Stacking Lines on downrigger

[the butcher]

with the fast and combination of multiple currents due to outflow/inflow into fraser river at the south arm and the currents of the ocean due to tidal swings, it can create havoc when stacking lines on your downrigger fishing the south arm. Curious to know what you guys do to minimize the issues with line tangle when multiple lines are stacked on both port and starboard downriggers. Does decreasing the distance from scotty clip to flasher help? On average, how much line do you guys let out before you clip on scotty downrigger clip? 20ft? 30? 40?

 

[casper5280]

No more then 20 feet and stacked 20feet apart. 15lb cannonballs and 10 deeper then the other side. Never have a problem.

 

[the butcher]

I had thought keeping the lines a bit further back helps to minimize the noise from main or kicker engine spooking the fish but perhaps that information I had been given in the past is false.

 

[Brett83]

Try three lines first. Two on one side, one on the other. Yesterday a two pound coho caused us to tangle our top lines. But typically we never tangle. I use a 20 foot tuna cord. I clip one just above the ball 15 back and the other about 16 feet up and 15 back. But if a fish bites the bottom line of the stacked side be quick to move the top line. Tangle issues happen when lines are in the way while netting. I often use the stack line to explore different tackle options but prefer two people two rods

 

[Dogbreath]

**** happens especially on a triple header

 

[the butcher]

Thanks for the info guys...i think I've had my lines too fall out...aroud 25ft or so...have been getting more frequent tangles fishing south arm. I take very sow and wide turns so that's not the issue. Must be the currents and length of my lines from clip to flasher.

 

[disco]

Buddy of mine stacks all the time and loses more tackle in a month than I lose in 3 years. I won't let him stack on my boat. I'd rather sip a beer than untangle bird nests.

 

[Dogbreath]

Just once I want to fish one of those Great Lakes charters with all the stacking, wire lines & planers just to see how it's done and what drugs the captain takes to keep from blowing his top several times a day.

 

[Rain City]

Short clip to flashers. 20-25 feet apart on the riggers. I never tangle.

 

[wildthing]

10' feet from the clip to flasher up 20' feet stop bead ... one clipped to the ball .
that's 3 stacked per side... and out solo 3 on 5 down 3 to the boat last year

 

[Reeltime]

That just blows my mind i wouldn't know where to start

10' feet from the clip to flasher up 20' feet stop bead ... one clipped to the ball .
that's 3 stacked per side... and out solo 3 on 5 down 3 to the boat last year

 

[wildthing]

you let them run ....lol
as you can see no one else around so plenty of water to move around in...

 

[acrowe]

I can see doing that, obviously it lets you try more gear at different depths - more fish. I am too lazy, sometimes if I am alone I will only fish one rod, so if I get a fish I can be relaxed about it. Lately I have been fishing one at whatever depth I think will be most productive on the downrigger and another spoon with a small weight at 30-40' weekend before last I got a 78cm chinook and 2 coho on the surface line (almost never happens).

 

[Stosh]

Great Lakes fishing is way different than ocean fishing. No tides/big currents to deal with, so it’s easier to run multiple lines. However, clearing the gear with 8 - 12 or more rods is not an option, so you don’t ever stop or slow the boat down much. Besides stacking on riggers, Great Lakes anglers also use wire line, dipsy divers, and planer boards. So, when everyone fishes that way you give each other lots of room, or disaster strikes. The other thing they do (in Ontario) is use cheaters or sliders, which means they send down a second lure on a snap/swivel that slides down the line already attached to the downrigger clip. AND, they do all this because the limits are higher (4 per person), and the people out on charters expect to always get their limits. Thanks mostly to the U.S. Hatchery programs, Lake Ontario has a great fishery. Or at least it did.
Keep it simple
Stosh

 

[RiverBoy]

10' feet from the clip to flasher up 20' feet stop bead ... one clipped to the ball .
that's 3 stacked per side... and out solo 3 on 5 down 3 to the boat last year

That.....does not look relaxing...