073: No Downriggers? You Can Still Catch Salmon (Here's the Setup)

No Downriggers? You Can Still Catch Salmon (Here's the Setup) For anglers who have a boat but no downriggers or aren't ready to invest before they know they'll stick with fishing, salmon can still feel out of reach. In this episode, Jamie breaks down the simplest, most budget-friendly way to target coho and king salmon using a deep six diver instead of downriggers. This one's especially useful if you're fishing a sailboat, a smaller boat, or you're just getting started and want to try before you buy. Episode Overview - Why coho season (September) is one of the best times to fish without downriggers - How to rig a deep six diver as a downrigger replacement - The right leader lengths for running a diver straight to bait versus adding a flasher - Best lure choices for diver fishing - How far behind the boat to run your gear and what trolling speed to use - Where to learn about mooching as another downrigger-free option - Why you need a catch record card and how to add one to your WDFW license Timestamped Sections  00:00 – Intro and Salmon School waitlist mention 01:00 – Used downrigger episode reference (Episode 53) 02:00 – Why coho season is perfect for diver fishing 03:00 – Whiskey rod explained, caution on turns 04:00 – Deep six diver mechanism explained 05:00 – Rigging basics: herring in a hood, lateral line 06:00 – Short bus flashers and leader length setup 07:00 – Leader length details and lure choices 08:00 – Popping the clip and fighting the fish 09:00 – How far to run your line and trolling speed 10:00 – Mooching as an alternative 11:00 – Catch record card requirement and wrap up Resources & Links Free Lure Training: https://anglersunlimited.co/3-essential-lures Episode 53, How to Buy Used Fishing Gear on a Budget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJRBKP90yss&t=713s Mooching Episode with Justin Wong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNOZrq0NBVA&t=6s WDFW App / Catch Record Card Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taN8OEi2t-Q&t=454s WDFW Fishing Regulations: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations Yakima Bait Flashers: https://amzn.to/4gpGQQv Want more tutorials like this one? Join Anglers Unlimited Gold and get access to expert seminars, step-by-step courses, fishing maps, and a community of anglers who want you to succeed. https://anglersunlimited.co/gold Fishing for a Reason is the Pacific Northwest saltwater fishing education podcast for new anglers and families who want to catch more salmon, halibut, lingcod, shrimp and crab in Washington waters. Hosted by Jamie & Scott Propst from Anglers Unlimited, each episode delivers practical techniques, local knowledge, and expert insights to help you get off the couch and into the fish. Perfect for relocated professionals, military families, and boaters who are just getting into fishing.