LIP GRIPPER Go Deep
[ R I G G I N G]
RUDDER: Even with the short arm of the Laketroller you will experience sideward pressure causing the kayak to track into a constant turn. While not strictly necessary, a rudder helps keep your kayak moving in a straight line and prevents arm fatigue on the side of the kayak that you’d have to paddle on to maintain constant correction.
SPECTRA LINE: Replace the standard-issue wire line with 65- to 80-pound-test Spectra line. The
low diameter of Spectra line helps overcome blowback which results in better depth control. It is also easy to cut Spectra in an emergency in case you snag bottom. Keep a safety knife handy in case of emergencies.
MOUNTING: Place the downrigger behind your seat as far back in the kayak as you can comfortably reach and still operate the downrigger. A convenient option is to use a Scotty No. 253 Angled Gimbal Mount in the flush-mount rod holder behind the seat. The Laketroller attaches to this
mount and the gimbal attachment keeps the downrigger from rotating in the rod holder. Alternately, any Scotty Mount can be affixed behind the seat or near the rear tank well for a more permanent attach point. Point the downrigger as far back as possible while still spacing the downrigger line away from the kayak. Remember that a downrigger places excessive pressure on the mount point. Attach points like flush mounts or permanent Scotty mounts benefit from additional backing to prevent breakage.
DOWNRIGGER BALL: Downrigger balls up to 15 pounds are commonly used on powerboats, but in a kayak these heavy weights become unwieldy to manage and troll. For kayak fishing it is more typical to use a ball sinker up to four to five pounds. Anything greater makes paddling uncomfortable.
R I G G I N G | S K I L L S | F I S H F O O D | T A C T I C S |
TROLL THE DEPTHS FOR LAKE TROUT AND SALMON WITH THIS KAYAK-MOUNTED DOWNRIGGER BY ALLEN SANSANO
THE USE OF A DOWNRIGGER is a proven technique when trolling for saltwater salmon and deep fresh- water species such as lake trout and landlocked salmon. The downrigger is especially useful when you are fishing really deep or when you are trolling faster. You can fish to 100 feet or more or at two miles per hour or more. A downrigger allows you to fish these situations without a lot a pres- sure on your rod that you might experience when using heavier trolling weight or trolling divers. When you have a fish on, the downrigger weight separates from your trolling outfit, allowing you to play the fish without interference from a heavy weight.
DOWNRIGGER: The Scotty Laketroller 1073 model is a proven downrigger solution for kayak fishing. The shorter arm of this mini-sized downrigger minimizes the leverage that a heavy weight can assert on a kayak. The 1073 model mates to a standard Scotty mount.
20 … KAYAK ANGLER spring 2009
ILLUSTRATION: PAUL MASON
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