Thread: Down Rigging

Was hoping someone around the Milford lake area was set up for down rigging that I could maybe come and look at your set up and pick your brain about using it. Looking at getting a couple to mount on my lund and start learning to use them. Was hoping also someone has photo setups on their rig if I can't find some one local to hook up with to see theirs.

Any good resources and info would be greatly appreciated.....I have read several articals and reads some posts.

I don't know how to post pics here. I drive a Crestliner with thin sidewalls so mine are mounted on rear seat posts. This method allows me to pivot them to straight out from the boat or angled back depending on how many rods I'm wanting to pull. And pointed rear for storage. Straight off the sides means less chance of things comeing together under the boat on turns. Most Lunds seem to have them mounted on the sidewalls. Keep in mind you'll be leaning over the side in big waves sometimes to hook in to um. Put them where thats doable. Rod holders and their positioning is important. Plan on where the rods are being held at and how easy you can reach them and how easy they'll come out of the holders under the pressure of a heavy fish. All the plastic inset holders I own have stripped out and pivot when big fish get on um not great, easy to lose a rod if the keeper isn't fliped. I have a driftmaster mounted between the riggers on the rear platform for longlines, works decent. Salmon boats we fish off of have heve stainless single holders and stacked holders which work a lot better. If you can find a way to mount a stacked holder set you'll like it. BP and Cabelas don't carry much rigger stuff anymore. Keep a couple extra clips and a weight so ya don't get caught short (stuff happens). Springhillduckman has some pics of the salmon boats we fish off of with downriggers and stacked holders mounted at Pink Meat Journal: Pt. 5 – The Gallery - kansasoutdoorsman.com. (Thats my 12 year old cranking them Kings, pretty proud of him. He can rig the downs pretty decent also) Good Luck. I love downrigging at Milford. Watch them hard breaks.