What a Downrigger Does
A downrigger is a mounted winch that lowers a heavy weight on a cable. Your fishing line clips to the weight with a release, so your lure runs at the depth you choose. When a fish strikes, the line pops free of the clip and you fight the fish on your rod. It is a standard way to reach lake trout in deep water, particularly in summer when they stay in cold depths.
Basic Gear
- Downrigger: manual or electric, mounted on a boat. Electric units make it easier to raise and lower weight.
- Weights: commonly in the 10 to 20 pound range, with heavier weights helping in current or faster trolling.
- Release clips: hold the line until a fish strikes.
- Rods and reels: trolling rods with a line-counter reel are helpful for repeating depths and setbacks. Line choice varies; many use 15 to 20 pound test mono or braid with a fluorocarbon leader (see fluorocarbon vs mono line for the trade-offs). A different rod from your stream setup is typical; see best trout fishing rod for light-tackle options.
- Depth finder or fish finder: to find fish, bottom structure and temperature breaks.
Finding the Right Depth
Lake trout favor cold water, generally in the lower 50s Fahrenheit or colder, and in many lakes that means deep water in summer, often well below 50 feet and sometimes much deeper. Use your electronics to mark fish and bait, and fish just above them or a few feet above the bottom. The principles in how to know where fish are apply to reading structure and temperature breaks on a sonar screen. In spring and fall they can be much shallower. Seasonal changes are discussed in trout fishing in fall.
Rigging and Setbacks
The setback is the amount of line between the downrigger weight and the lure. A common starting point is a few tens of feet for spoons, and shorter for flashers or attractor rigs. Experiment with different distances and staggering depths until a pattern emerges.
Many anglers add an attractor such as a flasher, cowbell or lake troll ahead of a lure, with a short leader. Spoons, tube jigs and minnow-style lures are common behind them.
Trolling Speed
Typical speeds are in the range of about 1.5 to 3 mph depending on lure and conditions. Watch your lure action and your downrigger angle: too fast and a lure may spin or skip; too slow and some lures lose action. Using a speed sensor or GPS helps.
Colors
Lake trout take a variety of colors. Metallic silver, blue, green and glow finishes are common in deep, dim water, and brighter colors can work in shallower or stained water. Rather than rely on one color, try different options and note what works.
The Strike and the Fight
When a lake trout hits, the line pulls out of the clip and the rod loads up. Take the rod, reel quickly to take up slack, and keep steady pressure. Lakers often fight in deep runs rather than leaps. Bringing fish up from depth can harm them if released, so decide quickly whether to keep or release, and handle fish carefully with wet hands or a net designed for release.
What Is the 100 Foot Rule?
There are a few rules of thumb floating around, and I would not treat any as a fixed standard. A common idea is that depth plus setback is something you can estimate from line out, but cable angle and speed change the actual depth, so use a counter and, ideally, a depth tracker. When in doubt, check your actual depth with your electronics.
How to Troll for Trout in General
Without a downrigger, trollers use long lines and weight such as lead core line or split shot to reach moderate depths in shallower lakes and rivers. Lake trout often require more depth.
Safety and Regulations
Mind boat safety, wear a life jacket and keep hands clear of cables and weights under tension. Check regional rules on rods per angler, size and bag limits, and whether downrigger fishing is allowed. See also best bait for trout for other methods and rigs.