For those of you that stack lines off of downriggers, what lures and baits do you like to run, and how do you keep them from tangling?
I have tried to find infor through searches but have come up empty so far.
what kind of tack do I need to be able to stack a pair of rods off of 1 downrigger?
Thanks
David

When fishing in the Columbia I usually am trying to fish both lures near the bottom... so I'll usually run a K15 Kwikfish about 30' back on the ball, then stack either a K16 or a magnum wiggle wart about 8-10' above the ball, much farther back (60-80'). I just about never get a tangle with this rig. But for convenience I'll often just run one line on each downrigger, then run another rod or two on jet divers instead of stacking.

Good luck!

A couple of suggestions. Keep the rod tips a good distance apart. If you use a sinking lure on the bottom and a floating one on the top, when you stop, the lines shouldn't cross.

If you are running two lines off one rigger in the sound for BM, Silvers, or whatever you'll want the lower line further back than the top line by about 20-30 feet in distance behind the boat. With flashers or dodgers I space them at least 12-15 feet respectively on the downrigger cable. This is so that once a fish bites on the lower line he'll likley come up and away from the path of the upper, shorter line. When stacking you just have to manage your gear real quick once fish gets on so you lessen the chance of a tangle. Good teamwork is the key.

In addition to the lures combo mentioned, you'll want to ensure the releases are set a little tighter and you leave a hair more slack on the rod. If not, you could be working extra hard with premature releases.

man i hate premature releases !
nothing worse - -
'rigger stacker fishing takes work and isn't to condusive w/ beer drinking - gotta keep a sharp eye out - i'd recommend to not try stacker fishing at a new area for the first time-
try a spot you know the depths your green trip out -

I allmost allways stack my downriggers. I Point the lower rod straight back and is allways the first or lower release. The upper release is connected about 12 feet above the lower one and the rod is pointed out. I also put the lower rod about 15 feet further out than the top rod. I also tend to use a smaller flasher for the top rod. I am assuming that your going to have multiple people on the boat when doing this I then give each of them a rod and have them let the line out as I drop the ball. I have done this by myself by lowering the drag on the two reels and then letting the ball down and ressetting the drag again. I had two of my nieces with me. and it was alot easier doing it myself than having to keep telling them not to make the line to tight and pop the release. It is relatively easy to fish this way and takes a little practice and playing around but not hard. One other thing I like to do is when one rod pops on one side have someone else grab the other rod on that side and get it in and get the downrigger up . I will leave the other side down unless the fish is going crazy or fishing for bigger kings. I dont know how many times within a minute of a rod poping off that I have had one on the other side go off shortly after.

what releases do you guys use off your riggers?

Ha! We take an annual trip to Sooke on RBF's Grand Banks. Typically 4 of us on the boat, so we stack all the time. You do need to be on the ball a bit and teamwork is certainly a key, but as to not being conducive to beer drinking! Blasphemy! In the 10 days we were up there last year we drank at least 19 cases of beer! (and assorted other bevarages!)

You may get a tangle from time to time. One thing we do is to always have an extra rod or two waiting on the side to be immediately put into action.

It can get truly nuts when you hit a school of pinks or the coho go on the bite. One guy steering, one guy cranking on the 600 and two guys reeling in fish! Pandamonium is the only way to describe it. That is what its all about!

I can hardly wait for June, eh!

Offshore medium stacker release is the way to go IMO. You should be able to find them at most local tackle stores.

I really like the "new" Scotty releases. No premature ejerkulation, Hi-Lo adjustment, no open spring to get tangled into and you can't put the line past the pads.

The Offshore mediums are very good. Having changed over to using Spiderwire, I am having better luck with the Scottys in the "outclicked" mode.

Always buy stackers! and then rerig as singles. You get two releases for nearly the same price. Get a crimping tool (which is a must for downrigger work anyhow) and make them whatever length you like.

A good trick if you want more lures in the water without more rods is a slider rig. It only works for lite lures like spoons or squids with out a dodge. Set your rod up with a dodger set up and send it down on the riggers and tighten up your slack like always with rod in the rod holder. Now take a snap swivel and tie on about 20 inches of mono and tie a spoon to the end of the mono. Now just snap the swivel over your main line and let the spoon set up go down the line. It will only go down half way to your ball. So if you are fishing your dodge set up at 40 ft you now have a second lure at 20 ft on the same line. Works great for trout and I know they use it for the great lakes for salmon.

I like using the Scotty power grip releases. I have used offshore releases for years but keep them as backups now because the pads always go bad after constant use.

I always buy the loose Scotty clips. That's the cheapest way of all. Then I make real long lanyards (30" min) by crimping weed-eater line to the release and a duo-clip.

so can you run a pair of flashers and hootchies or do I have to go with a plug on the top to get some seperation?
What do you guys like to combo up?

I rarely stack but plugs don't run well with other gear - they take a faster trolling speed than you want with flashers or spoons.

You can run a pair of flashers, just keep them at least 12 feet apart, and the bottom one at least 5 feet further back, more if you're fishing deeper.

You can run what ever you want. Never had any probs myself.

There are a lot of good tips people have left. Probably the most useful if having the bottom back farther than the top.

Starcraft: What you are talking about is called a cheater. They will fish 50% the depth of you DR ball and hard to get a good hookset. If I remember correctly you don't want to get caught doing that either??

pmartian
you may be right in wa salt water but it was ok for trout where i was doing it and it worked great. it allowed me to fish 4 different depths with two rods while trying to find the best depth . then i could target that depth. yes you have to be quick on the hook set. if the rod bounces set that puppy hard!!!!