Deep 6 vs. downriggers
- Thread starter opto55
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Tightlines22
Well-Known Member
What is concerning you about putting downriggers on your boat? Tight fit, cost, complexity? Deep sixes are ok as a backup however try to set up a downrigger or two. No comparison.
scott craven
Well-Known Member
If you're happy with pinks and "maybe" the odd Spring, planer's will work.
Otherwise, downriggers all the way
Otherwise, downriggers all the way
Big_Shank
Member
Deep six divers work great! They are best suited to applications where space for Downriggers is limited. I use mine on a fishing kayak. You can get just as deep as any downrigger, you just need to add more weight to the front of it. I use a 1lb cannon ball on mine if I need to get deeper than 60ft. Fool around with the release tension and it will trip fairly easily with fish as small as just a few lbs. they really suck to real in if the release doesn't trip. Just make sure you tie good knots. You will go to set the hook/trip the quick release and lose everything. My knots have improved lol...
Edit*
The man asked a question about max depth of a deep six, I answered...
60' regular setup.
200'+ with 1lb cannon ball as seen in picture.
Edit*
The man asked a question about max depth of a deep six, I answered...
60' regular setup.
200'+ with 1lb cannon ball as seen in picture.
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While deep six divers (and others like the Delta diver) do work great AND while you can get them deeper with additional weight, you cannot get just as a deep as any downrigger. For springs, many guys fish the bottom in 200' of water and I'm regularly at depths from 200-350' on my downrigger. In some places, at some times fishing deep is THE way to go. There's no way you're going to do that with divers. For kayaks or other craft where down riggers may not be an option, they're great. For springs cruising the kelp beds near shore, they're great. For coho anywhere, they're great. But for springs offshore or for winter springs, downriggers are the best option.
Tugcapitan
Well-Known Member
I fish deep sixes out of a 12' tinny every summer for a week. I enjoy no electronics and catching fish out of grandpa's old boat, but only for a week! Although I have fun, my arms are noodles at the end of the week. Over a hundred feet of line out to fish 60', even checking bait is a chore with all the drag even after popping the release. This year the pinks killed me, but I get so much satisfaction out of the springs though.
I would never consider them for real fishing for the rest of the year though. If fishing is going to be your thing, downriggers by a mile. Deep sixes will do nothing for you in the winter or in any fishery where you want to go deep.
The one pound cannonball above is impressive, I salute you! That would kill me after a day or three....
I would never consider them for real fishing for the rest of the year though. If fishing is going to be your thing, downriggers by a mile. Deep sixes will do nothing for you in the winter or in any fishery where you want to go deep.
The one pound cannonball above is impressive, I salute you! That would kill me after a day or three....
Big_Shank
Member
^^
This info is wrong. I have caught pinks, springs, coho, and sockeye on a deep six...
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Not saying you can't catch salmon, just not as likely to get down to the Springs with a planer.
Dogbreath
Well-Known Member
spring fever
Well-Known Member
Not really much of a choice-either Scotty or Canon-Canon is a vertical rigger and Scotty is a horizontal. You say space is limited so the choice will be governed by the space you have. I prefer Scotty's but that isn't the problem-choose whatever model fits your space! Better than a planer
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
You can go with a Scotty manual compact or even smaller the Lake Troller model.
http://www.scotty.com/fishing-gear-equipment/downriggers.htm
http://www.scotty.com/fishing-gear-equipment/downriggers.htm
- Sometimes adding a vertical Scotty Extension will help with the space issue by getting the rigger up higher.
- In this market, if you can, go with the Scotty Riggers for the excellent factory warranty, service, spare parts and knowledge available everywhere.
- I like the largest size deep six in place of a third rigger out the back. 40 to 60 feet will get you big transient Chinook when they are coming through, especially around close in structure and kelp beds. That said, I see them more as an augmentation and an extra line when the conditions are good for adding them, rather than a substitute for riggers, at least in the Sooke area. In places like the bays in Knight Inlet we used the small Deep Six with bait and they caught lots of big Chinook.
- As long as the part barrel swivel release is set right so that it will release when a fish hooks up and when you pull hard like pulling line out of a rigger release clip, I have never found them much work to retrieve. The change in the plane angle actually helps bring them up. The only time I have found them a pain to bring in is when the are set too hard and won't release or when it was necessary to bring them in without releasing because we were playing a big Chinook out the back on the surface and did not want to bring the planer up into the fighting Chinook. In those rare cases we have brought it in under the Chinook in the down position fighting the high planer back pressure all the way, even with forward speed set as low as possible.
I guess it is relative as I remember the days of cranking up 15lb balls on blue manual riggers from depth all day long, not to mention the old days fishing 2lb balls on hangers and using true old school single action reels like the old wood Peetz, - now that was work. I also find cranking in a 2 lb ball on a spreader from 260 feet while anchored for Hali, a lot more work than bringing in even the largest Deep Six, especially on a Peetz type reel rather than a two speed level wind.
- In this market, if you can, go with the Scotty Riggers for the excellent factory warranty, service, spare parts and knowledge available everywhere.
- I like the largest size deep six in place of a third rigger out the back. 40 to 60 feet will get you big transient Chinook when they are coming through, especially around close in structure and kelp beds. That said, I see them more as an augmentation and an extra line when the conditions are good for adding them, rather than a substitute for riggers, at least in the Sooke area. In places like the bays in Knight Inlet we used the small Deep Six with bait and they caught lots of big Chinook.
- As long as the part barrel swivel release is set right so that it will release when a fish hooks up and when you pull hard like pulling line out of a rigger release clip, I have never found them much work to retrieve. The change in the plane angle actually helps bring them up. The only time I have found them a pain to bring in is when the are set too hard and won't release or when it was necessary to bring them in without releasing because we were playing a big Chinook out the back on the surface and did not want to bring the planer up into the fighting Chinook. In those rare cases we have brought it in under the Chinook in the down position fighting the high planer back pressure all the way, even with forward speed set as low as possible.
I guess it is relative as I remember the days of cranking up 15lb balls on blue manual riggers from depth all day long, not to mention the old days fishing 2lb balls on hangers and using true old school single action reels like the old wood Peetz, - now that was work. I also find cranking in a 2 lb ball on a spreader from 260 feet while anchored for Hali, a lot more work than bringing in even the largest Deep Six, especially on a Peetz type reel rather than a two speed level wind.
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eston
New Member
you're not limited to a Deep 6 for controlled depth fishing. A Dipsy Diver or Walker Deeper Divers work great. http://www.walkerdownriggers.com/deeper_diver.html
We use them with great success on Lake Ontario with a 9" flasher combo or a spoon. A quality line counter reel with the appropriate rod (I love my Okuma Blue Diamond) and 50# braided line is a killer setup. Once a fish hits, the dipsy is tripped, you get a good fight out of the fish, you're not reeling in a 2lbs lead ball...
Don't use mono as there is way to much stretch and you can't get that deep.
You can reach 80ft deep +++ with a Mag dipsy no problem. Just do a Google Image search for a dipsy diver braided line chart.
Just be sure you have quality rod holders as the hits are violent (be sure your drag is set loose with the clicker).
There are days that the most fish are caught on dipsys and the riggers would be dead...
For compact riggers, I use to have a Walker Lake Master, it worked great.
E
We use them with great success on Lake Ontario with a 9" flasher combo or a spoon. A quality line counter reel with the appropriate rod (I love my Okuma Blue Diamond) and 50# braided line is a killer setup. Once a fish hits, the dipsy is tripped, you get a good fight out of the fish, you're not reeling in a 2lbs lead ball...
Don't use mono as there is way to much stretch and you can't get that deep.
You can reach 80ft deep +++ with a Mag dipsy no problem. Just do a Google Image search for a dipsy diver braided line chart.
Just be sure you have quality rod holders as the hits are violent (be sure your drag is set loose with the clicker).
There are days that the most fish are caught on dipsys and the riggers would be dead...
For compact riggers, I use to have a Walker Lake Master, it worked great.
E
So, when you're using the diver or planer, I guess you wouldn't want to use a flasher too? Just a spoon or something with it's own action? You can only wind in a fish as far as the diver, so if you have a flasher after that, and then a leader to your other tackle, that's a lot to hand line in with a fighting fish on the end?
Big_Shank
Member
Diver to 2-3' leader to flasher to another 2-4' leader to spoon/hoochie/plug/whathaveyou
Total length 6-7' and if you are using a 9' rod it is easily manageable.
Breaking_Shimanos
Member
Agitator flashers (triangle shaped) that are have an in line rotation are popular right off the diver or a couple feet back. Standard flashers need more line for larger action.
I usually run larger spoons and no flasher off the trip planer center line. A chrome planer perhaps provides a little attraction but a big spoon fluttering around can be seen for a good distance. There are no flashers or bait used in the Tyee Pool in CR and a lot of Tyee get taken there every year on spoons and plugs. In a non Pink year try bait if you are looking for a big Chinook, especially a whole large Herring in a large Glow RD Teaser Head that can be seen for distance.
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