What Is a Downrigger? How Downrigger Fishing Works

A downrigger is a controlled-depth trolling device. It uses a separate heavy line and weight to take your bait or lure to a chosen depth, while your fishing line is held to the downrigger system by a release. When a fish strikes, the fishing line releases and you fight the fish on the rod normally — without the downrigger weight attached to the fish.

That simple separation is what makes downrigging useful. The weight controls where the bait runs; the fishing rod still controls the fish.

How Does a Downrigger Work?

1. A downrigger is mounted securely on the boat.
2. A heavy downrigger weight is lowered on its own cable or braid.
3. Your bait or lure runs behind the boat on the normal fishing rod and reel.
4. The fishing line is temporarily connected to the downrigger system with a release clip or release method.
5. The downrigger weight carries that connection down to the depth you choose.
6. When a fish strikes, the fishing line releases from the downrigger and the fight continues on the rod.

What Is a Downrigger Used For?

A downrigger is used when you want to troll a bait or lure at a controlled depth. Instead of relying on a diving lure, heavy sinker or guesswork, you can put the presentation closer to fish showing on the sounder.

This matters because predators do not stay on the surface all day. Bait can hold at different depths, sunlight and boat traffic can push fish deeper, and fish may sit around reefs, wrecks or bait schools well below a surface spread.

Andrew Hestelow's original Downrigger Shop guides grew from fishing for Spanish mackerel in northern Australia and later applying the same thinking to yellowtail kingfish and other predators. The practical lesson was straightforward: if the fish are deep, put the bait where the fish are.

The Main Parts of a Downrigger

Why Use a Downrigger Instead of Surface Trolling?

Surface trolling is productive when fish are feeding high in the water column. The problem comes when your sounder shows fish much deeper than the lures or baits you are presenting.

A downrigger gives you another axis to control. You can still choose the trolling route, speed and bait, but you can also choose the depth. If a school is holding at 15 metres, you can move the bait toward 15 metres. If the marks move deeper, you can adjust.

For anglers targeting species such as kingfish, Spanish mackerel, salmon, trout or other predators, that ability can extend useful trolling well beyond a short surface bite.

Manual vs Electric Downriggers

The current Downrigger Shop model is manual. Some older Downrigger Shop material refers to the discontinued Vector electric downrigger; we retain a separate Vector setup guide for owners of those legacy units so its electric instructions are not confused with the current product.

Why Downriggers Suit Australian Salt-Water Fishing

Australian trailer boats often have a very different layout from the large freshwater boats on which multiple downriggers are common in North America. Outboards occupy the transom, boats are smaller, salt-water corrosion matters and storage space is valuable.

That makes practical details important: a boom that clears the motor, a secure but removable mounting system, corrosion-resistant construction, a useful depth counter and a release system that is quick to manage.

What Happens When a Fish Bites?

While trolling, the downrigger weight holds the presentation at depth and the fishing line stays connected through the release. On a strike, the fishing line pulls free. The rod then loads up and the angler fights the fish in the normal way.

The downrigger weight remains on the downrigger line. It should be retrieved or managed as conditions allow so it does not interfere with the fish, the fishing line or other gear.

Do You Need a Downrigger?

Not for every form of trolling. If your target fish are feeding on top and your lure already runs in the strike zone, a downrigger adds little. Its value appears when you need to control depth precisely, repeat a productive presentation or put a bait close to fish that your sounder shows well below the surface.

That is why a sounder and downrigger complement each other so well: one shows you where the fish are, the other helps you put the bait there.

Downrigger FAQs

Is the downrigger weight attached to the fish?

No. The fishing line is temporarily connected to the downrigger system through a release. When a fish strikes, the fishing line separates and the downrigger weight remains on the downrigger.

Can you use a downrigger with live bait?

Yes. Live bait is one of the classic downrigger presentations because it can be placed at a controlled depth while still being fished on a normal rod and reel. Check that the bait is swimming properly before lowering it.

Can you use lures with a downrigger?

Yes. The principle is the same: the downrigger controls depth while the lure remains connected to your fishing rod. Trolling speed and setback should suit the particular lure.

Does a downrigger show the depth?

Many downriggers use a counter to show how much line has been paid out. Treat that as a useful running-depth reference rather than assuming the weight is always directly below the boat; current and trolling speed can create blowback.