy bar that is bounced and drug along the bottom.

Anything is possible.

What are you going to do about the ball once a big one hits?  If you get a big halibut you're going to have to use 2 hands just to hang on to the rod....no 3rd hand for bringing up the downrigger ball.  Could be a tangle fest.

What's the matter with using a heavy weight sans downrigger?

Anything is possible.

What are you going to do about the ball once a big one hits?  If you get a big halibut you're going to have to use 2 hands just to hang on to the rod....no 3rd hand for bringing up the downrigger ball.  Could be a tangle fest.

What's the matter with using a heavy weight sans downrigger?

The rod like weight idea has merit for sure.

I absolutely hate using heavy weights is one issue and I want to fish in pretty heavy current so even the 3 pound weights I have is a PITA. Then add a huge chunk of bait and the situation gets even worse. But as long as I'm back trolling maybe it will work. But I've used upto 16oz banana sinkers and they don't get much below 30ft trolling at normal speeds using just a herring.

My thought was after I set the hook, I'd set my drag a bit lighter and let the fish run. I can pull the ball up a bit then gauge it from there. At some point it's a sleigh ride versus like on a power boat where for every inch the fish takes off it's an inch of line that peels off.

As much money as I spend fishing, if it's absolutely a huge one, I'd have virtually no issue cutting the spectra line to the downrigger though I doubt I would do that.

My 8 pound ball blows back a little bit with even an 11 inch flasher and herring when I'm trolling faster than normal.

I want to experiment fishing during fairly fast current. I think it's possible that there could be more and bigger fish to be had. But if your drifting, the attraction is almost purely visible vs scent since you move with the scent field. The idea would be to pedal against the current and present a big visual bait with a larger scent field dispersing to try and attract more fish.

It definitely is something that may be a one trial and done type of thing.

If you catch a big butt there is no rush to do anything.
A halibut is perfectly content to stay on the bottom most of the time. With the butt of the rod firmly planted and your free hand holding above the reel you can do anything you want.
Hell if you really want to clear things out, loosen your drag to 4-5#, stuff the butt under your leg and use both hands to bring up your ball and get ready to deal with your fish.
A halibut isn't going to run unless you piss it off. Leave it alone and it will wait for you.

Ever thought of using a drift sock to slow you down? It might beat the heck outta pedal trolling/back trolling

Ever thought of using a drift sock to slow you down? It might beat the heck outta pedal trolling/back trolling

If think a drift sock would speed you up in cook inlet...of course depending on wind direction. I've been meaning to carry one in the days where a north wind impedes travel back up after riding the currents down though.  It's just "another thing to deal with" so I never do. I guess a downrigger is the same thing and I'm concerned about where I'd stow a 50lbs halibut with it on as well.

Maybe sucking it up with a big weight is the way to go....hmmmm.....

So exactly what is your theory with the down rigger? Are you wanting to use this while pedaling against the current?

Last year I did that and it gets old real quick. It was hard to keep the right cadence.

If your drifting with the current you can use a pretty light weight, I think I used a 24oz ball and sometimes went to a 16 oz if I was in 30-50 FOW.

The above is the reason I would prefer to drift between deep creek and whiskey. You cover a lot  of ground, you can get away with a lighter weight and your not tired!

In between. I want to be able to slip down current, pedaling as fast as I normally troll all day.  At peak current I'm sure I'll still be drifting down current at a good clip.

My theory is that if I just drift with the current, the scent field created by the bait just drifts along with the bait. It doesn't really have much attractant power. By being able to slow the drift if the bait, I can zig zag a bit And disperse the scent across a much wider area. Then, the theory is that halibut will home in on the bait. In addition the downrigger weight I think might be required to keep a whole fillet of salmon or a king salmon head near the bottom while there is any current.

If you are just drifting. I can usually hold bottom with 8oz. I have to say I've caught most of my halibut while fishing kings. I take a break and lower my gear down. Pedaling once or twice up current when the bait hits the bottom. Then I stop, let it hit bottom again, then I take a few more pedals. Almost power mooching. I rarely gear up for halibut. But this year I want to chase a few big ones.

Yeah, with the right wind a sock would help, but like you say...the wrong wind and it just might speed you up. 

I can usually hold on the bottom with 10-16 oz of weight. 

Many of my hits come while "power mooching" or "trooching", but I've had my fair share of hookups just drifting as well.  Nothing over 30lbs yet, but given the right time and place a big one just might happen.

Rudy.....3 words. Electric trolling motor.  Set it at low speed headed into the current.  That should help you spread your stank to the bigguns

Why not use your down rigger as a po boy anchor?  Get a big ball and just let it drag the sandy bottom.  Or do the same with a tall skinny one. 

I think Matt tried something similar (sans down rigger) and had some decent luck

Whatever you do you need to get one of these so you can document your findings.

http://trollpro.com/

I was thinking about using the downrigger ball as an anchor at close to slack tide. But by then I get hold position fairly easy by pedaling.

I've been working on a go pro mount for my downrigger. Have a few prototypes but haven't been able to complete or test yet. I was hoping to get some good silver footage. I've seen the protroll but I want my camera to release of the mount on a strike so it captures footage of the fight as well as the strike. Proving to be a bit more difficult than I first thought.

I can't wait to get the season in full swing!!!  Anytime now!!!!