Although simple in design, today's downriggers allow anglers to practice sophisticated trolling strategies. Used in conjunction with other modern-day fishing aids, the right tackle, basic knowledge of your quarry and some old-fashioned angling savvy, downriggers can make all the difference between a great day of salmon fishing and just another day on the water.

CHOOSING A DOWNRIGGER
If you're not already a downrigger fisherman but are thinking about becoming one, your trips down the tackle store isles and forays through the pages of mail-order catalogs will turn up three or four well-known brand names, each with numerous styles and a variety of options. Shop carefully and ask lots of questions to help you get the 'rigger that best suits your fishing needs. Options to consider include such things as boom length, spool capacity, manual or electric operation, swivel or solid-mount bases, digital or mechanical line counters, attached or separate rod holders, variations in line-retrieval speed and many more. Such things as size and style of your boat, number of rods you normally fish, where, when and how you like to troll and, of course, the size of your fishing budget all play a part in your decision.

I can't begin to guess what brand, style and combination of options is best suited to your needs, but I will suggest that you go with an electric if you can afford it. The price difference between a manual downrigger and an electric of similar quality is substantial, but you'll fish more effectively with an electric. Successful downrigger trolling is often a game of constant activity and experimentation on the angler's part, and you'll play the game better and longer if it doesn't wear you out. An angler is more likely to adjust fishing depths as needed or bring up rigs to check baits and clear hooks of debris if it's a quick and easy chore, and an electric downrigger makes it much easier. If it's too much work to move your rig up and down, you'll soon get lazy about making the little adjustments that catch more salmon.

What's more, the auto-retrieve feature on most electric downriggers lets you think about playing and landing hooked fish while the 'rigger handles getting the wire line and lead ball up and out of the way. If you've ever fought a hot fish with one hand while winding up the downrigger ball with the other, you know that it's multi-tasking at its most challenging!

MATCHED COMPONENTS
Something else for the beginning downrigger fisherman to keep in mind, especially if he's equipping a boat with all the necessary gadgets for successful salmon fishing, is that a decent depthsounder is a virtual must for productive downrigger fishing. Sure, you can troll around at various depths and eventually stumble onto fish, but if you let your electronics be your underwater eyes, you'll have your bait or lure at the right depth most of the time, not just occasionally. If you monitor -- and trust -- your depthsounder, you'll know when to raise or lower your rig into the strike zone, spot baitfish and underwater structure that attract salmon, and even detect rock piles or ledges before they have a chance to grab your downrigger weight and eat your tackle. Various transducers are available for all depthsounder models, and you'll want to use one with a fairly wide cone angle so that you can watch your downrigger ball to be sure your bait or lure is where you want it to be.