Trolling Bunker Spoons on Down Riggers

[Fishin Dude]

Trolling with downriggers can have some advantages. You can fish with less line out so when you hook up, you don't have to reel in 300 feet of line.  use mono instead of wire, which let's you use "what you have" as opposed to buying Trolling set ups. Control your depth more accurately, add to the spread with less tangles.
That's what I've been lead to believe anyway. If I'm wrong, let me know before I spend the dough.

Downriggers were never designed to replace rods, just as an additional  trolling aid. They have many benefits. Try Trolling lightweight lures for salmon or trout with wire.
I have fished using downriggers on Lake Ontario, Round Valley, and out in California, they do work .  Over the years, noted fishermen such as Tony Maja and others have come up with innovative ways to use them to catch even more fish.  If it works, it can't be wrong. Have you had bad experiences fishing with them?

As for installation and maintaining downriggers, it can be as simple as placing them in a rod holder or drilling a few holes for the bolts of the mounting plate. Anyone who can't do simple things to their boat is in serious trouble if something happens out on the water.

Finally, economics fishing, and boats, if you don't want to spend money, watch fishing on television

Well said Darren.. obviously spoken from the real experience of someone who has set up and fished from they're own boats..  Some great info on this thread sprinkled with some pretty ridiculous statements.. 

I've used them for many years myself from Lake-O trolling  to dead sticking flutterspoons for shad in the Delaware.. the advantages you describe are all not only true in my own experience, but well documented over the years..  no point arguing any of that.. they are a great tool for quick, repeatable and precise depth control..period..are they too much trouble? depends...  Like anything else in fishing, their use requires  some practice, and getting the routine down..tough to fish them alone without an AP..or with a green crew.. but a couple guys that know whats up can be deadly once they get it down..I know for a fact even with a manual,  I can pick up a ball out of 50' check/reset the bait and redeploy alot quicker than cranking up the amount of wire needed to attain the same depth.. and have alot more fun doin it..     As to Ricks ? about loading the rod..I have'nt tried this bungee method yet either in salt.. but  I would think you would get the same effect as with the rubber Luhr Jensen snubbers (hint, hint Tony M) we  use on the Dipsey's and sometimes on the ball pulling dodgers..In addition to allowing for that desired "throb" of the lure,  The stretch of the rubber also allows the fish to get a good hold on the lure before the release trips.. once the bungee is maxed and the release trips, the retraction of the bungee should help take up the slack and get the load back on the rod.. Something to try for sure anyway

P.S. Darren I got a nice Cannon manual on a Gimbal  mount.. you are welcome to borrow it and see if it makes sense for your striper fishing before you buy anything   

Thanks for the kind  offer Treebeard, I'll consider it. That's one of the reasons I love this site. Great people always willing to lend support, help each other out, and make lasting friendships, all with the common bond, Fishing. Let me repeat a fantastic quote I recently read in The Big Game Fishing Journal, from a great fisherman and icon, Tred Barta: "Never pass up an oppurtunity to help a fellow fisherman" . Great words of wisdom, but I lived it here first. 

[FishOn]

When I finally get my 60' custom sport fisher, you can bet your ass I will not only have downriggers but also the tallest damn tuna tower possible. I will never use it as I'm not fond of heights, but it will look awesome and it will be fun to delay commuter car traffic for 10-15 minutes at every bridge      

[Scott G.]

When I finally get my 60' custom sport fisher, you can bet your ass I will not only have downriggers but also the tallest damn tuna tower possible. I will never use it as I'm not fond of heights, but it will look awesome and it will be fun to delay commuter car traffic for 10-15 minutes at every bridge      

[Bucktail]

This might be old news for many of you.  Although I've sold downriggers and have a basic understanding of how they are used, I've never fished with them and I found this video interesting.

[youtube=600,340]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW34yGWzZ84 [/youtube]

[Still Running]