# Outfitting first salmon boat... Need input!



## Lwapo (Dec 27, 2005)

Hi Everyone,

I purchased my first bigger boat this past fall! I bought an older fiberglass 23' fishing boat with a Ford 351W motor and Volvo Penta 250AQ Outdrive. I have spent the winter restoring/rebuilding/fixing/etc. We've replaced the motor, rebuild the outdrive and replaced every wire in the boat as simple precautions.

Now that the basics things such as floating, moving and steering have been taken care of, it's time to start purchasing toys! You'll hear me speak about "us" or "we" a lot, this refers to my brother who is helping me with this project. Our goal is to have the boat ready to go by spring so that we can start learning and testing once the ice melts.

Our tentative game-plan is as follows...

We are thinking of putting tracks such as Berts or Traxxtech along each sidewall of the boat. Approx 48" tracks should give us plenty of space to maneuver. We plan to run 2 dipseys off each side, and possibly a planer board. (Obviously starting with 1 and working up as we get comfortable with equipment.)

To start, (Downriggers are expensive) we plan to run 1 downrigger from each corner of the boat.

We'd like to leave the center of the rear of the boat more open to allow us to fight/land fish. We are guessing that to start we will need more space than most people while we learn to maneuver the boat and gear while landing a fish.

All in all, this would give us 8 lines on a good day. This is plenty for us right now. If we get motivated, we may add a downrigger to the center of the rear of the boat to get up to 9 lines, but I doubt that we'd ever go beyond 9.

I think that the boat is a 7-8' beam. The cabin is slightly further forward giving it that "fishing boat" look with more space in the rear. The motor sits at the center of the rear of the boat and has the motor box that we have to work around. There is 2' or so of space on each side of the motor so we are able to get to the rear of the boat to fight/land fish.

SO, what we are looking for input on......

Rod Holder systems. I know a bit about Berts and Traxxtech, and they are very similar. Is one better than another? Are there others that I should be looking for? Which rod holders will handle those large dipseys? I know they pull quite hard.

Rods - Downrigger, dipsey and planerboard rods. What should I be looking for in a rod? What are some examples of decent rods? I don't need a Ferrari, but I don't want a Chevette either. Something that is in the upper-middle class of rods would be great for now.

Reels - I know that I want line counters on the reels but I'm not really sure what else to look for. In the past, I have used Daiwa, and Penn, but when it comes to Salmon, I'm sure that someone here will know better than me.

Electronics - I am an IT guy by trade, so this is something that I am comfortable researching on my own, but it never hurts to throw out a request for suggestions. I'd like to keep my budget at or below the $700 mark. I have been looking at the Lowrance models (7 Elite HDI, or something like that) but I have just started looking. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Basically, I am outfitting the boat from scratch. I am sure that once I am on the water, my opinions of what I want will change dramatically, but for now I am basing it on what I've heard from other people and what they have done with their boats.

Thank you in advance for ANY help and suggestions!


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## bbi-smoke (Feb 21, 2010)

Replacing that wiring! Wish I would have done that to start, nice call! 
I have burt's and they handle the big dipsy fine!

Far as rods and reels, Okuma makes some good combos with line counters also! I bought 4 a couple years ago and think they are great and very reasonable price! 

If you live near linwood go to Northwoods, they have enough rods and such there to make your head spin! 

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## Supersport18 (Sep 11, 2009)

Diawa heartland are good dipsey rods. They have a roller guide rod that ive used for 2yrs now and have been very happy with. Ive used berts and traxtech. Both are good but traxtech is sghtly better in my opinion.ratcheting holders are the way to go for dipseys. stay away from the plastic rodholders if youre salmon fishing.For the money,I like Walker downriggers.If you dont mind cranking get the kingfishers. fast cranking and can be upgraded later on to electric for a couple clams. Contact Lord of the Riggers when you need some planer trees. Outstanding person to do business with.He is a Big Jon dealer.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Davelobi (Feb 14, 2012)

The Bert's track is awesome. You can remove your expensive goodies for theft safety, move things around, etc.
I love my Bert's holders for my dipsey rods. They are tough.
I have triple tree tite-loc holders for other rods like core, lead, bords, etc. They are not near as sturdy as the burt's but do the job nicely, have lots of adjustments and piced a little easier. My riggers have double rod holders and I sometimes use stackers. That would bump you from 8 rods to 10 without that extra rigger.

My favorite reel for salmon trolling is the Daiwa Great Lakes 47LC. $100 each but you will be handing them down to your grandson. Okuma has come on strong lately and makes good stuff. I have some of those too.

At the rate you are spending (if I had your money) an auto pilot is on my dream wish. Punch a heading and just fish.


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

You've got a great plan started. I would add some birdtree holders for planer boards (leadcore, copper, long lines) then two adjustables per side for high/low dipsys. And a short arm rigger on each corner.

Penn 320/340 gti/gto reels work great for copper leadcore and downriggers where a line counter isn't necessary and two old 47lc or okuma convectors for dipsys. Fireline and or wire on them.

Heartlands are great rods.


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## jatc (Oct 24, 2008)

Definitely go with a track system. In fact, I'd even buy the downrigger mounts and put those on tracks too so you can move them around a little to fine tune (a NEVER ENDING process). 

You will NEVER have enough rod holders! Figure out how many you think you need, and then double it. Trust me on this one!

I actually like the Eagle Claw Starfire rods for downriggers, but if you really want to have some fun with the fish pick up a few ML Ugly Stick downrigger rods. DO NOT use them in heavy boat traffic, but when you have room to play they make the fight a little more interesting.

Everything other than our larger core and long copper rigs are Diawa 47lc reels. Expensive yes, but basically bulletproof if you do yearly checkups on them. for the long lines we use,I believe anyway, Okuma 55's and have never had any problems with them. Would love to upgrade to the high end Shimanos, but that is more coin than we care to drop and the others are working for us.

One thing to think about is tackle storage, both permanent and temporary. We have our permanent boxes for long term storage, and then we typically load up what we know we will be using in a smaller, more convenient package for when we are actually fishing and rigging. You'll need a plan for the gear as there is a TON of it.

Lastly about electronics. I haven't used or been around the newer Lowrance products at all (the HD stuff), but I personally will NEVER AGAIN invest one dime into another Lowrance product. Maybe things have changed, but I got burned twice (and they were both $2000+ graphs) and know all too well how bad the customer service is with that company. That said, when it is "right" I like my current Lowrance graph, but the other one now rests in 450' of water somewhere off of Frankfort. I have heard "Friends don't let friends purchase Lowrance products", so I'm thinking I'm not alone here in this regard.

Last thought.... however you think you want your riggers and rodholders set up TODAY will most likely change by next year. Give yourself a flexible system to start with. It will save you money in the long run even if it costs more now.


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## jatc (Oct 24, 2008)

I forgot the most important part.... GET AN AUTO PILOT installed on your boat.

Apparently, at least in my experience, finding a wheelman that can keep your boat going in a straight line when you have six billion lines in the water is the toughest part of salmon fishing. I take out a lot of inexperienced people, which means I run the back of the boat, and MAYBE 2 out of 10 of them can figure out how to steer the boat. Add a three foot cross chop and a stiff breeze and you might as well stay at the dock without an autopilot.

The other thing that happens is that often there is only two of us on any given day. That is doable with autopilot, without it is tricky to say the least.


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

Looks like the rod holder debate is about done. 

I just thought I'd throw out a recommendation for rods. Ugly Stik 8'3" downrigger rods are pretty popular and a great all around rod. Work great for riggers, birds, and even short cores. I have run them for up to 5 colors, but usually just use them for 1, 2, or 3 colors. I use those rods for spring browns with boards, on riggers, plugging in the river, walleye fishing, you name it. They aren't priced too bad, about $50. They hold up to the abuse, and have a good warranty on them as well. They are a light enough rod to crank the rod down in a rod holder if it is on a rigger, enough flex in the tip if you have them out on boards, but enough backbone to fight a fish down deep. By far, I prefer these rods over most heavier downrigger rods on the market.

As was mentioned, Diawa has some good rods for Divers, as well as shimano and okuma being popular. I would suggest going with the 10' rods for high divers, and maybe 9' for your lows (if you are going to run 4 divers). Otherwise, start with the 10's as it is nice to have the extra clearance between your diver lines and your riggers when making turns or crabbing while trolling in the trough. 

For cores or copper, I'd again suggest the Daiwa, okuma, or shimano rods. The heavier/longer the core or copper, the heavier the rod you will probably want. A longer rod will also help you keep the board out of the water when you are getting it close to the boat, instead of letting the board dive on you. 

For reels, there are alot of options. For counter reels, Daiwa SG47LC are a popular reel that has been around for a long time. Daiwa also has a lower end linecounter the Accudepth. Never used it, but wasn't impressed when handling them. Okuma has some decent reels such as the convectors, but I would stay away from their lower end Magdas if you are looking for something to last. If you are looking to go higher end, Shimano Tekotas seem to finally have most of the bugs worked out of them and are nice reels, but pricier.

For downrigger reels, again, lots of options. Again, the Tekotas are probably the higher end. Penn 320 is a decent reel that has been around a long time. Okuma has several to pick from, but once again, I'd stay away from their low end. Shimano also has the Triton reels. I have a couple that have held up suprisingly well for the price. I got them for under $50, but I think you can still find them for around $60. Only downside is they have less capacity than some other reels mentioned. 

Reels for cores or copper is pretty much the same players as mentioned earlier. Penn 330, 340, or 345 are all popular. Some of the bigger convector reels work well. Shimano Tekota has sizes that will handle long cores or coppers as well.


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

jatc said:


> ....but if you really want to have some fun with the fish pick up a few ML Ugly Stick downrigger rods. DO NOT use them in heavy boat traffic, but when you have room to play they make the fight a little more interesting.


 uhhhh.....I guess I must be doing it wrong then. I'll use those 8'3" L action Ugly Stiks in heavy traffic, no traffic, down 180', etc, all year. But then again, never had any issues with the rods, and by the number of other boats I have fished on that also run them, I don't think most people have had issues with them either. Unless you are talking about the 7' 1-piece rods, which maybe I could see that. But we used to run them on riggers in the late 90's when the fish were bigger, in traffic, and still didn't have any issues, even with inexperienced customers on the rods.


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## andyotto (Sep 11, 2003)

Get a couple of the big torpedo divers. Its almost like having 2 extra down riggers.


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## jatc (Oct 24, 2008)

wartfroggy said:


> uhhhh.....I guess I must be doing it wrong then. I'll use those 8'3" L action Ugly Stiks in heavy traffic, no traffic, down 180', etc, all year. But then again, never had any issues with the rods, and by the number of other boats I have fished on that also run them, I don't think most people have had issues with them either. Unless you are talking about the 7' 1-piece rods, which maybe I could see that. But we used to run them on riggers in the late 90's when the fish were bigger, in traffic, and still didn't have any issues, even with inexperienced customers on the rods.



Yeah, I was referring to the short rods. I should have specified that I guess. Just not as much leverage to gain line with quickly, especially for those a little more "challenged" when it comes to fighting fish. You know the type, those that think the star drag is for better grip on the reel handle for instance.:lol:


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## bombcast (Sep 16, 2003)

personally, unless proven otherwise, during the summer I run 2 riggers, 2 dipsies and the rest out the sides - coppers, cores, and braid/torpedo rigs. And if the board rods are firing, as they usually, I pull one or both dipsies to get more stuff off the side. With just 2 guys in the boat, I usually don't even bother with dipsies, and run 2 riggers and 4 coppers instead. 

Invest your money in copper rods/reels. I never run leadcore longer than 1/2 core (20' down), so aside from one or two of those and a shorter core or two, I'd recommend 2 150 coppers, 2 225 coppers, and 2 300 or 350 coppers. Plus 2 47LC's on dipsy rods loaded with braid for either torpedo divers or lead drops. 

Really, to cover all possible situations in the summer, you should have:

-4 rigger rods (2 of which can double as board/high-line rigs, and 2 or 3 color cores can fit into this
- 6 coppers
- at least 1 wire dipsy rod, if not 2
- at least 2 braid rods with linecounters, for dipsies and torpedos
- 2 4-5 color rods

Those 16 cover you for anything. 

In the spring or fall, more mono rods for highline trolling, and fewer "junk rods. 

So 20 oughtta cover it. :lol: Or 24, maybe 28 rods. I wouldn't ever bring more than 33, maybe 34 rods.


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## bombcast (Sep 16, 2003)

Ok, 40. No more than that. 

Seriously, make sure whatever track set-up you go with, that you're set-up properly to run 3 boards correctly and efficiently on each side. You will catch more fish.


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

I've lost more fish to board BS than anything I love my divers and riggers


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

Good point I wouldn't support lowrance. They have hands down the worst customer service I have ever come across. 1 hour every time on hold just to speak with someone.


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## Lwapo (Dec 27, 2005)

Hi everyone,

I LOVE the help so far, it's given me a jumping off point where I can really start looking into things.

A couple more questions....

Can you recommend electric downriggers that won't break the bank as much? I don't really want to be shelling out $700 per rigger if I can avoid it!

Can anyone suggest some auto pilot options? It seems like that would be a HUGE deal to have but I don't even know where to begin looking.

Lastly, what "type" of rods should I be looking at? What length? Heavy vs Medium Heavy, etc?

Thanks again! I really appreciate all the help!


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## Davelobi (Feb 14, 2012)

Don't go heavy on the rods. Medium is fine, medium heavy if you insist. Feel the fish better, less hook pull-outs, more action noticed on a hit, etc. Just my thoughts.

I'd look to craigslist for riggers. The good brands are made for many many years of use. Someone always getting out of fishing and you can probably find a nice newer pair for half the price of new. I did when I upgraded from manual to electrics. Leaves you more cash for those bank breaking items like auto pilot and electronics.


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## Nick D. (Aug 7, 2011)

I put a Raymarine SPX 5R with the p70r controller on our Ranger 230C (center colsole) with a 250 Verado this year. Absolutely love it! I've trolled every direction in the waves with it and it held straighter than I can. I think it helped having it on the electronic steering system instead of a cable, since there wasn't any resistance to the drive motor. 

When you get into rod length, I'm sure you will get several different responses, the best you can do is pick a starting point an find out what works best for you. I use Okuma, but there are lots of good companies out there. I would suggest going to a sport show and talk to the representatives there.You can get a lot of good advice and it really helps to be able to actually have the equipment in your hand. It's easy to get information overload starting out, so the best advice I can give you is to keep it simple and just go have fun!


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## bombcast (Sep 16, 2003)

riggers - Craigslist would be your best bet of keeping costs down. Buyer beware of course, but get the longest booms you can find for max versatility. There's more Cannons and Big Jons around than anything. And both would be good from a service standpoint - Big Jon's in TC, and Cannon has service in Muskegon.

You want heavy action for dipsies, Okuma has a copper rod that's hard to beat for the price, and rigger rods there's a world of choices - Shimano, Ugly Stick, Daiwa Heartland. 4 copper rods and 4 downrigger rods should set you back no more than $350.

Reels - you want solid linecounters for dipsies - Daiwa 47LC's are hard to beat. Rigger reels, a million choices - Daiwa, Shimano, Okuma, Abu, Penn. For pure durability and a good, solid drag, hard to beat Daiwa Sealine 27's. 

Copper/leadcore reels - hard to beat the Okuma 55's or the bigger Penns.


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## Tiarafied (Nov 12, 2012)

If you want to take a little road trip, I can set you up with just about everything you need to start. I have a bunch of brand new, never used rigger and dipsy rods, spoons, dipsy's, body baits, flashers, everything. Daiwa SGs, Penn 330s, Ugly Stiks, Taloras, you name it. Might even part with a pair of Big Jon Capt Pack riggers, cannonballs, planer boards, releases, everything. This stuff has been sitting around and needs a home. There is no junk. I tournament fish, have zero tolerance for cheap equipment. I'm keeping the stuff I use, everything else can go. Would save you a ton of money rather than buying new in store.


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