Planer Fishing - Downriggers

Planer fishing with downriggers is a fantastic method to get your bait deep into the water. Typically, you might use No. 4, 6, or 8 sized planers on your rods. However, with a downrigger, you can go for No. 12 or 24. This ensures your bait reaches deeper layers of the water column. There will be instances when fish are suspending deeper than what your smaller planers can access. That's when the downrigger becomes essential.

If you've done planer fishing on smaller boats where space is a constraint, you're likely familiar with the hand line planer. This setup involves around 150 feet of cable connected to a planer, which is then cleated to your boat. As the name suggests, you'll have to hand line this in. A yo-yo is used to wrap the line, which is then stored on the yo-yo itself. A video will provide a clearer understanding of this.

The downrigger is essentially an advanced version of the hand line. The spool replaces the yo-yo, ensuring no line is left on the deck. All the line is neatly stored on the spool, preventing any tangles. Additional benefits include:

• A boom arm that prevents the planer from striking the boat.
• Capability to withstand the strain of pulling a large planer.
• Easier reeling in of the line compared to hand pulling.