Downrigger use for BC Saltwater

I am a recent Kayak fisher and have been fishing in areas off Bowen Island, BC where boaters are catching 10 to 15 pound winter chinooks and recently up to a 35 pounder in this area at 200 ft.
Any feedback on the use and safety dos and don't of downrigger use.

One very very important thing with downriggers on kayaks is to replace the steel cable with braided line that can always be cut in an emergency with your handy diving knife.  As for which downrigger, the Scotty is often recommended.  There are some good downrigger info threads on NCKA.  Check out Zeelanders rig.

Hi BW and welcome to NWKA.

When it comes to downriggers on kayaks it's really important to understand that it can't be used like one from a boat. Since it is a human powered craft the limitations are pretty evident. The first and biggest problem we encounter is drag. It's hard enough to keep a pace of 2MPH for a sustained period of time but when you add a downrigger it slows your pace considerably. Because of this your range is shortened and also the depth at which you can troll. Simply put, the more line you let out the more drag against it and harder it is to paddle. There are a few ways to make things easier.

First, and most importantly, be in good condition. I can't stress this enough. Trolling w/ a downrigger in a kayak w/ gear deeper than 60' for longer than 1 hour will take better than average paddling skills and conditioning. Conditions (wind, swell, tide) will most likely change during your time on the water which can make it more challenging. Two, like HS said, replace the wire for a spectra braided line around 100# test. This not only helps out safety-wise but also the line has a much smaller diameter and therefore cuts through the water with less drag. And thirdly, slowly move up from a 2 pound ball until you can paddle it comfortably before going heavier.

One last thing I have realized is that we do have a limit to how deep we can troll w/ a downrigger. So far I've done 120' for about an hour or two but it's been a lot of work. With some more work I hope to be able to do it comfortably.

Let's be safe out there and land some BIG fish!

Z

Are you downrigging on your hobie Z? Pedaling would seem to make downrigging a whole lot easier.

I pedaled with 30-40 feet of spectra played out and my 3 pound ball on my lake anchor and the drag was minimal.

Are you downrigging on your hobie Z? Pedaling would seem to make downrigging a whole lot easier.

I pedaled with 30-40 feet of spectra played out and my 3 pound ball on my lake anchor and the drag was minimal.

Yep. How fast were you going and how long did you sustain it for? Although it can be easier on the Hobie it still takes a lot when you keep the speed between 2-3mph. Then throw in wind, tide, and swell and you'll see where I'm going with all this.

Z

Thanks for the welcome feedback. All good suggestions.

Bowenworks.