Mastering Stacking Fishing Lines on a single downrigger is an essential West Coast trolling technique that every salmon angler should have in their tactical playbook. While most trollers prefer running one dedicated line per downrigger, being able to double up two rods on a single cable is an invaluable skill. Whether you suffer a sudden mechanical downrigger failure on the water, lose a cannonball without a backup on board, or want to prevent downrigger cables from swinging into each other while fishing deep, stacking lines allows you to keep a full spread in the strike zone.
⚠️ REGULATORY & SAFETY NOTE
Check your local DFO BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Guide for rod limits. In BC tidal waters, an angler fishing alone is permitted to fish two rods, whereas multiple anglers aboard are restricted to one rod per person when targeting salmon.
The Mechanics of Stacking Downrigger Lines
When stacking two lines, the bottom release clip is secured directly above the downrigger weight (cannonball), and the lower gear is deployed in the standard fashion. The secondary upper release clip is attached to the main downrigger cable 10 to 20 feet higher up the wire.
Scotty No. 1172 Power Grip Plus with self-locating stacking snap and 30-inch leader.
Scotty No. 1192 Power Grip Plus “Stacker” release featuring a 60-inch leader for expanded line separation.
Protecting Gear: Auto-Retrieve Shut-offs & Stopper Beads
A critical operational hazard when stacking fishing lines involves electric downrigger auto-retrieve switches. Automated retrieval systems are calibrated to stop when the shut-off bead hits the auto-stop switch near the boom tip. If you hit auto-retrieve while an upper stacker clip is still clipped on the wire below, the clip will violently smash into the pulley and break off into the ocean.
To prevent losing expensive stacker clips:
- Manual Retrieval: Retrieve the downrigger manually using short button bumps while watching the cable closely for the upper release clip. Remove the upper clip before retrieving the remaining weight.
- Secondary Stopper Beads: Install a secondary Scotty plastic stopper bead on the downrigger wire above your stacking zone so the auto-shutoff trips before the upper clip reaches the pulley.
Scotty No. 1008 Yellow Stopper Beads prevent stacker clips from slamming into downrigger boom pulleys.
💡 PRO ANGLER TIP: BRAID VS. STEEL STOPPER BEADS
Synthetic braided downrigger line is slicker and thinner than standard stainless steel wire. Use Yellow or Black plastic Scotty stoppers for stainless steel cable, but always use Red plastic Scotty stoppers on braided line. Standard stacker clips often slip on braid; placing one red stopper bead directly above and one below the stacker clip fixes it securely in position.
Tactical diagram illustrating proper spacing, leader setback, and line angles when stacking two rods on one downrigger.
Four Golden Rules for Tangle-Free Stacking
To consistently avoid tangles when stacking fishing lines, adhere to these four core rigging rules:
- Maintain Adequate Vertical Spacing: Space your release clips at least 10 to 20 feet apart on the downrigger cable. This vertical gap prevents lures from tangling when trolling speeds drop during sharp turns.
- Set Staggered Horizontal Setbacks: Always set your bottom line further back behind the boat than your top line. For example, set the bottom rod 30 feet back and the top rod 15 feet back.
- Position Shallow Rod Inside: When trolling around points or structure, keep the shallower upper rod on the inside of the turn and the deeper lower rod on the outside. Maintain a clean 45-degree cable blowback angle.
- Keep Setbacks Short & Avoid Erratic Plugs on Top: Keep setbacks short (15 feet maximum) when fishing deep water. If running diving plugs, only run them on the lower line—plugs dart erratically and will wrap around upper stacker leads.
Handling Strikes & Double Hookups
When a salmon strikes the lower line of a stacked rig, clearing gear requires composure. In many instances, the fish runs straight out into open water without interfering with the upper rod. However, if the salmon swims over or under the upper line, don’t panic—let the fish take line while your fishing partner reeled in and unclipped the secondary rod.
Double hookups on stacked downriggers happen more often than you think! While guiding at a remote lodge on BC’s Central Coast, one of our electric downriggers failed completely at first light. Rather than ending the trip, we stacked both rods on our remaining functional unit. Shortly after dropping down, a heavy Chinook slammed the lower line. While my guest fought that spring, the second guest attempted to clear the upper rod but couldn’t free the line from the stacker clip—because a second 29-pound Chinook had taken the upper lure! Both fish were landed successfully, turning a potential breakdown into a double-header success story.
Deep Water Trolling: Preventing Cable Swings
Stacking is also an essential tactic when fishing extremely deep water (150+ feet). At extreme depths, heavy cannonballs on separate port and starboard downriggers act like long pendulums underwater. Strong crosscurrents can cause the two heavy weights to swing inward and wrap together, creating a massive cable tangle. In these conditions, stowing one downrigger and stacking fishing lines on a single central downrigger eliminates cable crossover entirely.
Want to boost your attraction spread without adding in-line drag to your line? Read our guide on How To Fish With Dummy Flashers to create artificial bait balls on downriggers.
The Science of Salmon Fishing by veteran guide and author Bill Haymond.
About the Author & Island Fisherman Magazine
Written by Bill Haymond, veteran West Coast fishing guide and author of The Science of Salmon Fishing. Explore more verified rigging tutorials and print subscriptions at Island Fisherman Magazine.
