Northwest Fishing Reports

I got my first boat last year it's set up for lake fishing. I want to take it out on the columbia for steelhead. How big a downrigger ball do I need.

P.S. my freezer is empty and the wife thinks I can't catch fish, help me.

I don't fish the Columbia so I can't help you there. Most of the stuff I see about the Columbia in STS involves using lead weights and fishing plugs instead of using downriggers.

I would say 12lb and heavier is pretty common in Puget Sound. I used to use 8lb balls, but the blow back on the downrigger wire is pretty bad when the current is running hard, when fishing deep, or when trolling 3+mph for coho. I switched to 12lb this year and the blowback is not an issue anymore.

The only times I have fished the Columbia is with guides and as said above, we used big dropper weights with bait or spinners (either trolling or anchored in the hog line) or pulled plugs.

I use 12# and braided DR line for all of my DR fishing (PS and lakes). Works for me.

you probably won't be all that deep trolling for steelhead. How deep do you expect to troll? Less than 30'

as above, for saltwater and the Columbia 12 pound I think is a much better weight, lakes for kokanee or trout or sockeye you can drop back to 8-10. In saltwater I'm now using 14 pound cans I make myself.

If trolling the Columbia it's a good idea to have emergency wire cutters or line cutters in case you get hung up. If your boat was to turn around the stern would fill so fast you'd be under just like that. Not meaning to scare, but safety first. Years ago I trolled with DRs at Vernita, which is how a lot of guys did it then. The bottom can go from 50 to 30 really fast. Got to stay on top of it!

Mike Carey wrote:as above, for saltwater and the Columbia 12 pound I think is a much better weight, lakes for kokanee or trout or sockeye you can drop back to 8-10. In saltwater I'm now using 14 pound cans I make myself.

If trolling the Columbia it's a good idea to have emergency wire cutters or line cutters in case you get hung up. If your boat was to turn around the stern would fill so fast you'd be under just like that. Not meaning to scare, but safety first. Years ago I trolled with DRs at Vernita, which is how a lot of guys did it then. The bottom can go from 50 to 30 really fast. Got to stay on top of it!

Good point on the safety Mike. Also on the Scotty electric downriggers the brake tension is adjustable with the hex nut on top of the spool. There is a video on youtube by Scotty that shows the adjustment procedure. I believe the tension is supposed to be around 30lbs when pulled with a fish scale. That way the brake should pay out line if the ball does hang up on the bottom and you won't swamp your boat.

Thanks everyone for the info my 8 pounder was not cutting it. Good idea Mike I'm taking wire cuters next time I go out.

When I fish the upper Columbia, I use 8lb balls. Plenty of weight where I fish on the river, Ringgold to Brewster.

I just whipped up a new downrigger weight that should be transparent to my sounder. I've been using balls and fish, but I upgraded sounders and th ed new one sees my downrigger ball to strongly. I used a 1 5/8" stainless steel pipe 10" long and filled it with #8 lead shot. I tapered the ends to reduce the reflection of the transducer......hopefully it will be the ticket.