When you are angling in deep water, controlling the depth of your lure is key. If you aren't using a downrigger your lure can drift up towards the surface, away from the fish. But when you fish with a downrigger, your bait goes where they are and stays there while you troll.
Here's how it works
First - you need to connect your fishing line to the downrigger. To start attach the weight to the downrigger cable. Then connect it to your fishing line with a pinch release. Now that you are rigged up you can place your rod in the holder.
Next you will use your downrigger to lower the weight and your lure to the right spot. Using your fish finder identify a depth where the fish are, then use your down rigger to lower your lure to that depth. As the weight lowers, your fishing rod will bend. A line counter on the downrigger will tell you exactly how far down you are so you can hit the perfect spot.
While you are trolling, the down rigger keeps your lure at that depth and allows it to move naturally through the water. On some cannon downriggers, you can cycle the weight up and down to cover more area. Or keep it at a set distance from the bottom for suspended fish.
Once a fish takes the lure, the pinch release lets go of your fishing line and your rod will spring up telling you the fish is on. Remove your rod from the holder. Now that it's just you and the fish, it's up to you to reel him in.
That's how a downrigger helps you master controlled depth fishing. By getting your bait where the fish are and keeping it there.
