Dialing in Your Depths: A Comprehensive Guide to Downrigger Weight Selection

Downrigger fishing is an art and a science, offering anglers unparalleled precision in presenting baits and lures at specific depths to target suspended fish. A critical component of this system, often overlooked in its nuances, is the downrigger weight. The size, shape, and even material of your downrigger ball can significantly impact your success on the water.

At ReelSchematic.com, we believe in empowering anglers with the knowledge to optimize their gear. This detailed guide will delve into the factors influencing downrigger weight selection, helping you choose the perfect cannonball to consistently hit your target depths and put more fish in the boat.

The Core Purpose of a Downrigger Weight

Simply put, a downrigger weight’s primary job is to hold your fishing line, attached via a release clip, at a precise depth while you troll. As you move through the water, various forces act upon this weight and the downrigger cable, pulling them back and up from a true vertical position. This phenomenon is known as blowback. Understanding and minimizing blowback is key to maintaining accurate depth control.

Key Factors Influencing Weight Selection

Choosing the right downrigger weight isn’t a “one size fits all” proposition. Several interconnected factors dictate the optimal poundage:

Target Depth: This is the most obvious and critical factor. The deeper you want to fish, the heavier the weight you’ll generally need to overcome drag and maintain a vertical line.
- Shallower Depths (Under 50 feet): For kokanee, shallower salmon, or trout in inland lakes, 6 to 8-pound weights are often sufficient.
- Mid-Depths (50-100 feet): A good all-around choice for many salmon and lake trout scenarios, 8 to 12-pound weights are common.
- Deep Water (100+ feet): When chasing deep-dwelling species in large lakes or saltwater, 12 to 20-pound weights, or even heavier, become necessary. Some anglers even go up to 24 pounds or more in extreme depths and currents.
Trolling Speed: As your trolling speed increases, so does the water resistance on the downrigger weight, cable, and even your fishing line and lure. This increased drag causes more blowback, making your weight ride shallower than the counter indicates.
- Slower Speeds (Under 2 MPH): Lighter weights can be effective at slower speeds, as there’s less blowback.
- Moderate to Fast Speeds (2-4 MPH+): If you’re running fast to cover ground or target aggressive fish, a heavier weight is essential to keep your lure in the strike zone. Charts provided by downrigger manufacturers often illustrate the effect of speed on depth for various weight sizes.
Water Current: Whether it’s river current, tidal current in saltwater, or subsurface thermocline currents in lakes, water movement significantly impacts downrigger performance. A strong current pushing against your downrigger system will increase blowback and push your weight off target.
- Strong Currents: Heavier weights are paramount in strong currents to cut through the water and maintain a more vertical line.
- Variable Currents: Be aware that currents can change with depth. Your sonar might show your weight moving erratically or “kiting” if it hits a strong subsurface current.
Downrigger Cable Type: The diameter and material of your downrigger cable play a significant role in drag and blowback.
- Stainless Steel Wire: Traditional stainless steel wire is common. Its smooth surface helps it cut through the water, but it can be more prone to creating an “electrical charge” which some anglers believe can repel fish if not managed with grounding systems.
- Braided Line (e.g., PowerPro Downrigger): Many anglers are switching to specialized braided downrigger lines. These lines have a smaller diameter than wire for the same breaking strength, which translates to less drag and significantly less blowback, especially at deeper depths. This means you might be able to use a slightly lighter weight with braid to achieve the same depth as a heavier weight with wire. Braided lines are also non-conductive, eliminating electrical charge concerns.
Lure Size and Type: While the downrigger weight does most of the heavy lifting, the drag created by your lure, flasher, or dodger also contributes to blowback. Larger, more aggressive lures or those with significant water resistance will increase the overall drag on the system, potentially requiring a heavier downrigger weight to compensate.
Boat Size and Freeboard: On larger boats with high freeboard (distance from water to gunwale), longer downrigger booms are often used to prevent the weight from banging against the side of the boat in rough conditions. This isn’t directly a weight factor, but the overall setup of your downrigger can indirectly influence how well a certain weight performs.

The Benefits of Using a Heavier Weight (When Appropriate)

While it might seem counterintuitive to use a heavier weight than strictly necessary, there are several advantages:

Reduced Blowback: This is the biggest benefit. A heavier weight cuts through the water more efficiently, keeping your downrigger cable closer to vertical. This ensures your lure is consistently at the desired depth.
Accurate Depth Readings: With less blowback, the counter on your downrigger (which measures cable deployed) will be a more accurate indicator of your actual lure depth.
Better Sonar Visibility: When your downrigger weight is more vertical, it’s more likely to remain within the cone angle of your boat’s transducer. This allows you to “mark” your downrigger ball on your fish finder, giving you real-time visual confirmation of your true depth and helping you dial in precisely where the fish are.
Faster Descent: A heavier weight sinks faster, getting your lures down to the strike zone quicker, especially beneficial when frequently changing depths or resetting lines.
Reduced Tangles: By keeping your downrigger lines more vertical and closer to the boat, heavier weights minimize the chance of tangles with other lines, especially when running multiple rods or making turns.
Improved Lure Action (in some cases): A more stable downrigger ball can allow your lure to exhibit its intended action more consistently without being pulled up by excessive blowback.

Downrigger Weight Shapes and Their Impact

Beyond poundage, the shape of your downrigger weight also influences its performance:

Round Ball (Cannonball): The most traditional and widely available shape. They are simple and effective, but can sometimes spin, potentially twisting your downrigger cable.
Finned Ball: A round ball with a stabilizing fin. This fin helps the weight track straighter and reduces spinning, leading to less line twist and more consistent depth. This is a very popular and versatile choice.
Fish/Torpedo Shaped: These hydrodynamic shapes are designed to cut through the water with minimal drag, reducing blowback. They often track very straight and are excellent for deeper trolling or faster speeds where minimizing resistance is key. Some even feature reflective tape for added attraction.
Pancake/Disc Shaped: These flat, thin weights are also designed for reduced drag and straight tracking. They can be very effective at minimizing blowback.

Important Note on Shapes: If you are running multiple downriggers, especially off the same side of the boat, it’s generally recommended to use weights of the same shape and similar size. Mixing shapes can cause them to track differently, increasing the risk of tangles.

Practical Tips for Selecting and Using Weights

Start Heavy, Go Lighter: A good rule of thumb, especially for beginners, is to start with the heaviest weight your downrigger can comfortably handle (e.g., 10-12 lbs for most standard setups). If you consistently find your lines are too vertical or you’re not getting enough blowback for your spread, you can experiment with slightly lighter weights.
Monitor Your Sonar: Your fish finder is your best friend for downrigging. Watch your downrigger ball on the screen. If you can consistently see it, you know your true depth. If it disappears, it’s likely riding high due to excessive blowback, indicating a need for a heavier weight or slower speed.
Observe Your Downrigger Angle: Visually observe the angle of your downrigger cable entering the water. The closer to vertical it is, the more accurate your depth reading. Significant angle indicates blowback.
Experiment and Document: Every boat, every body of water, and every trolling scenario is unique. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different weight sizes, shapes, and trolling speeds. Keep a log of what works best for specific depths, speeds, and conditions.
Safety First: Always ensure your downrigger unit is rated for the weight you are using. Overloading a downrigger can damage the unit or, in extreme cases, even cause structural damage to your boat.

Conclusion

Downrigger weight selection is a finely tuned aspect of precision trolling. By understanding the interplay of target depth, trolling speed, current, cable type, and weight shape, you can make informed decisions that drastically improve your downrigger fishing success. Invest in a selection of quality weights, pay attention to how your system performs on the water, and leverage your electronics to visually confirm your depths. With this knowledge, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of downrigger fishing and consistently putting your baits where the fish are.