Long Lining

[Carp Commander]

Over the past couple of years I have become fascinated with Kokanee, Lake Trout and big Rainbow fishing, three fish I didn't know existed until I moved out west. I have the downriggers dialed in but struggle when the fish are in the upper 20 feet of water. I keep reading about long lining and have found a handfull of articles about it but none of them are "how to's". Kokanee haven't seemed very gear shy but I think the downriggers spook a lot of Lakers and Rainbows.

Is it possible to somehow calculate based upon speed, weight and length of trolling line how deep your presentation is?

Is there a prefered line such as braid versus mono?

Anything else that might help me get dialed in?

Thanks
 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

There is lead core line which is colored at certain intervals that might work?

[doyourtime89]

I just really got into the kokanee thing last year and had a blast.  I do think any fish are somewhere spooked by downrigger weights special in sallow water.  What I did last year and seemed to really increase my hits.  For a couple days I found that 23 feet deep is where the fish where.  I would run my downrigger weight down about 10 or 12 feet then clip on my line so when I got my gear to 23 feet the weight was down around 33 to 35 feet seemed to increase my take downs.  I guess this method is all depended on the total water depth.  I was fishing in like 45 to 60 feet of water so still had plenty of room from my weight to the bottom.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I actually stumbled into Lake Trout and leaded line.
Just attempting to get deep, found out that the Mackinaw in the lake I was fishing were soft biters, would just swim along with lure in mouth, then let go.
very slight increase in drag was all you would notice, I would kick the electric into high, get a good sweep with the rod to set the hook.
Fish on !
The guys using downriggers were not hooking any, I think it was because the bite was so subtle.
All I know is the guy in the 12 foot rental boat (Me) and electric motor caught fish, when the big boats with downriggers talked about how slow the fishing was..
I now have a rod set up just for Macks, but have not had time and money to go back, yet...