- 1). Point the boat into open water and set the trolling speed. Lower the fishing line and salmon lure into the water. Feed 10 to 30 feet of line out behind the moving boat. Lower the downrigger weight and cable into the water 4 to 10 feet by cranking on the hand winch or pressing the feed button on the hand controller.
- 2). Attach a release to the downrigger cable below the spool feed wheel -- the mechanism that feeds the cable from the spool to the water. First, open the bite on the release housing by unsnapping the hinged wire catch from the housing tab. Put the downrigger cable in the bite, and clip the wire catch back in place. Open the fishing line bite and put the rod's line in the bit, then snap the wire catch back in place.
- 3). Lower the downrigger cable and weight to the desired depth. To ensure accuracy, read the odometerlike analogue counter located on top of the downrigger housing. It indicates the depth of the line. At the same time, feed the line from the rod's reel in order to endure that the lure is not pulled back into the release.
- 4). Watch the fishing line. If the line surges away from the downrigger cable or streaks right or left, a fish took the lure and popped open the release. The hook is set. Do not jerk the line trying to further set it in the salmon's mouth.
- 5). Raise the downrigger cable and proceed to reel in the fighting salmon. Salmon fight erratically for the first few minutes, then they begin fighting more consistently. Allow the fish to fight wildly while you reel in the downrigger cable, then begin reeling in the fish. Use steady, constant pressure. Don't fight back with the salmon or you can pull the lure out of its mouth.
previous post