What length of wire are you guys running on your riggers. I think the electrics come with 200 or 250 feet, which is hardly enough to get down below 150'. Do you just respool them as soon as you get em home from the store?
JMS

I think 250' is enough. If you are having a hard time reaching bottom in 150' of water try a heavier ball, like 15 - 20#.

Hey Little Fish... How's it been goin' for you?

My standard is 300'... this should get you down to 200' with a 15# ball trolling at 2.5 mph or so... I have a couple ready spares at 400' for areas like the "Trench" at Green Pt or Pt Defiance for fishing 200' plus.

Downriggin'

My Scotty Downriggers came with 250' and I've never had an issue getting down to 200'. I use a 12-15lb ball.

The pancake balls have less water resistance than the round balls. They stay at a deeper depth. My buddy likes the round and teardrop shaped ones. When we fish together I have a less of an angle to my wire than he does.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm only using 10# balls which may be part of the problem.

Downriggin--I'm doing good. How are you? Glad to hear you are having success up here (was sick last weekend so couldn't make it out to Elliot Bay). Too bad you'll be away till July. The only good part is there will be a few extra fish around for the rest of us to catch (jk).

I hope to get out one or both days this weekend and will post how I do.
James

I just put 400 feet on my 'rigger and was glad I did this weekend, when I caught the wire in the prop and had to cut off 160' The price difference between 300' and 400 ' was only $4 - wire doesn't cost much more than good line, so I'd get the big spool just in case. And get the off-brand wire, like Mason, anything that has the name of a company on it that makes downriggers seems to cost twice as much

I've gone to 15 lb booger balls and at 2.5 mph I'm only deflecting about 10 feet with 160 feet of wire out, so even with 200 feet on fishing the 150 line is no problem unless you hang up - did that trying to downrig Dalco yesterday (yeah, I know, serves me right) and was glad I had some extra wire so I could play out some and get updrift to get loose.

Thank the fish Gods for blackmouth in this lousy steelhead year

where do you guys get 15lb balls? i've looked @sportco GI joes etc and 12lb is the biggest ifound
thanx
spinner

Sportco has a big box of them, pretty cheap too