for salmon and lakers
on Fort Peck Lake
By DAN SMITH
Fort Peck Salmon Stalker
The use of a downrigger is simply a method to present a trolled lure or bait to fishing living in deep water. The advantage to the downrigger, with a line release system, is the fisherman can fight the fish -- not fight the weight required to get down to the fish.
The rod and reel used for downrigger fishing need to meet only a few basic special requirements. The rod must be soft enough in the belly and tip to allow for a good arch when attached to the weight. With changing boat speed, wind and wave action, the rod has to move with the swing of the heavy weight it is attached to. The use of a stiff rod will result in periodic false releases. A longer, softer rod also helps maintain a tight line between fisherman and fish in rough water.
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The terminal tackle behind the release clip can be almost any favorite lure, bait or fly. On Fort Peck, the primary fish targeted with way are Chinook salmon and lake trout. Both species may be fished and caught at the same times of the year and in similar locations on the lake. The most widely used terminal setup is a flasher and squid. Both come in many sizes and colors. All will catch fishermen and many will catch fish. The most-used colors for flashers are blue/silver, chartreuse/silver, silver/silver — all with glow-in-the-dark tape. Squids are available in hundreds of colors, but shades of blue, green and white with silver tinsel and glow-in-the-dark are the top choices.
Leader length, though critical, will vary from day to day and is one of the variables that must be adjusted to entice fish to strike. Manufacturers recommend a leader one-and-one-half times as long as the length of your flasher. That is a good place to start, but can be shortened to give the squid more action at slower boat speed.
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Boat speed is a Ford, Chevy or Dodge sort of argument. Many salmon fishermen say you can not go too fast for salmon. Another group of fishermen will troll at a dead crawl. I have found a good average speed using a GPS is between 1.8 and 2.4 miles-per-hour and use a lot of sharp turns as you troll. The turns cause the inside lines to slow and drop, while the outside lines climb and speed up. Strikes will often come during the turn. A good rule of thumb is to watch your cable angle into the water. A 45-degree angle is a good general speed.
If you choose to use a stacker rod on your downrigger, use a spoon, fly or biat rig on the top line. The use of two flashers causes too much line drag and is easily tangled with the lower line. Line drag is the biggest factor determining the depth your lures are running. For example, if you let your weight down 90 feet and attain a line angle of approximately 45 degrees, your baits are probably traveling approximately 75 feet down — another good reason for the sharp turns and speed adjustments.
Downriggers can be purchased in both manual crank or electric. The manual strong-arm variety will cost less, but can provide a real workout. Remember, if you fish with a partner and use two downriggers with stackers, and you don’t want to chance tangling a fish with other lines, the fisherman without the fish has three rods and reels and two downriggers to reel up. If your partner is your wife and you like to catch fish, you will choose electric!
Dan Smith loves to downrig the depths of Fort Peck for big chinook salmon. Consider him at least a semi-pro, if not a downright professional at it.
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