How to Make a Downrigger

Downriggers allow for fishermen to trawl for fish well below the surface. The system weighs down your lure to the depth you want, allowing you access to fish you could not reach before. Instead of buying a professionally built downrigging system, build one that will function just as well and will save you hundreds of dollars, allowing you to extend your fishing vacation that much longer.

Things You'll Need

  • Spool of 50 lb. test wire
  • Foldback paper clip
  • 10 lb. weight
  • Fishing rod, reel and lure
  • Bait
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tie the 50 lb. wire around the arms of the foldback paper clip. These are the large black paperclips used to clamp thick stacks of paper. There should be about 5 feet of slack on one end of the wire, with the other end left on the spool.

    • 2

      Tie the loose end of the wire securely onto the 10 lb. weight. Ideally, use a round or otherwise hydrodynamic weight that will give as little resistance through the water as possible.

    • 3

      Clamp the line from the fishing rod into the paper clip. While on your boat in deep water, secure the line from the fishing rod into the foldback paper clip with a baited lure extending from it about 6 feet. Drop the weight into the water and let it sink down to a pre-determined depth with the other end of the wire secured to a fixed surface on your boat. The weight will pull the clip, with your fishing line connected to it, down to the desired depth. The lure will trawl behind it. When a fish takes the bait, it will pull the line from the clip, putting tension on the line, alerting you to reel it in.

    • 4

      Reel in the line when you feel a catch. Pull up the wire and weight to reload the line into the foldback paper clip to get another one.