Makeshift Downrigger

Here is a link to a picture of my down rigger in action.
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/gallery/762-310512042950.jpeg
It worked really well for Kokanee down to 60 ft last year.  Any deeper than that and the 2 lb ball swung back to much. 

That looks like what I want to do ndogg.  Mostly trolling lakes for Kokes or trout.  is that a digital line counter on there?

Would you recommend me doing something similar?

Here is a link to a picture of my down rigger in action.
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/gallery/762-310512042950.jpeg
It worked really well for Kokanee down to 60 ft last year.  Any deeper than that and the 2 lb ball swung back to much.

That's pretty cool!  How fast would you say you could troll and what terminal gear were you using? my current 8lbs is definitely overkill for lakes I might try for trout.

Posted this a couple of years ago and it still works pretty well.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=338.msg2185#msg2185

 I have a scotty lake troller, but I use a mooching reel mounted on a piece of pvc (cheap man's downrigger). The Mooching reel is a good choice as it pulls a foot of line every crank. Digital counters are nice, but I prefer to mark the line every five feet.
 Spectra works really well for getting deeper with less weight. It's skinny and it doesn't stretch. I'm using 100# kevlar because thats what I had laying around.


 I also like a shorter boom as I use it as an anchor line reel as well. The short boom has a smaller moment and is less prone to tip your canoe (kayak).
 I use the 4# weight and I can see it holding its depth on my FF to about 3 kts before it starts getting swept too far back. But I use it really shallow (<30').

Here is a link to a picture of my down rigger in action.
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/gallery/762-310512042950.jpeg
It worked really well for Kokanee down to 60 ft last year.  Any deeper than that and the 2 lb ball swung back to much.

Hey Nate, just out of curiosity, could you get in trouble with ODFW for using "two rods"?
I could see some power drunk  game warden cite you for using two rods even though one is used as a down rigger.

Here is a link to a picture of my down rigger in action.
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/gallery/762-310512042950.jpeg
It worked really well for Kokanee down to 60 ft last year.  Any deeper than that and the 2 lb ball swung back to much.

Hey Nate, just out of curiosity, could you get in trouble with ODFW for using "two rods"?
I could see some power drunk  game warden cite you for using two rods even though one is used as a down rigger.

I think you would be okay as long as the line for the down rigger didn't have a hook attached to it.

Here is a link to a picture of my down rigger in action.
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/gallery/762-310512042950.jpeg
It worked really well for Kokanee down to 60 ft last year.  Any deeper than that and the 2 lb ball swung back to much.

That's pretty cool!  How fast would you say you could troll and what terminal gear were you using? my current 8lbs is definitely overkill for lakes I might try for trout.

Careful there Kard, read the regs well. I've heard some folks up here have gotten hassled for having a second pole with line in the water even tho it wasn't rigged for fishing.  Just depends on how much of a pita fish and game wants to be. It's that whole one rod per angler thing...

any of you use the cannon mini troll?  I was just in Bi-Mart and you can pick them up pretty cheap.

I read some reviews and everyody hates to depth counter on it but the reel itself is a "1 crank, 1ft" so that would be simple to bypass.

Here is a pic of the down rigger I made. I had the pole, reel, and line so it was inexpensive.  I intended to to use it for trolling for Kokanee, salmon, & lake trout.  I find I only use it for Kokanee.  I use a 2 lb. ball when trolling for Kokanee and have 80 lb. spectra line on it.  It slides in my scupper holes behind my seat.   I've often wondered what a game warden would say if I was checked since I usually have a second pole out when using my downrigger.

I'd hate for anybody to get a ticket for something as stupid as "2 fishing rods" even though it odveously wasn't a fishing rod in the water.

I've had OSP be a total prick about rules and then on the next day they couldn't care less.

I would think if you showed them it was a down-rigger with a DR ball on it, there isn't much they could do to you.  I would paint it black and label it Yaksurf Brand Downrigger to make it more obvious.

I would think if you showed them it was a down-rigger with a DR ball on it, there isn't much they could do to you.  I would paint it black and label it Yaksurf Brand Downrigger to make it more obvious.

Not a bad idea.  Another project while the lakes are snowed in.

The line counter is a cheap dial counter and it works OK.   Having the line counter is nice for getting the ball down quickly but I use my fish finder to make sure I am at the right depth.  At trolling speeds of about 1 mph or so I had no issues.  Once I got over 1.5 mph the line was going down at a noticeable angle.   

If you have the parts it is worth it.  The only thing I purchased for the project was a cheap roller tip.

That looks like what I want to do ndogg.  Mostly trolling lakes for Kokes or trout.  is that a digital line counter on there?

Would you recommend me doing something similar?