Today, a downrigger is a state of the art fishing accessory. The most popular are the simple manual downriggers equipped with depth counting meters. Add additional bucks and you can hang a downrigger on the stern and connected to a bottom machine. It will ensure that your bait stays at any preset depth. The bottom machine automatically raises or lowers the downrigger as the bottom changes.
Most people immediately think of coho salmon or walleyes when they hear downrigger.
Inland lake striped bass fishermen use downriggers to troll nothing more than a hook and white plastic grub at depths of 50 feet and below. Walleye fishermen use unweighted hooks with earthworms at similar depths. It surprises some that downriggers have not caught on in the Panhandle. But by using downriggers, you can use lighter tackle which does not overpower the fish. Plus, you can get proven fish catching baits down to them.