Interesting that this hot potato was thrown out by the OP on his first post. Agenda??

Now, back to something seemingly presented as fact....but isn't. A downrigger is not only a tool for fishing deep (as in, for blackmouth) but is also a very effective way of keeping terminal gear in the zone when fishing for mature, returning Chinook higher in the water column as well as coho and even chum.

I truly enjoy daybreak on a cloudy, damp morning in October at Possession slow trolling a cut plug herring with a five ounce lead for late coho. If you can't visualize that anticipation as you work along a rip then you've missed the whole salt water experience.

But when mid-day comes those fish commonly drop down to 100 feet or deeper where the downrigger allows use of a flasher and lure. Now, just try that with 16 ounces of lead. Yup, back to the Point Defiance meat line set up of several pounds of lead on a stubby broomstick of a rod and wire line - sure sounds like fun (not).