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Rods and Reels


Most fishermen using downriggers prefer long and light rods in the ten to twenty 
five pound class. Fiberglass works very well and holds up to the heavy loading 
on a downrigger. The author uses eight foot six inch Seeker fiberglass rods #SA 
853. They are excellent for both trolling and mooching. For non downrigger 
trolling applications you will need a heavier rod to hold the weight or planer 
device used to take the lure down. 


A long light rod helps catch more fish particularly when you are fishing deep 
with your downrigger. After the downrigger is at depth we recommend tightening 
the drag just enough to be able to bend the rod tip in a big arc. When a fish 
strikes there is a momentary period of slack line. The rod tip will spring 
upward helping take the slack out of the line.

There are three important characteristics in selecting a salmon reel. It should 
have the best drag you can buy, a retrieve ratio of at least four to one to keep 
up with your downrigger and plenty of line capacity. The author fishes with 
Shimano Charter Specials with lever drags. 

Twenty pound test monofilament line represents a good compromise between enough 
strength to land large salmon and a thin diameter which minimizes the drag 
through the water when hooked to your downrigger. Some fishermen prefer to fish 
with twelve or fourteen pound monofilament but line this light will frequently 
twist during trolling. 

A lot of salmon lures spin as part of their action and will badly twist light 
line. Heavier line in the thirty to forty pound range will create a strong drag 
in the water. Extra heavy downrigger weights will be required to compensate for 
this drag. Some fishermen like the new spider wire types of lines for salmon. 
They cut through the water very nicely while trolling. The drawback comes in 
landing fish with no stretch line. The stretch in monofilament helps get a lot 
more fish into the boat.