Salmon Fishing Rods and Reels for Trolling and Mooching

There are five different types of Pacific salmon which can all be caught from a boat or from shore. The techniques and gear to use vary depending on the location and type of salmon being targeted. In this guide, I’ll share everything I’ve learned about trolling for salmon, mooching for salmon, and fishing for salmon in rivers and streams based on my years of experience.

Catching salmon is very fun because they fight hard and are great fish to keep and eat. The west coast of the United States is full of wild salmon that run from the San Joaquin river system in California near San Francisco up to the northernmost regions of Alaska.

There are five types of salmon and each type has two names. The salmon types are king or chinook, sockeye or red, coho or silver, chum or dog salmon, and pink or humpy.

In Sitak Alaska and Juneau Alaska, I ran salmon fishing charters where trolling and mooching techniques were used to catch salmon from a boat. I also have fished for salmon in streams in Sitka, Juneau, and the Kenia Peninsula south of Anchorage. This article will focus on catching the five species of pacific salmon. If you are fishing for freshwater salmon check out the article I wrote on catching salmon in the great lakes. The fishing techniques are very similar regardless of where salmon are being caught.

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Effective Salmon Fishing Methods

Trolling for Salmon

The most consistent way to catch salmon is to troll offshore. Trolling covers the most water and the lines can be set at different depths to help cover the entire water column. Most commercially caught king and coho salmon are caught with salmon troller boats. Commercial trollers use the same lures and baits but set out about 100 lures rather than one per angler on a recreational fishing boat.

When trolling, it’s important to:

• Use downriggers to get your bait to the proper depth
• Set up multiple lines at different depths to locate fish
• Employ flashers to attract salmon from a distance
• Vary your trolling speed between 1.5-3 knots depending on the species

Trolling Rig: Flasher with a Hoochie

First, we are going to go over the best trolling lures which are used when fishing for salmon from a boat. The most widely used lure when trolling for salmon is a flasher with a hoochie. This works well even without a baitfish added to the hoochie. Baitfish like herring can be added for scent but does not need to be rigged to spin. The motion of the bait on the flasher is plenty of action. When bait ran without a flasher it should be rigged to spin.

When salmon feed they roll from side to side. The flashers rolling motion looks very similar to the salmon feeding motion and attracts fish. When salmon see this flashing motion they think that a fish is feeding and come investigate. The hoochies should be placed on a 40-60 pound leader. I set the leader length to 30 inches for both king salmon and coho salmon. This leader length is from the back swivel on the flasher to the start of the hoochie. A 30-inch leader would be considered short for king salmon. Most people say to use a leader of 36-46 inches for king salmon and 24-34 inches for coho salmon. Some people talk in overall leader lengths that go to the end of the hoochie. Add 4 inches to the lengths I provided to get overall leader lengths.

Hotspot Flasher Purple Haze UV

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Hotspot flashers are my favorite salmon flashers. This is an 11-inch flasher with ball-bearing swivels. Purple haze works great for king salmon and chum salmon. On bright sunny days, these have a fantastic reflection in the water. King salmon often have a purple shimmer on their upper backs. Match a purple flasher with a purple and pink hoochie and you have one of the best flasher hoochie color combos. This color works best in water depths less than 100 feet. Salmon can actually see further on the UV light spectrum than humans. This UV color that humans can not see would be another shade of purple. This may be why purple works so well at catching salmon. The ability to see light further on the UV spectrum is said to help salmon feed in dark and murky conditions.

I know commercial trollers like using this purple flasher with pink and purple 2.25-inch mini hoochies also called mini sardines for chum salmon fishing. When fishing for chum salmon the trolling speed should be slow so the flasher drifts side to side not actually making full rolling motions. A good speed is usually around 1.5 knots. The more flashers the better for chum salmon as they travel in large schools and you are trying to get the school to follow the boat.

Boone UV Salmon Hoochie

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This pink and purple Boone hoochie squid bait is 4 3/4 inches long and comes with a double hooked snell-tied leader. This is a great hoochie that looks like squid or sand lance baitfish. It comes pre-rigged with a double hook leader which is nice for people unsure how to make salmon leaders. Double hooks help the bite-to-catch ratio. When using downriggers the line releases from the clip and there is slack in the line. Having two hooks helps the bait stay in the fished mouth until the tension is brought back on the line.

The other way to rig a hoochie is with a barrel swivel, beads for spacing, and an open eye hook that attaches to the swivel. This single hooks leader works but having two hooks is better than having one hook.

Black Flash Flasher

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This is an 11-inch flasher with a glow black jelly color pattern. Both sides have shimmer tape. The overall flasher is black. This is my favorite king salmon flasher color patterns to run on cloudy or rainy days. I also run this flasher as the deep flasher when stacking. Typically it is set anywhere from 80-240 feet in depth. For deep flashers over 80 feet deep I typically run this color or all chrome.

Behind this flasher, I like to run a green haze hoochie or the Ultra-Violet Ace High Fly.

Boone UV Green Haze Hoochie Rig

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The Green Haze UV hoochie is 4 3/4 inches in length. It comes with double snell tied hooks that come set up and ready to go fishing. The double hooks make it so the salmon is much more likely to get hooked on a short strike.

Blue and Chrome Salmon Flasher

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This salmon flasher is 11 inches in length. The blue and chrome flasher is what I use for depths of 100 feet and higher. The color blue shows up deep in the water. For flasher and lures colors it is important to realize that colors disappear when traveling deeper in the water column.  Colors disappear in this order, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and then purple. All colors disappear after 100 feet so you are better off using black, chrome, or glow flasher and lure color patterns.

Goldstar Twinkle Skirt

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This twinkle skirt is 4.25 inches long. The best color is Mother-of-Pearl. A twinkle skirt serves two purposes. First, it adds thickness and flash to the hoochie. Second, the plastic head spaces the hoochie rig further up on the hooks. With this added spacing the second hook hangs just outside of the skirt. This makes it so that if a salmon short strikes that back of the bait it will still get hooked. These come in packs of ten and there are multiple color options. This twinkle skirt by itself looks like a fly and would likely catch fish but hoochies are typically placed overtop.

Silver Horde Goldstar Hoochie Squid Salmon Bait

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The Goldstar hoochie comes in a 5-pack and is 4.25 inches in length. The best color is the green glow. These hoochies look awesome when placed over the Mother-of-Pearl twinkle skirt. This color works great behind any color flasher and at any depth of water. Typically I use this hoochie behind the blue and silver flashers.

The video below shows how to troll for salmon using downriggers. It may seem like basic information but little tricks can get bait and the right depth with the best presentation. These tips can help put more salmon in the boat.  Check out the best downrigger page for more information about salmon fishing with downriggers.

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Trolling Rig: Flasher with Herring

The how to use downriggers video above shows the best way to run herring baits with a flasher. The flasher is attached about two feet behind the downrigger ball. The bait is placed on a release clip about two feet above the ball. The line is set about 6 feet back so it sits about three feet behind the flasher. This makes it so the flasher can attract fish and the bait has the best action. When a fish bites the line releases from the clip and fish can be reeled in without having to reel in the flasher.

The picture shows three green-labeled herring flats. Each flat has about 12 herring. Each morning these are set out and salt is poured over the herring. This was extra -fine brine salt but any salt will work. Then spray saltwater over the flats and give them a few minutes to soak. Then place the bait in a small cooler. Some people add saltwater to the cooler but I do not. The salt helps to brine the bait which keeps it firm. Without salt, the bait turns soft and will not last as long on a hook. If the bait says cold salt is not really even needed. It does not take much effort to brine the baits so it is good to do when possible. Do not use fresh water on the bait as it might have chlorine and minerals that make the bait smell unnatural to the fish.

Herring Salmon Bait

The best bait for salmon is definitely herring. All-day every day herring will catch salmon. People hook up herring as plug-cut herring or whole herring. As long as the bait is spinning it will catch fish. Using the whole herring is faster and easier. In the downriggers video and the how-to mooch for salmon video, I show the best and fastest way to rig herring baits. When fishing blue water for pelagic fish like mahi-mahi and tuna if a bait spins you will not catch fish. With salmon, it is the opposite and if the bait does not spin it will not catch as many fish.

Herring is rigged the same way whether it is being used for trolling or mooching. The front hook is placed through the membrane under the mouth and then through the middle of the head on the other side. The trailing hook can hang free or be placed through the back just behind the dorsal fin.  When running bait connected to a flasher with a hoochie place the front hook in the lower jaw and out the nose then weave the trailing hook in the back and then let it come out and sit free. This makes the bait not spin as much because the flasher will be rolling and creating plenty of action.

Solid Tie Mooching Rig

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A 40-pound solid tied mooching rig is perfect for herring and hoochie rigs. The hooks size will be 5/0 and 6/0. I like using both hooks in the 5/0 size but that is not how these rigs come. Do not get slip tie rigs. The bait is pulled from the front and the front hook will slide to the back before a fish bites. Maybe slip tie rigs work better for plug cut herring I am not sure but do not get slip tie rigs when using a whole herring.

Chrome Mylar Pro-Troll Flasher

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This is an 11-inch chrome mylar Pro-Troll flasher. When setting the deepest line, solid chrome is my go-to flasher color. This is the flasher that is attached to the downrigger ball that I try and get as close to the bottom as possible without getting snagged on the bottom. Sometimes the flasher comes back scraped up from hitting on rocks and gravel on the bottom. The Silver Horde gold star piscator metal chrome flasher is the one I was using in the downrigger video. This flasher is sometimes used by commercial fishermen.

Any large silver-colored flasher will work. Note that to get to the bottom the downrigger usually needs to be set about 10 percent further down compared to the fish finder depth. At 100 feet the downrigger line counter can typically be set to about 110 feet without touching the bottom. Only get close to the bottom when it is flat and not rocky. Otherwise, it will be difficult to track and gear might get lost.

When using bait above and independent of the flasher it can be smart to drop the bait back when a fish bites but does not get hooked. If the line comes out of the release clip and you know the fish is not then put the reel in free spool. Sometimes the salmon comes back and takes the bait. Most people are better off reeling as fast as possible though because when salmon bite they swim up toward the surface. Not reeling will lose more fish than will be caught dropping the line back. If you do it enough times and get on the reel right away you know if the salmon is there and dropping back can give a second opportunity at the fish.

In the picture are silver salmon caught on a half-day charter in Sitka Alaska in early August. These were caught both trolling and mooching but mostly mooching.

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Trolling Spoon: Silver Horde Coho Killer

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Coho killer spoons work great when trolling. This spoon works with a short leader. The leader should be about 30 inches from the back of a flasher to the start of the spoon. With heavier spoons running a 4-5 foot leaders behind the flasher works great because the spoon will have great independent action. Smaller flashers can be used when coho fishing which makes it faster and easier to reel fish in.

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Trolling Spoon: Blue Coyote Salmon Lure

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The blue Coyote spoon comes in 3.5 and 4-inch models. The 3.5-inch is similar to a coho killer size spoon and goes good on a 30-inch leader behind a blue and chrome flasher. The 4-inch model can be placed behind a flasher with a slightly longer leader around 36 inches. This spoon can also run behind the downrigger ball on a release clip.  The spoon would be about 10 feet behind the ball. Running the spoon about 10 feet past a stacker clip-on at mid-depths on the downrigger line works great as well.

This was the biggest salmon caught on my boat last season in Sitka Alaska in late June. It was 40-inches long and likely weighed over 30 pounds. The king salmon hit while trolling near the bottom in 120 feet of water and we did not get the line tight with the fish until it was near the boat. It then took several very fast runs around the boat. The first time I netted it there was a hook in the net and the salmon rolled off the net and we almost lost the fish. Luckily the line did not break and we caught the fish on round two of netting.

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Trooling Spoon: Dream Weaver Salmon Spoon

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This silver alewife spoon is 3-3/4 inches long. Dream weaver spoons outfish all other spoons on the great lakes and work great in the ocean as well. The large honeycomb stamped steel looks fantastic. This black and silver is a great color option as it looks like herring. These spoons are set about 10 feet behind the downrigger ball without a flasher. These work good for coho but great on king salmon.

These are two nice kings salmon caught last season in Sitka Alaska in mid-July. One was caught while dropping the downrigger in the middle of the water column. The other was caught near the bottom in about 150 feet of water on herring. There was a school of these jumbo kings that stuck around this area for a few days.

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Trolling Upper Water Coulum:  Jointed Rapala Bright Orange

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An orange J-9 or J-11 jointed Rapala works great for trolling on a flat line without weight 200 or more feet behind the boat. This lure swims about 12 feet below the surface and works great at catching coho salmon that are swimming near the surface. The trolling speed has to be over 2.4 knots for this lure to work well. When trolling with spoons for coho salmon at a higher troll speed this lure stays straight out the back and tangle-free of all the other lines and catches fish near the surface. When fishing flat lines it is nice having a line counter reel to know the distance the line is set behind the boat.

Sea lions only took salmon from our lines a few times last year. This was one of those times and it happed when reeling in a nice king salmon. All that was left was the head. The fish was fighting hard and then starting pulling even harder. We knew it was a shark or a sea lion but saw the sea lion after. The lady reeling in the salmon was not happy with the sea lion.

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Trolling Fly: Ace Hi Fly

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The Ace High Fly is 4-1/2 inches long and has a double glow head. The best colors are ultra-violet and cop-car. These baits look very similar to the sand lance shown below. When the salmon I am cleaning are filled with sand lance I use a flasher with a fly. The best way to rig them is to slide the fly on a sold tie mooching leader. Cut the leader 31 inches long to the front hook and tie the leader to the flasher.

The sand lance baitfish above were taken from the stomach of a king salmon. Sand lance can swim in large schools and is typically found near the bottom of sand flats and gravel flats. Finding gravel flats is key to catching king salmon. In the first two months of the season, there were very few herring around and king salmon were mostly feeding on sand lance.

This was a day of fishing in mid-July in Sitak Alaska. There were lots of pink and silver salmon around. The orange fish are yelloweye rockfish. The salmon was caught while mooching on anchor and mooching while drifting.

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Trolling Hoochie: Mini Hoochie

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These purple and pink squid baits are 2.3 inches long. These are similar to gold star mini sardine baits that are 2.25 inches in length.  These baits go amazing with the hotspot purple haze UV flasher. These baits work well for king and silver salmon but are typically used for targeting chum salmon. As I mentioned above when fishing for chum salmon these are trolled slowly with as many flashers as possible.

Ace High Fly junior

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This Ace High Fly Junior is 2.25 inches long and has a double glow head. Salmon often feed on small shrimp and squid. Sometimes matching the hatch is needed and small lures will catch more salmon. This is especially true for sockeye salmon that only feed on smaller baits. Occasionally sockeye salmon are caught on full-size hoochies but if you know sockeye are around try a junior fly.

Gold Star Tailwagger

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The gold star hoochie squid is a 1-3/4 inch micro squid. These come with split rings and can be placed on the back of spoons. The micro squid also works well by themselves behind a flasher for coho, chum, and sockeye salmon.

The salmon and halibut were caught in early August in Sitka Alaska. The king salmon were caught and released only for a few weeks in August due to limit closure but we caught plenty of silver salmon and halibut. We caught some oversized halibut on this trip as well.

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How to Mooch for Salmon

My favorite way to catch salmon is by mooching. When mooching for salmon a herring bait is sent down 100 to 200 feet with a 6-ounce weight. The line is then reeled back up. This is similar to vertical jigging and salmon bite on the way down or on the way up. When mooching for salmon it is also common to catch halibut and rockfish.

The video below shows how to mooch for salmon. If there is no current the fishing line needs to be pitched out so that when the rig sinks the leader does not wrap around the mainline. A small amount of tension needs to be kept on the spool when the line is sinking or the salmon fishing reel will get bird nested. The line is set down from 100 to 200 feet typically 150 feet and is then brought back to the surface. The saying goes ” the more you turn, the more you earn”. This points out that more fish are caught when reeling up continuously. On some trips, one person has there a limit of six silvers and a king and other people only catch one fish. It comes down to getting the bait deep and continuously reeling it back up.

If there is a strong current keeping the line at an angle it will not tangle the bait does not always have to be brought the entire way up. If all the fish are being hooked between 80 feet and 120 feet the line can be reeled up to 60 feet and then back to 150 feet. This keeps the bait where the fish are being caught. Every few drops the bait should be checked to see if it has been chewed up or stolen. When the salmon are biting the bait is usually torn up or stolen every drop.

If anything unusual is felt during the drop it is likely a bite and the slack in the line needs to be reeled in as quick as possible. Even when fish bite when retrieving line the reel speed needs to be increased. Setting the hook by lifting the rod does not work. This is because when salmon feed they swim up. A fish that bites at 100 feet may be at 60 feet in a few seconds. Lifting the rod is not going to get the slack out of the line. The reel needs to be turned as quickly as possible.

Large kings salmon swim toward the surface the fastest after biting. For most of the biggest fish of the year people felt a small bite and did not get the line tight until it was super close to the boat. Once the king salmon sees the boat and realizes it is hooked it takes off like a rocket though.

When netting the fish reel the tip of the pole all the way to the slider and lift the rod back. Once the fish is netted be careful with the swinging weight. Grab the weight with your had or reel the slider back to the tip of the pole so it is not swinging. People are always excited about the caught fish and overlook the swinging weight.

Salmon Mooching Rig

Mooching for salmon is my favorite way to catch salmon. It is also the best way to catch the most fish when there are schools of salmon in the area. Mooching is not something most people do on a half-day fishing chatter because it takes a full day with fish biting to really get the hang of it. This can be overcome by helping people cast, having clients reel continuously, and being good at untangling lines. It is worth the extra work though because most people love mooching for salmon!

This mooching rig can also be used when trolling. The line is set out 50-200 feet behind the boat. This puts the bait about 10-30 feet below the surface. One trick is that when a fish bites on the downrigger line the flatline reel can be put in the free spool mode to drop the bait deep. About 1 in 5 times this leads to another salmon being hooked.

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The red slider is 1-1/2 inches long and is placed before the swivel on the mainline. A 6 or 8-ounce round weight is placed on the slider clip. This slider comes in black or red and either color works well.

Six Bead Swivel

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The six-bead swivel connects the mainline and the leader. A barrel or crane swivel would work here also but most people use a six-bead swivel.

Salmon Mooching Weight

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A 6-8 ounce weight is best for mooching. A 6-ounce weight is typically used because it is easier to reel in. An 8-ounce weight is needed when the current is very strong. The old-style mooching weights were banana weights with the six bead swivel on one end and a snap swivel on the other. This setup was not as easy to set up and put away each day because the leader stays with the weight.

Salmon Mooching Rig

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The mooching leader comes with 5/0 and 6/0 hooks that are tied with two solid tie snell knots. These same rigs come with a sliding top hook but that is not what you want to get. Make sure the solid tie option is selected.

The herring bait is rigged so that it spins. The front hook is placed below the mouth and then through the side of the head on the other side. The trailing hook can hang free or be placed in the back of the herring behind the dorsal fin.

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Salmon Jig: Point Wilson Dart

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The Point Wilson Dart candlefish salmon jig comes in sizes from 1 ounce to 6 ounces. The Point Wilson Dart company makes some of the most versatile salmon jigs. The candlefish jigs look very similar to a sand lace baitfish which is a favorite food of king salmon. Lifting this jig 5-feet of the bottom and back down is a great way to target king salmon. There is also a Point Wilson’s Dart anchovy that is thicker that works well when jigging in more than 100 feet.

Salmon jigs are also going to catch rockfish, halibut, and lingcod. Jigging is a very popular fishing style in the pacific northwest. Two other popular jigs are buzz bombs and crippled herring jigs. I was not a big believer in salmon jigs until I saw a boat next to me catch their limit of king salmon in about 10 minutes and were gone. Trolling along for two hours in the same area we only caught a few. That is how it goes though, somedays people jigging and mooching catch more fish than the trollers other days the trollers catch more fish.

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River and Stream Fishing for Salmon

In streams, the techniques vary widely from flies to spoons and large spinners. Stream and river fishing for salmon is awesome because it is a peaceful environment with a high concentration of fish. Hiking and exploring remote areas can be as much fun as catching fish.

When fishing rivers, consider these approaches:

• Use single-hook spinners in areas where regulations require them
• Try trout beads placed 2 inches above the hook (secured with a toothpick)
• Employ drift boats to access remote fishing spots
• Select files that mimic local baitfish or salmon eggs

It is important to note there are lots of different rules and regulations about when, where, and how you are allowed to fish for salmon so make sure to read the local regulation books and notices before going fishing.

Spinners with Single Hooks: Mepps Number 5

Next, let look at the best salmon lures for rivers and streams. Spinners, spoons, and trout beads all work great at catching salmon from the shore. Getting to good fishing spots can be the most difficult part of fishing for salmon along streams and rivers. Getting a good pair of fishing waders is definitely a good idea. Hiking to remote areas is often an advantage because there will be fewer people fishing in the area. Some people use drift boats to get to good fishing spots along the river.

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Orange and pink Mepps #5 single hook spinners work amazing for catching salmon. Spinners work great at catching salmon near the mouths of streams or in deep rivers. Mepps spinners are typically had to find with single hooks which are required for most salmon streams.

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Spinner: Blue Fox Nimber 5 Spinner

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Blue fox spinners are also known for catching salmon from the shore. Personally, I have more luck with Mepps spinners. These spinners typically come rigged with treble hooks but also come with an open-eye single hook. The treble hook can be cut off and the single hook can be put on with a pair of pliers.

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Wicked Lures Blade with Hooching

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Wicked lures are rigged on 20-pound leaders 6 feet in length with 1/0 Gamakatsue red hooks. These are similar to spinnerbaits and are meant to be fished in rivers and streams. Weight is typically added to the end of the leader and these baits are slowly retrieved upstream. Wicked lures are new baits that have only been on the market for a few years.

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Casting Spoon: Blue Fox Pixee

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A pink Blue Fox Pixee spoon is a great spoon for casting from the shore near the mouth of a river or into the open ocean. This is a heavy 7/8 ounce spoon and can cast further than spinners which is a huge advantage. Sometimes fish are breaking the surface just out of reach of spinnerbaits and this heavier lure can get the bait further out where the fish swim.

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Salmon Fly: Dolly Llama

A Black and white dolly llama fly works well for coho salmon. The pink, purple, and green dolly llamas are also popular color options. Make sure that weighted flies are allowed in the area that is being fished.

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This fly collection comes with 12 large flies made for catching salmon and trout in Alaska. The flies include Mr. Hankey, Morrish Mouse, Black and White Dolly Llama, Bunny Leech, Hopscotch Sculpin, Leech, Black Fish Skull Sculpin, Black S’s, Sculpin Leech, Sculpzilla, Moal Rhoid Flesh Leech, Flesh Fly, and Thundercreek. Bass Pros Shops has a similar 6-pack of salmon flies.

Salmon Fly: Russian or Coho Fly

The fly above is a Russian fly also called a coho fly. Someone I met fishing the Kenia peninsula gave me this fly and said it works great for catching sockeye salmon and silver salmon.

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The feeder creek salmon fly is similar in appearance to the coho fly. It comes in three sizes 8, 10, and 12. Four of each fly are in the set for a total of 12 flies. These flies are going to be smaller than the coho fly I showed above but should still work for catching sockeye salmon.

The drift boat is fishing for salmon in the Kenia Penisula in early October. The anglers fish while drifting and stop along the way and fish from the shore. Before floating down the river a car needs to be placed downstream or a ride needs to be arranged to get back to the starting point. Luckily many rivers follow along the roadways. It was late in the season but there were still bright silver salmon around not very many people.

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Trout Beads for Salmon

The picture above shows how to set up a trout bead rig. Regulations in Alaska say that the bead must be 2 inches above the hook. The bead is held in place with a toothpick that is then broken off. This is way easier than trying to use rubber bands to hold the bead in place.  Real salmon eggs are illegal so these beads are the best option. One great thing about trout beads is they can be fished in fly-only streams, even when a spinning reel is being used. A small foam float can be used to suspend the trout bead just off the bottom.

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Trout beads work great to catch rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and salmon. Salmon eggs take from 6 to 20 weeks to hatch depending on the salmon species. The eggs are changing color and size throughout this process. It is good to have several color and size options to match the egg development present in the stream or river.  Eventually, the eggs turn into an alevin, fry, smolt, and then become an ocean swimming salmon.

Gamakatsu Octopus Salmon Hooks

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Size 6 hooks are a good hook size for salmon and trout. Hook color options include black, nickel, blue, bronze, green, red, and chartreuse. Nickel seems like a good color option. The hooks are small but very strong.

Toothpicks

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Toothpicks work to hold the trout bead in place. Rubber bands can also be used as well but toothpicks are the easier method. Each container holds 500 toothpicks for a total of 1000 toothpicks.

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River Mouth Tactics

The mouths of rivers concentrate salmon as they prepare to spawn:

• Cast heavy spoons that can reach fish-holding outside the current
• Focus on incoming tide conditions when fish are staging
• Watch for “rolling” salmon that indicate where schools are holding
• Consider using snagging hooks in saltwater areas where legal

Snagging Salmon

Snagging salmon is illegal in streams. However near the mouth of small streams where hatchery salmon come back snagging is a legal and effective way to catch salmon. These salmon were released by the hatchery as fry with the intention of being caught and consumed as food. Some are used again in the hatchery to release more fry during the spring. If these hatchery fish are not caught they will die anyway and go to waste. That is why snagging these fish is legal.

Trebble Hook Snagging Rig

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This pack comes with two size 10/0 snagging treble hooks. Bass Pro Shops also sells similar weighted treble hooks. Snagging treble hooks are only legal in saltwater, not freshwater rivers and streams.

Snagging hooks are typically used near the mouth of small streams where hatchery salmon swim back and forth. The salmon around the hatchery do not have a large stream to swim up and spawn. The fish swim back in forth near the stream entrance where they are released as fry. The fish are ready to spawn and are not aggressive feeders on normal lures and baits. People use snagging hooks to catch 6 or more salmon per day to stock up on fresh fish for the winter. If the fish are not caught they are going to die anyway within a few weeks. Using a snagging hook can be a productive way to catch fish that you intend to keep and eat.

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Salmon Handling and Processing

When you catch a salmon you intend to keep:

• Dispatch it humanely with a quick blow to the head
• Bleed the fish immediately by cutting the gills
• Shorty after bleeding the salmon remove the guts, gills, and bloodline
• Keep the fish cool, preferably on ice
• Process it as soon as possible for the best quality

Fish Bat

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Black AFTCO fish bat. This is a 19-inch 1.3-pound club. When a salmon is caught it is hit on the head with a club. This may seem to be mean or cruel but it is in the best interest of the fish to be knocked out. It is also safer for the angler when removing the hooks and cleaning the salmon. There are also commercial fish gaffs that have a PVC end that works as a club. This allows the fish to be hit in the water and then gaffed.

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Salmon Fishing Season

The best time of year to salmon fish varies from early spring to late fall depending on the fishing location and type of salmon being targeted. King salmon season starts first and last year we were catching limits of king salmon in Sitka Alaska in late April. This is before the season technically starts. King salmon are caught in Sitka from late April until early September with the peak season being May and June.

Silver salmon, chum salmon, and pink salmon season start in early July and go until early September, and peaks in early August. Sockeye season is in July and August as well. Each year the fish show up at different times based on water temperatures and the amount of rain. Alaska fish and game has guide charts to show typical salmon season times based on species and geographic location.  If you plan to fish in streams, show up in mid-July through August and there will be tons for fish to catch. I personally like fishing earlier when the fish are still bright silver. From a boat, we definitely caught the most salmon in late July through August. It is fishing so catches vary from day to day.

Catching kings in the spring is my favorite time to fish for salmon but most people do not realize is that on a four-hour charter the average number of king salmon caught is typically one or two per boat. On an all-day trip, the limit of one fish per person can usually be caught. During July and August, each person can catch one king salmon and six silver salmon each. However, there are typically fewer king salmon around, and some years it is caught and released only for kings later in the Summer, which varies based on catch rates. Halibut fishing is good all spring and summer.

Salmon Fishing Destinations

The best salmon fishing in Alaska. It may seem far away but it is less than a four-hour flight from Seattle to Anchorage. From Anchorage, it is about a three-hour drive to some of the world’s best salmon fishing in the Kenai River, Russian River, Kasilof River, and Copper River systems on the Kenai Penisula. Literally millions of salmon run up these rivers in July and August. There are not many places on the Alaska coast that is not loaded with salmon. Many people prefer going to small towns or fishing lodges where there are fewer people to deal with and can fish in the most scenic parts of the United States.

Other popular places to salmon fish in Alaska include Ship Creek in Anchorage, Kodiak Island, Homer, Seward, Cordova, Elfin Cove, Juneau, Sitka, Haines, and Ketchikan. Some of these locations have great rivers to fish. Other areas mostly fish in the open ocean. For example, Sitka only has a few streams that mostly have pink salmon. However, the open ocean outside of Sitka is where all the salmon traveling to streams south of Sitka in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California feed before going upstream.

Some fish stay in Sitka and feed for a day and some stay for a year. Salmon are the second fastest growing fish in the world, second only the mahi-mahi. That means when the salmon are feeding the bite can be very good. Once salmon enter the stream they do not feed much. There are just too many fish and not enough food.  That is why trolling for salmon in boats can be so effective. Also, the fish caught from boats are bright silver and are the best to eat.

When salmon first enter the stream they are bright silver and great to eat as well. After a few weeks, they start to turn as they spawn and the flesh eventually starts to rot. If it is just a little turned it is still great to eat. If it is bright red, black, or white it is no longer good to eat.

Eating Quality of Different Salmon Species

King salmon are the best-tasting salmon to eat. White king salmon are especially good because of the high oil content. Many people think that all salmon is the same but that is far from the truth. Most salmon that people buy at the store is Atlantic farm-raised salmon. For many reasons, this is the worst salmon to eat. Many bumper stickers in Alaska say”Friends don’t let friends eat farmed-raised fish”.

For Pacific wild-caught salmon king salmon is generally recognized as the best salmon and costs about $40 a pound to purchase at the store. The next best is sockeye salmon also called red salmon which costs about $30 a pound at the store. Silver salmon which is coho salmon is the third-best eating salmon. This is still a great tasking fish and cost about $20 a pound. The bigger the silver salmon the better it usually tastes as well.

The fourth best is chum or dog salmon. This is not a common fish sold commercially but if you catch one it is worth keeping to eat. The fifth and worst-eating salmon is a pink salmon also called a humpy salmon. These fish sell commercially for about 50 cents per fish. This is the salmon that is used in cat and dog food. They do sell cans and pouches of pink salmon for humans to eat. It has so much salt it tastes alright. Pink salmon actually tastes good if they are eaten the same day they are caught. There is an enzyme in the meat that releases and turns the meat to mush and does not taste good after a few days.

The video below shows the best way to fillet salmon. In the video, several monster 30+ pound king salmon are filleted.  Filleting techniques for Coho salmon and pink salmon are also shown. The process of cleaning salmon is also discussed.

Downriggers allow anglers to troll with fishing lures and baits up to 400 feet deep. As a charter captain, I have used downriggers to catch salmon, wahoo, king mackerel, halibut, rockfish, lingcod, and sharks. I have used both electric and manual downriggers. In the great lakes, I have used downriggers to catch king salmon, coho salmon, and lake trout. In deep lakes, downriggers are often frequently used to catch walleye.  The trolling speed, type of lure, and depth of lines all change base on what fish is being targeted. The concept of how to use a downrigger is the same though, no matter what fish you want to catch.

Sometimes I stack two poles on each downrigger to get more lines set deep. The deepest I have caught salmon at with a downrigger is 240 feet. It is not uncommon for recreational and charter fishermen to catch fish down 300 feet with a downrigger. Commercial fishermen use hydraulic downriggers to set lines to around 600 feet. A lure can be set on commercial fishing downrigger lines every six feet although nine feet is more common.

I am stacking two poles in the picture using a Scotty high-performance electric downrigger. The deep fishing rod is in the downrigger rod holder. The shallow rod is in the holder toward the stern of the boat. Typically, I stack lines 30 feet apart on the port side of the boat and track bottom on the starboard side of the boat.

In this article, I will review the best electric and manual downriggers commonly used for recreational and charter fishing. The first decision you will have to make is whether you want to buy an electric downrigger or a manual downrigger. Then you will need to decide if you want to spool it with wire or braided line. I will also discuss the best downrigger release clips and stacker clips. I have used most of this gear and if this article is read carefully you will get all the equipment needed to catch monster fish in deep water!

Regional Preferences in Downrigger Types

There are two dominant companies that make up the majority of the downrigger market. The first is Cannon downriggers. This is a Wisconsin-based company that is right on Lake Michigan. If you fish the great lakes on tge east coast of the United States Cannon downriggers are the most popular brand. Scotty downriggers are based out of British Colombia on the west coast of Canada. If you fish in the Pacific North West in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, or California Scotty downriggers are the most popular. Fishing gear is very region-specific which is actually quite strange. It is actually a good idea to stick with the geographic norms because there are more service shops in the area when things break. Going to a service shop is much easier than mailing a downrigger for routine maintenance or repair.

Electric Downriggers

Electric downriggers are the gold standard for serious anglers who fish deeper waters regularly. The main advantage is control – when a fish is hooked, a knob is rotated and the weight ascends to the surface automatically. If the line is not brought up quickly, the fish will likely get tangled in the downrigger line. Having the downrigger come up on its own allows the angler to focus on catching the fish.

The part I like best about Scotty electric downriggers compared to Cannon is being able to control the descent speed with the handle and clutch break. This means that I can send it down slow at first and quicker once the gear is at depth. This is especially helpful when a fish is marked and the bait can be adjusted quickly. With the Cannon electric downriggers, a button is pushed and there is only one descent speed. The descent speed can be adjusted but not continuously.

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1. Electric Downrigger: Scotty High-Performance

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Estimated Price: $820-$1,124

Scotty High-Performance Downriggers have a 36-60 inch telescoping boom. The ascent speed is 260 feet per minute with a 20-pound weight. The 2106 model comes with 300 feet of 180-pound stainless steel line, while the 2106B comes spooled with 300 feet of 250-pound braided line. These are the same downrigger they just come spooled differently. There is also a Scotty High-Performance 2116 propack model that comes with a base that holds two stainless steel rocket launchers. Which is nice if the boat lacks extra rod holders.

Last season I had a braided line on both of my downriggers. The cable has slightly less resistance going through the water and therefore has less blowback. Blowback is the ball getting pushed behind the boat because of drag.  Using heavier weights helps to reduce blowback. I would run 15-pound downrigger weights and had no problem fishing at 240 feet at troll speed around two knots. If you are going to troll faster and deeper running wire is probably the better option.

The reason an electric downrigger is better than a manual is that when a fish is hooked a knob is rotated and weight ascends to the surface. If the line is not brought to the surface the fish will likely get tangled in the downrigger line. Having the downrigger come up on its own allows the angler to focus on catching the fish. If the lines are set 60 feet and above having a manual downrigger works pretty well. Once lines are set deeper than 60 feet it is really nice having an electric downrigger.

The part I like best about Scotty electric downriggers compared to cannon is being able to control the descent speed with the handle and clutch break. This means that I can send it down slow at first and quicker once the gear is at depth. This is especially helpful when a fish is marked and the bait can be adjusted quickly. With the cannon electric downriggers, a button is pushed and there is only one decent speed. The decent speed can be adjusted but not continuously. All manual downriggers have a handle with a clutch brake operation.

This downrigger with the Fish Hawk X4D is exactly what I would buy if I was running a charter fishing company. It is top-of-the-line gear and provides all the information needed to give the anglers the best chance of catching fish.

I used two of these downriggers that were a few years old and only had one break during the 5-month season in Alaska. It broke after hanging up on the bottom. These do have a built-in circuit breaker that will stop the downrigger from working if the downrigger is hung up on the bottom or is lifting heavy weeds or kelp. The internal circuit breaker resets after 15 seconds. The downrigger should also be wired on an external circuit breaker with a 30 amp fuse. The fuse tripping is not uncommon as catching the bottom or lots of weeds is bound to happen from time to time when fishing.

For charter operations, we always have a backup downrigger on the boat though. These downriggers are not perfect but are the best electric downriggers that I have used. Scotty downriggers also come with a limited lifetime warranty. It is always good to have backup weights, cable, and release clips on the boat also in-case a line breaks.

Here is a video I made on how to use downriggers.

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2. Electric Downrigger: Cannon Optimum

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Estimated Price: $1750

This is the top-of-the-line downrigger from Cannon. If money was not a factor and the boat had space for large downriggers this would be the ultimate setup. This downrigger has an ascent speed of  250 feet per minute with a 20-pound weight. This downrigger has a 24-53 inch telescopic boom. The line depth and other data are displayed on a 3.5-inch LCD display. This downrigger comes pre-spooled with 400 feet of 150-pound stainless steel cable. This cannon downrigger does come with a limited lifetime warranty.

Advanced features include the One-Boat Network. This wireless network allows up to 4 downriggers to communicate and share data which can all be transmitted to a smartphone or tablet. It also allows for data to be shared with the Fish Hawk system. Data can also be shared with newer hummingbird fish finders. However, I do not think having my downrigger data on the fish finder would be enough to make the switch to a hummingbird fishfinder.

My favorite feature of this downrigger is bottom tracking. I talked to a guy fishing a super fancy boat and he loved it. The wireless technology allows the data to be sent to his iPad where he controlled his downriggers. He said he had his chrome flashers just scraping the gravel and that was the key to catching more fish. You still have to pay attention to what is going on, especially when the lines come up with auto-tracking because the slack needs to reel in on the line. The drag can be set fairly loose to allow the line to be pulled out when the downrigger goes deeper.

Bottom tracking only works if the additional Cannon transducer is installed. With the transducer installed it will track the bottom based on the depth given by the sonar. This depth value will often be negative or below the ground to get the downrigger weight close to the bottom. This is because the line counter depth shows how much line has been let out which does not account for blowback. The most accurate way to bottom track is to additionally get the Fish Hawk system which will give the true depth of the ball.

The last feature I will talk about is positive ion control. There are plenty of people that swear by adding a positive voltage to their downrigger cable. Usually between .45 and .75 volts.  This downrigger has this feature built-in and is fully adjustable. This is similar to the Scotty black box positive voltage control system. These systems only work with wire cables, not a braided line.  Some people use a downrigger with snubbers to connect the weight to remove most electrical noise traveling down the wire. All boats have some type of electrical output into the water. Some are actually favorable and some are not. These details are overlooked by many fishermen. If you stopped catching fish near the boat there could actually be a battery or grounding issue on the boat.

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3. Electric Downrigger: Scotty 1106

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Estimated Price: $647-$675

The Scotty 1106 has a 36-60 inch telescopic boom. This is a time-proven sturdy downrigger that actually has some advantages to its high-performance rival. The 1106 model has a retrieve speed of 203 feet per minute with a 15-pound weight. This is less than the 295 feet per minute of the high performance but the 1106  model uses 1/3 the battery draw. The weight limit for this downrigger is 15-pounds.  When fishing above 240 feet 15-pound is all the weight that should be needed. There is an 1116 model which is this same downrigger but with two built-in rod holders. The 1106B is the same downrigger but comes pre-spooled with 300 feet of 200-pound braided line. All the Scotty downriggers come with a limited lifetime warranty.

I have used this downrigger for charters in Alaska. It gets the job done and is the best option for most recreation anglers in my opinion. It is the most purchased and therefore the most popular Scotty downrigger. This has the lowest amperage draw of any electric downrigger on the market which is great for when electric power availability is an issue. It comes with a 360-degree swivel base that locks in 12 positions.

 

Downrigger Tip: The image above shows the setup I would always run on the starboard side of the boat to track the bottom with. A 15-pound downrigger weight is attached to the downrigger line. There is a metal chrome flasher tied two feet behind the ball. About two feet above the ball I would connect a commercial-style stacking clip. These work with braided or steel cables. The bait which is a herring is placed about 6 feet back from the release clip. This setup helps attract fish with a flasher and gives the best action to the bait.

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4. Electric Downrigger: Scotty 1101

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Estimated Price: $558

The Scotty 1101 model is basically the 1106 model but has a 30 inch fixed boon rather than a telescopic boom. It is nice to have the option of a telescopic boom but as said before I rarely extend the boom. A 30-inch boom gets the line pretty far away from the boat. This is a good option if the downrigger will be mounted in a way that the line will not be near the props or able to rub on the side of the boat. The lower the boat sits in the water the less likely the line is to rub on the boat or hit the prop.

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5. Electric Downrigger: Cannon Magnum STX Tournament Series

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Estimated Price: $800

Cannon Magnum Series downriggers are very large and have a telescopic boom that extends from 24 to 53 inches. The spool comes pre-rigged with 250 feet of 150-pound stainless steel cable. When a 20 pound weight is used the retrieval speed is 250 feet per minute. This downrigger might be cheaper using the link for Mangum serries downriggers below.

As discussed in detail with the cannon optimum this has positive ion control which sends a small voltage down the downrigger wire which helps attract fish. This downrigger also has a shortstop feature that retrieves the ball to the waterline with the push of a button.  The downrigger is set to stop when the line counter goes to zero feet and downrigger beads are not needed like they are with Scotty downriggers. Pre-set stop points can also be set. This is nice because downrigger balls do get lost when the bead does not work or slides on the line which can happen with Scotty electric downriggers.

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6. Electric Downrigger: Cannon Magnum Series

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Estimated Price: $470 – $900

The Magnum 10 STX with Rod Holders: This downrigger has very similar specs to the tournament series magnum described above. It additionally this downrigger has two aluminum adjustable rod holders. These rod holders are mounted between the swivel base and mounting bracket. The entire rod holder fixture can be removed if the rod holders are not needed. The Downrigger has a 24-53 telescopic boom, positive ion control, a 250 feet per minute retrieval rate and is rated for up to 20 pounds of weight.

The Magnum 10 STX: This is the same downrigger but does not has one build-it rod holder rather than two custom rod holders.

The Magnum 5: This is the same downrigger but has a 24-inch fixed boom rather than a large telescoping boom. If the telescoping boom is not needed this is a great value for a powerful electric downrigger.

The picture above shows a Cannon Mag20DT. This is the older model of downrigger but gives a good representation of the size of the magnum downriggers mounted on a boat. The Mag20DT also had the 24-53 telescopic boom with a similar size profile. Interestingly this downrigger is set up with a downrigger weight snubber which would likely reduce the positive ions near the bait.

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7. Electric Downrigger: Cannon Digi Troll 10

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Estimated Price: $1,200-$1,970

The Cannon Digi Troll 10 has very similar features to the cannon optimum with the exception of wireless integration. This downrigger can incorporate the Cannon Intelli Troll system which can provide temperature, depth, and speed ratings at the ball. Fish Hawk described previously is a similar system but this is the canon version and does not have a wireless option.

This downrigger comes with 400 feet of 150-pound stainless steel cable. The telescopic boom extends from 24 to 53 inches. When a 20-pound weight is used the line retrieve speed is 250 feet per minute.

Advanced features include a bottom track, soft stop, positive ion control, and two dual-axis rod holders. The bottom track requires an additional transducer that is sold separately. This downrigger is compatible with the Cannon Link Fishing system which is also sold separately and allows control of the downrigger from Humminbird fish finders.

There is a Digi Troll 10 tournament series option available with a stainless steel spool painted white.

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8. Electric Downrigger: Cannon Digi Troll 5

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Estimated Price: $800-$1,550

The Digi Troll 5 downrigger is similar to the Digi-Troll 10 except it does not have a depth cycle, bottom track, and adjustable speeds. The big one here is not having bottom track. If you are not planning to get the additional transducer and Inteli troll system this would be a lower-cost option compared to The Digi Troll 10.

This downrigger does have a soft stop feature and positive ion control. The telescoping boom extends from 24-53 inches. This comes pre-spooled with 400 feet of 150-pound test stainless steel cable. The weight capacity is 20 pounds and the retrieval speed is 250 feet per minute.

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Manual Downriggers

Manual downriggers are more affordable and don’t require a power source. The design is simpler and there are fewer parts to break, which makes these downriggers very sturdy. If the lines are set 60 feet and above, having a manual downrigger works pretty well. Once lines are set deeper than 60 feet, it is really nice to have an electric downrigger.

The advantage of using a manual downrigger is that a power source is not required. All manual downriggers have a handle with a clutch brake operation. You pull back on the clutch handle to release the brake, and the weight descends. When you want to retrieve the weight, you turn the handle.

Crank handles on Scotty manual downriggers are horizontal, while Cannon downriggers have vertical crank handles. I prefer a vertical handle, but both work well. Manual downriggers are great for people who fish for fun and have other people on the boat who can help run the equipment.

9. Manual Downrigger: Cannon Uni Troll

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Estimated Price: $314-$380

The Uni Troll Series manual downriggers by Cannon are very popular and well-built downriggers. This telescoping Uni Troll model has a stainless steel boom that extends from 24 to 53 inches. It comes with a swivel base which is actually a $70 option on other models. This downrigger comes pre-spooled with 200 feet of 150-pound steel cable and can be used with up to 20-pound downrigger weights. The depth is displayed with a three-digit analog display.  The retrieval speed is two to one which means that one turn of the handle moves the spool to revolutions which brings up two feet of line. The weight descends by pulling back on the handle which released the clutch mechanism.

The advantage of using a manual downrigger is that a power source is not required. The design is also simpler and there are fewer parts to break which makes their downriggers very sturdy. The extendable boom is mostly useful to keep the downrigger line from hitting the boat or motor prop when making a turn.

In general, extending the boom is a pain because it makes it t is more difficult to put the fishing line on the release clips. There are downrigger weight retrievers available that are used to pull the weight close to the boat.  Sometimes in strong currents, if the boom is not extended turns are not possible and gear needs to be reset for each drift. This can even happen with extendable booms. Most days I do not extend the booms on my downriggers but if I see the line is getting near the boat or prop is great to have the option to extend the boom.

The swivel base is a must so the downrigger can stay mounted on the boat all the time. Some bases are fixed and the downrigger needs to be removed when docking. A swivel base can also help get the weight out of the way when netting a fish. The better way to get the weight out of the way when netting fish is with a downrigger weight retriever. The weight retriever prevents the weights from swinging and hitting the side of the boat.

In this picture, my Dad is holding a small king salmon. We are fishing with two Cannon Uni Troll manual downriggers and stacking two lines on the starboard side downrigger. This is an 18-feet boat and on calm days we could still get out there and catch as many fish as the big boats. This is actually fall fishing in Lake Ontario New York for king salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, and lake trout.

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10. Manual Downrigger: Scotty Manual Downrigger

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Estimated Price: $218

This Scotty 1060 manual downrigger has a 23-3/4 inch stainless steel boom. Scotty does make a similar 1050 depth master but the retrieval rate is 1 foot per turn while this 1060 model retrieval rate is 2 feet per turn. This downrigger comes pre-spooled with 200 feet of 15o pound test stainless steel cable. The boom has an adjustable rodmaster II rod holder. Pulling back on the clutch handle released the large clutch brake and descends the line. There is also a Scotty Strongarm 1085 which has a 30-inch boom

Crank handles on Scotty manual downriggers are horizontal. Cannon downriggers have verticle crank handles. I prefer and vertical handle but both work well. Some charter boats use this manual downrigger. Electric downriggers are definitely better for people who fish every day. Manual downriggers are great for people who fish for fun and have other people on the boat that can help run the equipment.

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11. Manual Downrigger: Seahorse

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Estimated Price: 460-$635

The Seahorse Manual Downriver is actually quite popular on offshore fishing boats in Florida and the Caribbean. Cannon and Scotty dominate the market on the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest. However down in Florida, you will see lots of seahorse downriggers. This is likely because the company is based out of Florida. Also, this is a sturdy downrigger that is a good alternative to planers as lines can be set much deeper.

This downrigger gimbals mount allows it to be used on the boat with mounting or drilling holes. It can be found at a lower price if the mount does not swivel or if the gimbal mount is not included. Typically it is spooled with 200 feet of multi-strand cable but a braided line can also be used.

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12. Manual Downrigger: Scotty 1060 Compact

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Estimated Price: $220

This Scotty Compact downrigger has a clamp-on bracket that can be used to clamp directly onto the boat. The traditional Scotty mounting bracket does also work for this downrigger. It is called the master pack when it comes with the mounting clamp. The downrigger comes with 200 feet of 150-pound stainless steel cable. The line is retrieved at a rate of one foot per turn. The boom length is 23 inches and it comes with a boom-mounted rod holder.  When you do not want to install a permanent mount for a downrigger this is a great option. John-boats, cannons, and kayaks are the typical vessels this downrigger is used with. A limited lifetime warranty comes with this downrigger.

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13. Manual Downrigger: Cannon Mini Troll

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Estimated Price: $100-$112

The Cannon mini troll downrigger comes pre-spooled with 100 feet of 120-pound test stainless steel cable. It has a 2 1/2 inc C-clamp base. This downrigger has a weight capacity of 4 pounds. That is not much in terms of downriggers but is way more weight than you would want to reel up on a fishing pole. This is a common downrigger used for canoes, kayaks, and john-boats.

When fish are being targeted in less than 100 feet of water from small watercraft this is a great option. Even though it is small this is still a great way to consistently get baits set down deep. This is a cannon downrigger but has a horizontal reel/brake setup similar to Scotty manual downriggers. The horizontal reel makes the downrigger more compact and portable. The depth counter is connected to a pulley wheel on the end of the boom and has a similar appearance to a compass gauge.

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14. Manual Downrigger: Walker Mini Lake

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Estimated Price: $120

The Walker Mini Laker downrigger has a 12-inch anodized boom. It retrieves the line at a rate of 1 foot for each turn of the handle. The weight capacity for the downrigger is 6 pounds. The cable that is included is 100 feet long and 195-pound test. Also included is a terminal release clip.

This downrigger is set up with a threaded clamp that fits on gunnels or brackets up to 2-2/4 inches. A rod holder is mounted to the downrigger. There is a one-year manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase.

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15. Manual Downrigger: Cannon Lake Troll

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Estimated Price: $160

The lake troll downrigger has an 18-inch polymer boom. It comes pre-spooled with 10 feet of 135-pound stainless steel cable. It has a verticle clutch breaking system and crank handle. The base is a quick-mount tab-lock fixture. The downrigger is meant to be portable and taken off the mount before docking at the end of the fishing trip. This has an analog depth gauge at the end of the boom. This downrigger comes with a limited lifetime warranty. This downrigger is rated for an 8-pound weight. If you are fishing in under 100 feet of water at slow troll speeds this downrigger will get the job done.

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16. Manual Downrigger: Cannon Uni Troll STX Tournament Series

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Estimated Price: $400-$625

This is the same Uni Troll downrigger model shown in option 3. The Uni Troll tournament series is painted white and has a stainless steel spool. The steel spool is said to allow for monofilament use. I do not know when monofilament would be the best line option unless it was being used as a commercial fishing reel. This downrigger comes pre-spooled with 200 feet of 150-pound stainless steel cable.

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17. Manual Downrigger: Cannon Uni Troll 5

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Estimated Price: $287

This is the same as the other Uni Troll Models with two exceptions. The Uni Troll 5 has a fixed 20-inches boom length. Also, it has a base that does not swivel. The low-profile swivel base would cost an additional $70 and is sold separately. In the picture below I am using this same style downrigger to catch salmon in Lake Ontario.

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Understanding Downrigger Components

Cannon Downrigger Ball Weights

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These vinyl-coated downrigger weights are awesome. They come in weights from 4 pounds to 16 pounds. The most common downrigger weight is probably 12 pounds. This works well for troll speeds under 4 knots and depths under 120 feet. When fishing deeper than 120 feet I would recommend getting the 16-pound downrigger weight as long as the downrigger being used is rated for that much weight. I have regularly caught salmon at 240 feet on the line counter using down using a 15-pound downrigger ball. The bait was probably at 220 feet after accounting for blowback of the line.

Downrigger Terminal Kit

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This is a terminal kit with crimps for a 150-pound stainless steel cable. The rubber stop and swivel will still work if the braided line is used.  I like to add two ore more rubber stops before the swivel. The stops allow some give if the downrigger weight comes all the way up and hits the downrigger. Without the rubber stops the line will likely break and the downrigger ball will be lost. This could also damage the internal and external parts of the downrigger.

Downrigger Weight Snubber

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The rubber snubber is placed between the downrigger line and the weight. This helps absorb shock and provides electrical insulation near the bait. The electrical insulation would not be good if the downrigger is providing positive ions from the downrigger or the Scotty black box system. Braided lines and steel cables are not stretchy materials. Adding the snubber allows some much-needed give to the system if the weight gets snagged on the bottom.

Downrigger Release Clips

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This is the downrigger release that I would recommend using. This is a Scotty downrigger release and the swivel connects to the downrigger ball and the line gets placed in the yellow end of the clip. The further the line gets placed in the clip the more tension it takes to pull the line out of the clip. There is also a back-slider piece that when pushed back increased the tension of the clip.

Cannon makes a black release clip and a red release clip. The red clip offers quite a bit of tension and the black one is a very light tension release clip. I would not recommend using the black clip. If that is the only one available the tension can be increased by doubling up the line and twisting it before putting it in the clip. If lots of tension is needed there are outrigger-style release clips that have a knob to adjust the tension. These clips can be tightened so much the line will not even release.

Downrigger Stacker Clips

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The stacker clips shown above are the ones I had on my boat this year. The black clips are too light and I do not recommend buying them. The red cannon clip with the Scotty release is one I made and worked well. The easiest way to stack a second line is the Scotty release with the commercial clip. The commercial clip goes on the downrigger line and the fishing line goes in the downrigger release. The second stacker line is typically clipped 20 or more feet above the ball. For salmon fishing, I always stack the second line 30 feet above the downrigger ball. This covers different depths of water and helps prevent the lines from getting tangled.

Scotty Downrigger Stacker Clips

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This is the same downrigger stacker clip I showed in the picture above. This clip comes with an 18-inch line but I make it so the line is about 6-inches long. The 18-inch length would be fine when stacking but I also use this to set the bottom line when a flasher is used on the downrigger ball. I show a demonstration of that in the, how to use downriggers video shown previously. The commercial-style clip works on a wire or braided downrigger line. There is now a Scotty mini PowerGrip plus release clip with smaller clips for a slimmer profile.

Downrigger Stopper Beads

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These downrigger stopper beads are used with Scotty electric downriggers. When the bead goes through the mechanical slide the downrigger stops. The downrigger ball should just barely be out of the water when the downrigger stops. These can also be used at mid-depth points to stop the downrigger when two lines are stacked on a single downrigger.

Downrigger Weight Retriever

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Downrigger weight retrieval systems help pull the downrigger line close to the side of the boat. This is helpful when placing lures in the clips, placing stacking clips on the line, cleaning the line, and retrieving the downrigger ball to bring it back into the boat. Having a weight retrieval system is important when using an extended downrigger boom. Having an extended booms allows for further lure separation but most importantly allows for the downrigger line to not rub on the boat when making turns or when fishing in a strong current. Also using the retriever makes it so you are not leaning over the side of the boat where you could possibly fall overboard.

The downside to using the weight retriever is that the downrigger line is always running through the yellow disk. I think this would be annoying so I do not personally use them. You can leave the yellow disk near the ball when not using them. Then if there are adverse conditions just clip the line onto the yellow disk attachment and use them. The alternative is to extend the booms each time they are used. Also, a swivel mount allows the line to be brought close if the downrigger line is hard to reach. That being said I rarely extend the downrigger booms and just lean over the side of the boat when setting the downrigger.

Booms and Extensions

The extendable boom is mostly useful to keep the downrigger line from hitting the boat or motor prop when making a turn. In general, extending the boom can be a pain because it makes it more difficult to put the fishing line on the release clips.

Most days I do not extend the booms on my downriggers, but if I see the line is getting near the boat or prop, it’s great to have the option to extend the boom. The swivel base is a must so the downrigger can stay mounted on the boat all the time. Some bases are fixed, and the downrigger needs to be removed when docking.

Gimbal Rod Holder Downrigger Mount

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The Scotty gimbal rod holder downrigger mount holds a downrigger using the rod holder of the boat. Many anglers do not want to drill holes in the boat to mount a downrigger. Especially if it is only used occasionally. These mounts allow a downrigger to be quickly added and removed from a boat. There are two size options. The 1028 mount is a 9 -inch version with a 1-1/2 inch tube. A larger 1029 mount is a 12-inch version with a 1-3/4 inch tube. This works with Scotty downriggers and Bass Pro Shops has the Cannon downrigger rod holder mounts.

Wire vs Braided Downrigger Line

Last season I had a braided line on both of my downriggers. The cable has slightly less resistance going through the water and therefore has less blowback. Blowback is the ball getting pushed behind the boat because of drag. Using heavier weights helps to reduce blowback.

I would run 15-pound downrigger weights and had no problem fishing at 240 feet at troll speeds around two knots. If you are going to troll faster and deeper, running wire is probably the better option. Wire is also necessary if you’re using positive ion control systems.

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Tempature, Depth, and Speed Systems

Fish Hawk X4D Downrigger System

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Estimated Price: $750

The Fish Hawk  X4D system is the best system on the market to determine the temperature, depth, and speed at the downrigger ball.  The transmitter wirelessly sends sonar signals to the transducer that is mounted to the back of the boat. The transmitter is powered with 4 AA batteries which last for about 100 hours of use. The device is water activated so there is no worry about turning the device on or off. The transducer also provides the surface temperature of the water.

The transducer in the FishHawk X4D is mounted to the bottom of the boat which is different than the Fish Hawk X2 which has a slip connection that placed a small wireless transducer onto the downrigger line.  Both have advantages and disadvantages but the FishHawk X4D is easier to use once setup. The X4D also sends the data over BlueTooth to other devices which can be very helpful. This signal provides a more accurate depth reading which can be incorporated into the bottom track features of downriggers.

If you never had this data before you do not know what you are missing out on. Once people have this data it makes fishing without it seems like luck, not strategy and skill. This Fish Hawk system will work with any downrigger and can be used with steel cable or braided line. To integrate with the cannon optimum I initially thought you could just buy the transmitter. However, you do need the systems transducer mounted on the boat and the X4D display module to transmit the signals over Bluetooth to the downrigger wireless network.

Fish Hawk X2 Downrigger Sensor

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Estimated Price: $800

Ther Fish Hawk X2 is the easiest way to get an accurate temperature, depth, and speed at the downrigger ball.  There is a Fish Hawk X4 that is more advanced but requires mounting the receiver on the back of the boat. I actually like how this system works because the integration is so simple. I will review the Fish Hawk X4 in more detail later in this article.

This device helps catch more fish for three many reasons in my opinion. First, it allows the temperature of the water to be determined at different depths. Figuring out what temperatures fish are at helps establish what depth of water to target. If fish are biting or are not biting it gives greater insight into why this might be the case. Second, it allows for the exact troll speed of the lure to be determined, even in strong currents. The old fashion way to do this is to look at the angle of the downrigger line behind the boat as an estimate of the speed of the downrigger ball. This angle varies based on line depth and currents so knowing the exact speed is awesome.

The third and probably the most important is that this device shows the true depth which allows for the exact distance from the bottom to be determined. For many fish, like king salmon, the best depth for baits is a few feet from the bottom. The old fashion way of achieving this is to set the counter on the downrigger 10-20 feet deeper than the depth on the fish finder to account for blowback. The fish hawk allows for the bait to be kept a few feet off the bottom which definitely helps catch more fish.

One common concern is if the downrigger ball gets caught on the bottom the line will break and the transmitter will be lost. This is a valid concern as buying a new transmitter cost about $300. This system comes with a safety clip for the device that makes a second connection to the downrigger line. I would also recommend connecting the downrigger weight to the Fish Hawk transmitter with a line that is 50 pounds less strong than the mainline. This way if the ball gets hung up only the weight will be lost. Most of the time when a downrigger line breaks it is near the ball not in the middle of the wire. That being said I am sure many of these transmitters have been lost so taking extra precautions to prevent this is a good idea.

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How to Use a Downrigger: Step by Step

1. Mount the downrigger securely to your boat using appropriate brackets.
2. Attach your weight to the downrigger line.
3. Connect a release clip to the weight or to the line above the weight.
4. With the boat moving forward at trolling speed (typically 1.5-3 knots), let out line on your fishing rod.
5. Attach your fishing line to the release clip.
6. Lower the weight with the downrigger to your desired depth, keeping an eye on the depth counter.
7. Once a depth has been selected, continue trolling while looking for fish.
8. If a fish bites the lure, the line will release from the clip, and you can then reel in with the fishing rod.
9. After landing (or losing) the fish, retrieve the downrigger weight and repeat the process.

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Tips for Getting the Most from Your Downrigger

Understanding True Depth vs. Counter Depth

The most accurate way to determine your true fishing depth is to use a sensor system like Fish Hawk, which will give you the true depth of the ball. The depth shown on your downrigger counter is how much line has been let out, but it doesn’t account for blowback.

Typical blowback makes the line about 10 feet shallower per 100 feet when trolling around 3 knots with a 15-pound weight. When trying to keep baits near the bottom, I’ll often set the counter on the downrigger 10-20 feet deeper than the depth on the fish finder to account for blowback.

What to Do When You Hit Bottom

Many fish are near the bottom, so downrigger weights are going to spend some time near the bottom and yes, unintentionally hit the bottom from time to time. This is not typically a problem. If it’s a sand, gravel, or mud bottom, there will be some jerks on the line, and the line can typically be raised without an issue.

If the depth gets shallow quickly and the bottom is rocky, the downrigger ball might get stuck. The tension on the clutch should be set so the line pulls out when this happens. The boat should be taken out of gear immediately, and all the fishing lines brought in.

Most of the time, backing over the area where the snag occurred will free the downrigger ball. Other times the line breaks. Never pull the line by hand. Even electric downriggers have a backup manual way to pull up the line.

Trolling Speed Considerations

How fast you can troll with a downrigger depends on the downrigger being used, the amount of weight, and type of lure. I have used a manual Cannon downrigger with a 12-pound weight to troll for wahoo at about 9 knots. The downrigger clips were the outrigger-style release clips that can be adjusted to handle the drag of the lure.

If you’re not careful, it’s possible to damage the boat and break the downrigger at high speeds. A better option for high-speed trolling is using planers or heavy trolling weights on large heavy-duty fishing poles.

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Common Questions about Using Downriggers

What type of fish are caught with downriggers?

The most common fish caught using downriggers are salmon, walleye, and king mackerel. I have used downriggers to catch salmon, wahoo, king mackerel, halibut, rockfish, lingcod, and sharks. Halibut, rockfish, and lingcod are not targeted with a downrigger but frequently get caught when trolling baits near the bottom. Other fish people frequently target with downriggers include steelhead, brown trout, and striped bass.

What is the best size weight to use for downriggers?

The proper weight size mostly depends on the maximum target depth being fished. Typically weights used range from 4-pound to 20-pounds. When fishing shallow, 4-12 pound weights are typically used. Setting lines deeper than 120 feet typically requires a 15+ pound downrigger weight.

If the boat is trolling fast, a larger downrigger weight is going to help keep the line deeper. The downrigger line will always have some blowback, but the downriggers should never be at an angle greater than 60 degrees. The goal of the downrigger is to set the line deep, not behind the boat.

Manual vs. Electric Downriggers: Which is Right for Me?

Electric downriggers are definitely nice to have when a fish bites because at the press of a button, the downrigger weight can be sent to the surface. This gets the downrigger line out of the way with little effort and allows more time to be spent driving the boat or fighting the fish.

Having multiple good fishermen on the boat makes using manual downriggers less of a disadvantage and is just a little more work. When fishing in depths under 100 feet, using manual downriggers is not too much extra work. Once the target depths start becoming more than 100 feet, quite a bit of effort goes into reeling up the downriggers.

In order to use an electric downrigger, power has to be available. Most marine deep cycle batteries can provide enough power, assuming they’re being charged regularly by the motors. It’s not advised to run two downriggers off one battery.

Final Thoughts on Downrigger Fishing

Mastering the use of downriggers will dramatically increase your success when fishing for deep-water species. Whether you are targeting walleye in the Great Lakes, salmon in Alaska, or wahoo off the Florida coast the fundamental principles remain the same.

Remember that fish location varies by season, time of day, and water conditions. Using a downrigger allows you to precisely place your bait at the depth where fish are holding, which is often the most critical factor in successful deep-water fishing.

Start with the basics, run one line at a time, and then gradually adopt more advanced techniques like stacking as you gain experience. Over time, you will develop your own preferred setups and strategies for the specific species you target.