Are you new to fishing the Great Lakes with a boat? Looking to learn some basic methods and techniques to improve your catch of freshwater game fish? I’m here to share a few tips to help you get ready to catch fish while trolling from a boat. While there are many alternatives to what I am listing below, these methods have worked well for me.
A Southern Lake Huron salmon caught by Captain Fred in the summer of 2024.
I’m Captain Fred Wondergem, owner and operator of Blue Line Fishing Charters based in Grand Bend and Port Franks, Ontario. With over 40 years of experience fishing the Great Lakes, I aim to assist you in preparing your fishing equipment for the upcoming season.
I primarily use three different trolling techniques, which I will outline below. Additionally, I will discuss a couple of advanced techniques that I recommend you avoid until you gain more experience. I will also cover the best times and conditions for using certain colours, as well as when to choose body baits versus spoons.
Remember, the key to fishing is to have fun with friends and family. If you catch fish during the experience, that’s a bonus!
Trolling Technique #1 - Downriggers
Most avid trollers have a set of downriggers. You don’t need more than two, whether manual crank or electric. If you’re fishing deeper than 20 feet, consider whether you really want to hand crank or if an electric downrigger might be a better investment. Popular brands are Scotty and Cannon. Spending the money on an electric downrigger can save you physical effort and keep you happy, which in turn keeps your spouse happy!
For fishing in the Great Lakes, I recommend using a 12 or 15 lbs. cannonball. There are various brands available, ranging from round to fish or torpedo shapes. A streamlined shape will reduce blowback when fishing deep. Ensure your downrigger can handle a 15 lbs weight before purchasing a pair.
Your fishing line needs to be attached to a release on the downrigger weight. There are many different releases available, such as Chamberlain or Blacks downrigger releases. Downrigger manufacturers also offer their own releases. YouTube is a great resource for learning different ways to rig your releases.
Coho salmon caught along the Southern Lake Huron shoreline in early spring.
In the Great Lakes, I recommend using 20 lbs test fishing line. Downrigger rods are typically 7 - 8.5 ft. I also prefer using a fluorocarbon line to the swivel, attached with a Trilene knot. Don’t skimp on swivels; use a small, high-quality ball bearing swivel. I like Torpedo or Sampo ball bearing swivels, Size #0-#2. Some anglers add 10 or 20 feet of fluorocarbon to the end of their mono line, but I prefer adding 150 ft of fluorocarbon. This is because I use a 5 ft. slider line. When a fish strikes or when you release the line from the cannonball to change lures, the slider will move to the rear lure. If there is a knot in the main line 10 ft. from the lure, the slider may get stuck on it and start spinning, causing a tangle.
What is a Slider (or Cheater) Line?
When you have deployed your downrigger main line and attached it to the cannonball, you have the opportunity to add another line that doesn’t count as a second line. Just be aware of how many hooks you can legally use. I always use a slider line unless I’m trolling with a flasher/spin doctor.
The slider is a 4-5 ft. section of 20 lbs. fluorocarbon line. Attach a small ball bearing swivel to one end and a Duo-Lock Snap to the other using a Trilene knot. When deployed, your main line will be bowed in the water from your rod tip to the cannonball. Attach the Duo-Lock Snap to this line and place your lure in the water, making sure it doesn’t tangle with the main line. It will slide down approximately halfway to the cannonball.
When a fish strikes the slider line, it needs to release from the downrigger, and the snap needs to slide all the way to the main line lure before you get any tension. To ensure this, don’t put your main line lure back 100 ft, as the fish will have a better chance to escape. I typically put my main line back about 15-40 ft. If the fish hits the slider, you may have to manually release it from the downrigger and reel quickly so the slider snap reaches the main line lure to get tension and set the hook.
Trolling Technique #2 – Dipsy Divers
Using dipsy divers allows you to get the lure away from the boat, preventing interference with the downriggers while still staying close enough to avoid tangling with your lead core lines on planer boards. Dipsy divers can also serve as an alternative to downriggers, although they typically won’t reach depths greater than approximately 40 feet.
For this technique, you’ll want a fishing rod with enough backbone to handle a hard pull, typically a medium to medium-heavy rod in the 7-9 ft range. Some rods are specifically designed as dipsy rods. I personally use a 9-10 ft rod, which makes it easier to lift the dipsy diver over the downrigger rod when deploying.
One of the larger king salmon caught last season in southern Lake Huron, off Kettle Point.
Your reel should be spooled with braided or wire line. Do not use mono as it stretches. I use 50# Power Pro. Start by spooling a few yards of monofilament onto the reel using an Arbor Knot… then add the braided line. The monofilament helps prevent the braid from spinning on the reel when you first load it. Use a double uni knot to connect the two lines. Ensure your reel is fully spooled, as the reel drag and line counter function best when the reel is full—don’t just fill it halfway.
Setting Up Your Dipsy Diver Rig
Attach the Braid: Use a Palomar knot to attach your braided line to a ball bearing swivel. This swivel should be slightly larger than the one attached to your lure.
Attach the Dipsy Diver: Connect the Dipsy Diver to the swivel.
Add a Snubber: Attach a snubber (such as those from Luhr Jensen or Dreamweaver) to the Dipsy Diver. The snubber acts as a shock absorber, preventing hooks from tearing out of a fish’s mouth during a strike.
Add Fluorocarbon Line: Attach about 6-8 ft of 20# fluorocarbon line to the snubber using a swivel at one end. Attach a ball bearing swivel at the other end to connect to your lure. Ensure the length of the fluorocarbon line does not exceed the length of your fishing rod unless you plan to bring it in by hand.
I use a setup called a “secret weapon dipsy rig,” which allows me to deploy 50 ft of line behind the Dipsy Diver. However, I don’t recommend this technique unless you are very experienced with dipsy divers. There are YouTube videos available that explain this method in detail.
Important Tips
No Stretch in Braid or Wire Line: Remember, there is no stretch in braided or wire line. Whatever happens at the lure is directly transmitted to the rod tip. You don’t need to do a big hook set.
Secure Rod Holder: Your dipsy rod holder should be securely mounted. I use a Cannon adjustable rod holder in a track system, with the rod tip just above the waterline.
Drag Setting: Keep the drag set so that if a fish hits, it can pull line and you can hear the clicking.
Dipsy Diver Settings and Alternatives
A big rainbow (steelhead) trout from Lake Huron, caught near Kettle Point on Lake Huron.
Dipsy Diver Settings:
Directional Weight: Dipsy Divers have settings on the bottom and a moveable directional weight. Setting 1 keeps the diver close to the boat, while setting 3 takes it further away.
Depth Control: The more line you let out, the deeper the Dipsy Diver goes. Be sure to read the included depth chart for precise adjustments.
Trip Mechanism: There is an adjustable trip mechanism that you can fine-tune with a Phillips screwdriver.
Sizes and Rings: Dipsy Divers come in several sizes and include a removable ring to adjust your depth.
Alternatives to Dipsy Divers:
• Slide Divers
• Jet Divers
• In-Line Snap-On Weights
These alternatives can also help you achieve the desired depth and distance from the boat, offering flexibility in your trolling setup.
Trolling Technique #3 – Lead Core Line
Lead core fishing line can be finicky and may cause headaches when it tangles in and out of your reel. There are two main ways to get the line away from your boat: in-line planer boards and Big Boards/Dual Planer Boards, which are larger boards used with a mast and retrieval reel system.
Tips for Using Lead Core Line:
Attachment: Never attach lead core line directly to your planer board. Instead, attach the braid backing with a rubber band in the release clip. I recommend using Amish Outfitters Trolling Rubber Bands. Without rubber bands, the braided line in the clip may slide.
Types of Lead Core: There are micro lead cores and standard lead cores. Micro lead core allows you to add a little more line to the reel.
Action: Lead core can snake up and down and side to side when changing boat direction and speed. This action can really trigger a strike.
Lead Core Segmentation:
Lead core line is segmented in colours, with each colour being 10 yards and sinking approximately 5 ft. A standard pack is 10 colours and 100 yards long. I have 10 rods with 1-10 colours per rod, depending on how deep I want to fish. Since that’s not practical for most fishermen, there is an alternative:
Deploy, say, 3 colours (taking it 15 ft down) and add a section of mono line, which you can attach to the planer board release. Then, add an additional amount of lead core, say 5 colours. If you deploy all segments, you would have 8 colours in the water, moving it down to about 40 ft.
Spooling a Reel with Lead Core Line
When spooling a reel, I use a second identical reel and put the lines on backwards. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Fluorocarbon: Add 30-40 ft of 20# fluorocarbon to the spare reel.
Lead Core: Attach the desired amount of lead core line by exposing the lead inside the dacron sheath. Snap off about 6 inches of the lead and use a double uni knot to attach it to the fluorocarbon. Use another double uni knot to attach the other end of the lead core to the braid.
Backing: Use braided 50# line as your backing attached with a double uni.
Mono: Once the reel is full with braid, add about 10 ft of monofilament with a double uni knot. The mono prevents the braid from slipping on the reel.
Now, on the reel you are going to fish with, attach the 15 ft of mono with an arbor knot and reel in everything from the other reel.
Deploying Lead Core Line
There are two main ways to get the lead core line away from the boat and other lines:
Big Boards: These are more expensive and usually attached to a mast with a reel system, which can be manual or electric. Deploy the big board to the desired distance from the boat. Then, deploy your lead core until it’s all underwater. Attach a rubber band to your braid backing and clip the rubber band into a release on a shower curtain ring. Attach the shower curtain ring to the line heading out to your board. The more line you let out from your reel, the further your line will go away from the boat. Set your drag loose and put it in a rod holder. When a fish strikes, you will hear your drag clicking. If the rubber band is still attached to your release clip, quickly tighten your drag or put your thumb on the spool and give the rod a jerk to release it.
In-Line Boards: These are less expensive and simpler to use. Attach your backing to the in-line planer board and deploy it to the desired distance from the boat.
Using In-Line Planer Boards:
In-line boards, made by companies like Off Shore or Church, are designed to go off the port or starboard side of your boat. Make sure you have one for each side. Here’s how to use them effectively:
Deploying the Line:
Send out all your lead core line and a little backing.
Attach the backing to the front and rear clips on the in-line board and deploy it. The more line you let out, the further the board will go from the boat.
Multiple Boards:
You can deploy multiple boards on each side of the boat. When they are all in line, even a small fish will make the board visibly drag back a bit.
Some in-line boards have a release called a Sams Pro Release on the front board clip. When reeling in a fish, the front of the board will release, causing the board to flip backwards, making it easier to reel in. Remove the board and continue fighting the fish.
An Atlantic salmon and a rainbow trout caught on Lake Huron can you identify which is which?
Depth Management:
It’s usually wise to have your deepest lead core lines closest to the boat. This way, a one-colour line, for instance, can come over the top of a five-colour line without tangling.
The in-line board can then be redeployed, and the one-colour line will once again go over the top of the five-colour line without tangling. (Well, in theory, anyway!)
Lure Colour vs. Body Bait vs. Spoon
A common question I often get is what colour and type of lure to use. Here are some guidelines to help you choose:
General Rule for Lure Colour:
Bright Day, Light Colours: On bright, sunny days and in clear water conditions, choose lures that are light in colour and mimic natural patterns.
Dark Day, Dark Colours: On cloudy or foggy days, opt for darker colours.
Light Penetration in Water:
-
- Red Light: Penetrates up to about 15 feet.
- Orange Light: Penetrates up to about 20 feet.
- Yellow Light: Penetrates up to about 45 feet.
- Green Light: Penetrates up to about 65 feet.
- Blue Light: Penetrates up to about 110 feet.
- Violet Light: Penetrates up to about 70 feet.
A blue lure remains blue to the greatest depth, which is why it is a very popular colour for Great Lakes lures. This also explains why deep, clear lakes appear blue in colour. Lures with a UV coating tend to work well in clear water, but cloudy waters will diminish the UV effectiveness.
Lure Types and Colours:
Body Baits: On Blue Line, I fish southern Lake Huron and usually use body baits on most of the lead core lines. These include lures like Bombers, Rapalas, and Flicker minnows in popular colours like black and silver, wonderbread, firetiger, baby bass, and crazy crush.
Spoons: On the dipsy divers and downriggers, I usually go with spoons. For spoon colours, popular colours are black and white cracked ice, Skelator, bloody nose, green, blue, and chartreuse.
Maximizing Your Catch:
With one lure, I can catch coho, chinook, and Atlantic salmon, pickerel (walleye), lake trout, and rainbow trout. Using a flasher and fly or cut bait can eliminate one or more species, so as a Charter Captain, I try to maximize what I can catch by deploying a variety of lures.
Early Spring Fishing Tips:
A very popular colour in the early spring is orange. Here are some specific recommendations:
Small Orange Spoon: Use this as your slider line.
Orange Storm Thin Fins or Orange Brads Thin Fish: These are great options to try.
Firebrand Custom Baits: They offer excellent colour-patterned thin fish and glass minnows that coho salmon love.
Triple Threat, GL Spoons, Silver Streak, Warrior, and Dream Weaver Spoons are all Derby sponsors and are excellent spoons.
Try fishing in 15 ft. of water to find salmon in the early spring.
Final Thoughts
Remember to have fun fishing with friends and family to create great memories for the rest of your life. At Blue Line Fishing Charters, I don’t do this for a living—I do it for fun. So when you have fun, I have fun! Good luck to all!
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