Lake Michigan Trolling Tips and Tactics

I am very new to the whole Lake Michigan trolling scene, did it a few times last year with little success. This year we are a little better equipped, but I still need to know some of the basics. Like typically how far behind the downrigger ball do you run the lure? How far behind a dipsy? A slide diver? What are the best trolling speeds? Still trying to figure out the whole dodger fly thing?!

I know these are pretty general questions, but I am just looking for some general guidlines. Also any "secret" tips or tactics would be greatly appreciated!

Edit: posted pic is back......This is a quick way to get two hooks down on one rod. Saw it used on a charter, and I usually deploy it with a dodger on the bottom leg and a spoon on the upper. The top leg is 7 foot and the bottom twice as long rigged on this 8'6" rod. It takes a little practice to hook up to the rigger ball with two baits swinging around. The pic shows a rubber band cinched on for the rigger clip but just looping the line works too.The palomar knot tied to a small swivel slips thru the guides to store the rig as shown. I have yet to catch two fish at once with it. Can't wait....

Here's 30# copper tied with an Albright  with 30# mono wrapping copper on the top, and 15# flouro in the bottom knot.

I try to inspect and change knots before a lost fish lets me know it's too late. Here are some macro pics from my waterproof olympus of some of the ones that I use most....the first: a surgeons loop of fire line used doubled for tying an Albright knot around lead core. If I make the loop big enough I use the doubled line to serve as a place to put the planer board or clamp on extra weight.

do you leave the 10 color running in the chute if you have a fish on another line?

What reel are you using? Could be to slow of a retrieval ratio if it's that bad.

I really like running my 10 color right behind the boat.  bad enough cranking in 10 color, then add a board to it. no thanks

never had a fish tangle in the 10 color either.  

I agree, start with braid divers with line counters, get a longer rod with the thought of eventually running wire divers "inside" your braid divers. I would suggest about 9' so you can use an 8' wire rod eventually.

In shallower water run a standard diver, like a 107 Deeper Diver, and once you get deeper switch to a larger diver, like a 124 Deeper Diver.

Thanks for all the help! Good to know I can run a 10 color and a dipsy. We've been slaying browns the past 2 years but not the kings. This year I hope to change that

The best way to run your spread is to put your baits where the fish are. So if your rigger 50 down gets bit put the dipsys 100 LOC and run 10 color. If your 5 color is hot run baits 20-30 down. There is a point we're dipsys will be running under your inside board but it all depends how far out your boards are and how far out your dipsys are. I've run 300 copper and the dipsy out 300. You will have tangles but you have to run your baits where the fish are to get bit. In my experience you get a big enough fish close to any other line it will find a way to get in the other lines. It's all part of the game.

Thanks for the response! So you tend to keep your leadcore on the higher end when running dipsys? I would like to be able to run a 10 color and dipsy/rigger. Reason being is in port Washington I found myself in 100-200fow often. I am going to add a fish hawk this year for sure, I am sure that will help figure out how deep to fish as well

Bass. I think you're very much on the right track. Dipsys run between your riggers and boards and give you another presentation. The boat that I fish on most times we run 2 riggers 2 wire dipsys (which I highly recommend) and 6 boards and 1 rod down the shoot. We've tried 8 boards but that gets messy. I think this yr I'll try to add 2 more dipsys. When there's 4 people on board.your Drs work with the dipsys so try to put them at similar depths for instance. Rigger at 60' and mag wire dipsy set at 1.5 at 100 LOC. As far as lead core leaders I would say 20-30' is a good place to start.

Posting on here to not start a new thread...

I've ran my boat for a year now on Lake Michigan and would like to expand my versatility. It is a 18ft Lund pro v.

Last year my set up was 3 boards per side (with leadcore) and 2 down riggers off the back. I picked up adjustable rod holders and put them on recently for dipsys. My question is on a boat that size is running 3 boards, 1 dipsy, 1 rigger per side even worth it? I run church walleye boards so I can pull the leadcore out to the side enough to not get tangles but it concerns me as I've never trolled with a dipsy. Also if I run a 6,8,10 color, then my dipsy and rigger will have to be below 50' which I rarely set that deep anyway. Just looking to improve my success and last year was a huge learning year but would like to put some more numbers in the box this year. Any tips are appreciated. Our best day was only 3 kings and we thought that was amazing...other times it was just one king

One side question is what length of leader is everyone running on leadcore? Lots of people crushed them on lead and I only caught 3 kings all year on it

I used to fish Michigan a lot but haven't with my own boat for about 5-6 years.  When I bought my new boat, I rigged it up for walleye fishing on Green Bay but still have all of my salmon trolling gear tucked away in the attic.  I've done some research on new ways to rig the trolling gear in the clearer water like the S-Biner dipsey, leadcore on boards and torpedo weights.  Before I decide to rig up my boat for next summer, I have a couple of questions:

How did everyone do this year?  I know that two years ago, it was the dead sea out there due to the reduced stocking.  We tried fishing the marina in Kewaunee during the fall run and only saw one salmon caught over a three day period.  I got out on a friend's boat in June of this year and we only caught one king.  

What size torpedo weights does everyone use?  I see they come in 4 sizes.