Need some advice for cheaper trolling/rigging setups

[bobbyboy26]

Ive got a 20.5 ft Neptune with a evinrude 90 hp. It only has 2 rod holders off the back which straight line over stern. And thats honestly all this boat has. I have alot of work I know. Id love to have a gps/fishfinder, electronice downriggers, planer board setups and the whole bit but right now its not gonna happen. Just wondering if theres a simpler way to attempt this my first season till I get the money next year. But Ive been reading alot about these dipsy divers and wire lining. Without running downriggers, how can I get the presentation deep enough to catch some of the ol silver salmon. I plan on trying to get the boat out of chaumont bay; nearing the black river bay area once fish start staging. Any advice would be cool. Im interested in honestly paying to go on a charter and picking there brain and learning everything but for now here is a start

[bobbyboy26]

and odviously a 5.5 hp motor and a trolling motor too. Ive got drift socks, just bought them. Im not sure whether I sure buy the fishfinder next or start buying gear or what. I have two cabelas downrigging reels with the line counters but no rods. I dont even know what rods to buy for these behemoth fish. It sure would be nice to buy rods that are multi-functional ( Be able to fight salmon, still catch browns and walleyes and smallies and still have a fight)... Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks alot

[Rippin'Line]

Fish finder is necessary if you want to know where the fish are and or how deep your fishing. If it was me I would invest in 2 down riggers first because you can stack the cable with a few lines as opposed to only having two divers out. That's just my opinion tho

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[crumcake1223]

i fire more fish on dipsy's than anyother rod. eagle claw has actual rods for dipsy divers and coast around $30. the part that will kill you is the reels. they need to be meatl spools. im not sure what a cheap new one goes for but the last one i got hit me around $250. but it was a match to one that i snaped the handle off from at the dock and had lasted me 4 years and was still in great shape. im sure if you look on the classified here you'll find a reel nice set for a reel good price. as far as toher rods for a good fight for downriggers ( and i love my riggers too) i use 8 1/2 foot light action ugly sticks with a the pen gt 32 ( i think. not looking at them right now) they came as kits for i think around $200. started out with 1 back in april this year and i think i now have 4 or 5. from browns to kings i dont think theres a better rod. the reel ant no 309 thats for sure but no one makes things like they use to and ill have to see how long its going to last me. im not realy sure of the area your fishing and sorry i cant help you much.

1 last thing i know the best thing i ever did back a few years ago was take a charter when i started fishing in the big pond. it realy showed me a great starting point. great luck and always enjoy a day of fishing when you can

[EYE SPY]

Our 9 ft and 8'3" ugly stiks pull triple duty, planer boards for browns/eyes and rigger rods for salmon. Around $55-60 and virtually indestructible. That said, a fishfinder/GPS should be priority before anything else in my mind.

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[TyeeTanic]

I would go for a cheap wire dispey rod. Eagle claws are about the cheapest you will find.

Wire, go for 7 strand, 30# torpedo wire or equivalent - 1000 ft.

Reels, need something big enough for all that wire. Oukuma Convectors 30D are good.

Dipsey's get size #1. You will be able to get around 80 to 90 feet deep with these.

You'll need floro line (25lb or 30lb test) as a lead from dispey to lure, or to flasher/fly combo.

I agree you'll want a fishfinder quick. You can get an entry level (black and white screen) lowrance

for like $90).

[bandrus1]

buy used!

[adam2000]

No such thing as cheap when fishing great lakes salmon. All good recommendations here. But Riggers are no good without a fishfinder. Get a fishfinder. You can run 4 divers easy.

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[zackblain]

Be on craigslist every minute you can.

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[HONDAM]

Wire dipseys can be expensive, most good rods are $150 new, reel about the same, and $45 for the line, then another $20 for the dipsey and snubber. And if you dont use decent equipment on wire dipseys you can have a lot of break offs which can get even more expensive since youll be buying things twice.

I would recomend going with either leadcore or if you can get a good enough price on a reel that can handle it, copper line. They arent as hard on the equipment and leadcore is pretty easy to pick up on for a beginner.

Also finding a used downrigger would be high on my priority list for a budget rig. Weather it be manual or electric i would get it first over wire dipseys.

[ray koziatek]

live near corning??

[Mortigan]

A good Diawa or Okuma rod/reel dipsy combo runs about $125 new - doubling that gets you an exceptional one. We bought a Daiwa combo already set up, used for $100 and a new Okuma combo that I rigged (about $150 for rod/reel/twilly/wire/swivel).

Getting Ray to raid his closet would be big help

[adam2000]

You don't need 100 dollar rods for wire dipsies. Accudepth rods are 35 bucks. Put a twill tip on them its 7 bucks. Get a convector 30 reel.those are 75 new. Wire is 40 bucks and your ready. Leadcore isn't very versatile. 10 colors will only get you down 50 ft max and that's being generous. You could run a double core but that's about as much fun as bass fishing. Look around here. Sooner or later reels will pop up

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[jekyll]

$31 Daiwa heartland 9'6" dipsy rod

$8-10 Twilly Tip

$65 Daiwa Accudepth Plus 47 LC reel

$30 1000 feet wire line, 7-strand Malin or AFW is less expensive than Torpedo wire

$15 Magnum dipsy diver

$20 flasher/fly combo Or

$6 per spoon.

About $146 per side will get you in the water and down to fish. Add a rod holder and some 30# mono. follow the fleet and catch fish. If I were starting out with what you have and what I know, I would put 2 dipsies in the water first, then buy a fish finder with GPS and lastly, add riggers and rigger rods. This will put fish in the boat for the least up front cost while you save for more equipment. You can see other boats to find the fish and use them to guage speed for the interim, just don't get too close and don't cross behind other boats at less than 300 yards. They will have stuff behind them that you might not understand or recognize. Salmon fishing can be a very expensive illness but, if work hard, you can inexpensively put a good dent in the salmon fishery with 2 dipsy rods and 2 rigger rods run off manual riggers.

Finally, find a friend without a boat who is willing to put up the equipment while you put up the boat. Share gas and lost gear and you will both save a lot of money.

[bobbyboy26]

All you guys are awesome and I really appreciate all the advice. I believe the first thing Im buying is a fishfinder and Im gonna keep my eyes open for some riggers and dipsy reels. If anybody knows anyone selling some please lemme know. Also does anybody know any good charters around the sandy creek area??? Im living on chaumont bay right now but have been reading fishing is hot off sandy.

[Mortigan]

Include a vhf radio And antenna in that list of required equipment.

I've fished charters out of Sandy Creek with both of these captains and can recommend either. You'll find them on LOU as well - Legacy and Jolly II.

http://www.legacysportfishing.com/

http://www.jollysportfishing.com/

[bobbyboy26]

thanks alot. And yea a marine radio is prolly going in the boat this winter. Wouldnt travel out far without one. How are the portable handheld radios??? Are they any good???

[bobbyboy26]

Does anybody also know of any charters out of henderson Harbor??? I live closer to henderson than sandy creek.

[Mortigan]

Charters: http://visitoswegocounty.com/fishing-hu ... rs-guides/ See if you get some personal recommendations - there's a bunch listed here.

Handheld is ok as a backup but vhf is line-of-sight; you really need that 5 - 8ft antenna to get any kind of range. They're not expensive new but pop up used often too.

[bandrus1]

to the original poster just found these

http://binghamton.craigslist.org/spo/3112468136.html

http://binghamton.craigslist.org/spo/3112495226.html

[stoneyxc]

The sandy creek you are reading about is out west, not the one north of Pulaski. Don't want to see you book a charter and have a longer drive than you bargained for!

[bobbyboy26]

STONEY thanks yea i found that out a few months ago. Forgot about that until yesterday. That wouldnt be cool. a 30 minute drive going to 5 hours. Haha