Your boat head experts discuss how a few things frustrate us as much as staring at mark after mark on the fish finder, while our offerings go untouched. We’ve all been there — wondering what we’re doing wrong, why the fish won’t rise to take a bait, and what we could be doing differently to trigger a strike. 

We have a number of ways to get baits down beneath the surface: planers, lipped lures and using oodles of lead are all options. But you’ll have a tough time finding someone versed in the use of downriggers who doesn’t believe them to be a superior tool for reaching deep fish in a number of situations.

Thermal Adjustment

“Fish don’t just sit up top, especially when there’s a strong thermocline,” says tournament angler and team captain Mark Henderson of Liquid Fire, who fishes everywhere from the Gulf coast up to his home port in North Carolina.

Henderson says he always runs two downriggers, and mixes up what’s offered on the lines — usually skirted baits, plugs or live baits — to give the fish some options. He’s caught species ranging from sailfish (as deep as 85 feet) to mahi to king mackerel.

Even when there isn’t a strong ­temperature break beneath the surface, Henderson still utilizes downriggers to give his baits a slightly different look. “Changing the presentation just that much, with a common bait like a cigar minnow or ribbonfish that’s usually placed at the surface, sometimes makes a difference.”

How Many Fish Will Your Downriggers Help You Catch?

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The other downrigger ­application he advocates — and it’s a popular one — is trolling for wahoo. “A lot of times, they prefer a subsurface bait,” he says. “In that case, a purple-and-black Ilander lure rigged with a ballyhoo is the ­preferred offering.”

Forgione says this technique makes ­downriggers very effective for targeting sailfish, and also for blackfin tuna in spring. “They always seem to be swimming right along that temperature barrier,” he explains. “And you have to remember that the temperature and the currents can be completely different down below, sometimes as little as 20 feet down.”

Pay to Play

Effective though they might be at times, downriggers must be properly tended. “When you get a fish on the line, you need to get the downrigger ball up and out of the way fast,” Henderson explains, “or you risk a disaster.”

But will a downrigger expand your options, and allow you to apply the most effective tool possible when the conditions call for it? You bet, and that will help you turn those frustrating sonar marks into fish on the end of your line.

So don’t forget these great tips on using your boat’s downriggers to help you fish offshore. 1) Downriggers can give bait a different and more appealing look;  2) they help you get your bait to the part of water at the right temperature;  and 3) make sure you tend your downriggers properly.

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