Alternative options for Downrigger lake trout

[Grizzly8]

I have one manual Downrigger. Don't have room on the other side. 
 

what are my options outside a rigger that can get my lures down to 120-140 feet?

 

I have a wire rod and another mono rod.

 

i want to run cowbells because I've had success with the one rigger. Should I use a three way swivel? Bottom bouncing weights?

 

can I get a reccomendation on best practice for my options on how to functionally get that lure down? Looking for recommendations on lures, weights, rods, lines, etc. I appreciate the advice!

[GAMBLER]

You can run a wire thumper rig.  Use a three way swivel, a 1lb weight and your cowbells.  Run a 3-4' dropper for the 1lb weight.  Let it out until you hit bottom.  Let it settle and let it out to bump again.  dragging the weight will get you more hits.  Fighting lakers this way is not fun but very productive.  I highly recommend Hammerhead Cowbells and Gambler Rigs!

[finsntins]

Laker fishing definitely not my thing but unfortunately have to fish for them from time to time and other dragging bells through the mud on riggers you can run mag divers on wire with a dodger and spin-n-glow and get down in that range and they will produce and usually produce bigger fish.if you can get the diver to tick bottom,that’s even better.any white/green or the yellow with orange dot dodger, I think they are like 8” and a big spin-n-glow will work,gambler,here on the lou site sells everything you need to catch lakers.

[Never Ends]

Seth Green Rigs. 
The Sutton Company in NAPLES used to sell them pre-rigged. Maybe they still do. But IMO they are better (more effective) than down riggers by far! They are also better at keeping fleas off. 

40 oz weight on the bottom of your line followed by beaded chain swivels every XX amount of feet with ‘coil spring’ fasteners attached to the beaded swivels for the leaders. Fyi.. You need a bigger reel

[Never Ends]

Harvey O Hara (spelling) used to sell 40 oz weights with a ‘fin’ to keep the weight from spinning. Suttons would also have everything you needed. The only thing i dont like about suttons is the reel they used to sell with the rod but thats just me. The rod is heavier with a roller tip.

[Never Ends]

If anyone knows where to buy these in bulk please let me know but these are the ‘coil spring fasteners’. The down side to Seth Green Rigs would be, they are not as easy as free fighting a fish on a down rigger rod, you have to stop to take leaders off if you chose to use more than one and they are not fun for kids just learning. But, i love them.

[Grizzly8]

6 hours ago, GAMBLER said:

You can run a wire thumper rig.  Use a three way swivel, a 1lb weight and your cowbells.  Run a 3-4' dropper for the 1lb weight.  Let it out until you hit bottom.  Let it settle and let it out to bump again.  dragging the weight will get you more hits.  Fighting lakers this way is not fun but very productive.  I highly recommend Hammerhead Cowbells and Gambler Rigs!

Thank you !! I'm pretty sure I am using a hammerhead cowbell with a spin n glo. Can I find a gambler rig at fat Nancy's or Sonny's? This will be for Lake Ontario, and finger lakes. 
 

Does the shape of the weight matter?
 

 

[Grizzly8]

4 hours ago, finsntins said:

Laker fishing definitely not my thing but unfortunately have to fish for them from time to time and other dragging bells through the mud on riggers you can run mag divers on wire with a dodger and spin-n-glow and get down in that range and they will produce and usually produce bigger fish.if you can get the diver to tick bottom,that’s even better.any white/green or the yellow with orange dot dodger, I think they are like 8” and a big spin-n-glow will work,gambler,here on the lou site sells everything you need to catch lakers.

Thank you!! I have a mag diver with a ring.. should I remove that ring to avoid losing it? I would have to let probably close to 300 feet out on zero setting to get close to 120-140, don't have a probe or smart troll yet. Haven't had a Dipsy touch the bottom yet, but will give it a whirl. 

[Grizzly8]

1 hour ago, Never Ends said:

Seth Green Rigs. 
The Sutton Company in NAPLES used to sell them pre-rigged. Maybe they still do. But IMO they are better (more effective) than down riggers by far! They are also better at keeping fleas off. 

40 oz weight on the bottom of your line followed by beaded chain swivels every XX amount of feet with ‘coil spring’ fasteners attached to the beaded swivels for the leaders. Fyi.. You need a bigger reel

Yes I have heard of these and I like the idea. Thank you

[finsntins]

Don’t take the ring off,let it out as long as it takes to hit bottom,run the diver on a 1.5,setting and at 1.5-1.8 mph you should be ticking bottom at 300’ out in around 130 fow 

[glh456]

Stop trolling and try jigging.

 

[glh456]

We catch many lakers on Cayuga this way.

[GAMBLER]

4 minutes ago, glh456 said:

We catch many lakers on Cayuga this way.

Jigging lakers on Lake Ontario is way harder than Cayuga.  You don't have the big currents we have on Lake Ontario.  

[GAMBLER]

9 hours ago, Grizzly8 said:

Thank you !! I'm pretty sure I am using a hammerhead cowbell with a spin n glo. Can I find a gambler rig at fat Nancy's or Sonny's? This will be for Lake Ontario, and finger lakes. 
 

Does the shape of the weight matter?
 

 

Gambler Rigs are available on my website at www.gamblerrigs.com, Mitchels Bait and tackle on Lake Ave in Rochester, Rt 18 tackle at Narbys in Oak Orchard or Roy's Marina on Seneca Lake.  

[sherman brown]

The only problem I can think of with divers is too much drag on them, and they roll over and stop working. As far as getting deep with divers, is the Lite Bite slide diver has a 7 oz weight kit for going deep. I can get down to 65' or more with the stanDard weight and small ring, so I'm guessing the 7 oz weight and large ring would get you very deep. And you always have the option of using wire. But dipsy's, deeper divers, slide divers will all turn with just a deep diving crank bait. so your limited to what you can use with them.