Rigging for Kokes

[plugs]

Hi Guys,
Got the down riggers mounted on the drift boat looks kinda funny and out of place, oh well, the boats ready.
Going at it blind without the finder to conserve room and make it a challenge.
After having room to hold a barn dance in the Super Vee before we sold it things are going to feel mighty cramped in the drift boat lol.

 

[Bluknight]

You will probably stand out but........ what kind of driftboat are you in? If you see a white Hewescraft with a gray top and a silly name like Voodoo 13 on the side I will be glad to tell you what depth I'm at for the day.

Once you know the depth for the day that normally stays consistent then just follow the other boats around. Right now it doesn't sound like finder or riggers are needed but one of these days that big orange ball will come out again and then they start diving!

See you out there.

 

[plugs]

Thanks Bluknight I'll apreciate that. I'll probably have the only drift boat out there and easy to spot but it's a older white Clackacraft with a 8 horse johnson on the back. Never used it on a lake before so this'll be a new adventure lol.
Before we sold our other boat we fished for silvers at riffe lake and trout all over the state with gang trolls and wedding rings. I've never used sling blades or hoochies before so that'll be a new experince as well.
I got a handfull of UV Silver & UV Pink sling blades and pink and green shasta wiggle hoochies. That should get me started shouldn't it?

 

[KokChris]

We had a guy that motored around Clear Lake (Thurston) in a drift boat. He did really well in that thing. He had two kids with him and seemed to have plenty of room. Just a thought, why not one of those clamp on mini down riggers? I have the mounted mini rigger and its perfect for kokes. Not to mention the price cant be beat.

 

[plugs]

Hi Chris,
I thought about that 1st knowing that would have been cheaper than the expensive pair of Riviera Riggers I bought but a drift boat is real narrow in the back as well as the front. They're just barely room to even put a motor on most models and the clamp on's usually all have real short booms. I wanted to get out away from the motor. I feel a little more comfortable knowing there is a little more than a 4 ft spread from the prop on either side.

 

[Bluknight]

Your sling blades and hoochies should be a good start. They seem to be popular. I can't figure out why I don't have much success with them while others do so well.

I am apparently a spinner fisherman. Last year I spent many hours fishing a hoochie next to a spinner and could never get that hoochie to catch a fish. I think I got two fish on them last year. I finally gave up on trying to make it work and just fished spinners - mainly wedding rings.

 

[plugs]

I would find it near impossible not to have a wedding ring on at least one rod myself lol

 

[eenakoK]

I firmly believe it is all about what you have confidence in.

 

[KokChris]

Sorry Plugs, I misread your post. I thought you had been looking for down riggers. With that said you are indeed correct. I would be sweating bullets with the gear running that close to the prop! I think my arm is only 12". Thats not nearly enough for a dory. You have a hot setup. It will work! It would be funny to drift the Sol Duc with the riggers still on lol. Youd get some funny looks.

 

[plugs]

I got funny looks back in the early 70's with one of the 1st peeps to start running a kicker on a drift boat then on the Cowlitz river. LOL
Running a kicker made fishing alot more rewarding for my customers since I was able to pay more attention to where the plugs were in relation to the slots while not being on the sticks all day sitting down.