Last Updated: October 29, 2026
Quick Summary
Downrigger weights should be matched to target depth, trolling speed, and cable length rather than a single generic size. Lighter weights from 4 to 6 pounds suit shallow spring water, about 8 pounds works for early summer, and 10 to 13 pounds fits deep summer trolling. Adjust one size heavier when you speed up or run long leads.
- Match downrigger weights to target depth, speed, and species rather than using one size for everything.
- Use a lighter weight of 4 to 6 pounds for shallow spring trolling under 40 feet.
- An 8 pound weight is the workhorse for early summer fish holding in 50 to 80 feet.
- Move up one weight size when you increase speed by about 1 mph, then recheck depth on the sounder.
- Measure blowback on your own boat with a depth sounder, since it varies with weight, speed and cable out.
Table of Contents
- Why Downrigger Weights Matter More Than Most Anglers Think
- Downrigger Weight Size Chart by Target Depth and Speed
- Pancake vs Torpedo Downrigger Weights: Which Performs Better
- Understanding Downrigger Blowback and How to Reduce It
- Matching Weight Capacity to Your Cable and Downrigger
- Choosing Your Great Lakes Weight Setup and Picking Up a Few Cannonballs
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why Downrigger Weights Matter More Than Most Anglers Think
Most Great Lakes anglers buy downrigger weights as an afterthought. They grab whatever is on the shelf, clip it on, and hope the lure runs where the fish are. The weight, though, decides how deep your presentation sits, how straight your cable hangs, and whether your downrigger weights keep the bait in front of salmon at trolling speed. The same mistakes come up again and again on the water.
A downrigger weight is a lead or metal sinker that pulls the cable and lure down to a target depth. Get the weight wrong and you either sit above the fish or drag your bait through the wrong water. Heavier weights hold depth at faster speeds. Lighter weights suit slow trolling in shallow water. Neither is better in every situation.
Here are the errors we see most often:
- Running one weight size for every depth
- Ignoring boat speed when picking weight
- Assuming a heavier weight always means a deeper lure
- Failing to account for line angle and current
Downrigger Weight Size Chart by Target Depth and Speed
Most downrigger weight guides stop at "8 to 12 pounds works for most trolling." That range is a starting point, not a plan. On the Great Lakes, the right weight depends on three things that change trip to trip: how deep you're fishing, what species you're targeting, and how fast you're trolling. Use the table below as a working baseline, then fine-tune with your depth sounder.
| Target Depth | Typical Speed | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 20-40 ft | 1.8-2.5 mph | Spring brown trout and coho along shorelines |
| 40-70 ft | 2.0-2.8 mph | Early-summer chinook and steelhead |
| 70-100 ft | 2.2-3.0 mph | Mid-summer chinook and lake trout |
| 100-150+ ft | 2.5-3.5 mph | Deep summer and fall kings, deep lakers |
These are starting points, not rules. A 6 lb weight that holds 45 ft at 2.0 mph will rise noticeably at 2.8 mph. A 10 lb weight that tracks clean at 90 ft in calm water will blow back in a stiff headwind. The table gets you in the zone; the sounder tells you the truth.
Matching Weight to Species and Season
Spring (brown trout, coho, early chinook): Fish are shallow and often boat-shy. Lighter weights, 4 to 6 lb, let you run long leads behind the boat without dragging bottom. Our Salmon Cannonball Weights 2lb Lead Downrigger Sinkers (Salmon Cannonball Weights 2lb Lead Downrigger Sinkers) suit lighter shallow-water passes.
Early summer (chinook, steelhead): Fish start stacking over structure in 50-80 ft. An 8 lb weight is the workhorse here, heavy enough to hold depth at 2.5 mph, light enough to keep the cable angle manageable.
Mid-to-late summer (chinook, lake trout): The thermocline sets up and big kings go deep. This is where 10-13 lb weights earn their keep. Heavier weights hold a straighter cable at speed, which keeps your lure in the strike zone instead of trailing above it.
Fall (mature chinook, late coho): Fish stage near river mouths and can be shallow again, but they're also spooky. Drop back to 6-8 lb and run longer leads.
Shallow Water Versus Deep Water Trolling
Shallow trolling (under 40 ft) calls for lighter weights for two reasons: you need less pull to reach depth, and a heavy weight at shallow depth drags bottom and snags. Deep water flips the math. Once you're below the thermocline, a heavier weight keeps the cable from drifting back and lifting your lure above the fish.
Salmon Cannonball Weights 2lb Lead Downrigger Sinkers →
Cable out matters as much as weight. Letting out more cable increases blowback, so a weight that holds 60 ft on a short line may only hold 50 ft on a long one. If you're running long leads for spooky fish, plan on one size heavier than the table suggests.
Adjusting Weight for Trolling Speed and Current
Speed is where most setups fail. A weight that tracks perfectly at 2 knots rises noticeably at 3 to 4 knots. Faster trolling means more water resistance and more lift. Rule of thumb: when you increase speed by about 1 mph, move up one weight size and recheck your depth on the sounder.
Current compounds the problem. Trolling into a current steepens the cable angle; trolling with it flattens the angle and can make the weight rise. Watch your cable angle and add weight if the line trails too far back. Heavier cannonball weights are a sensible step-up for faster passes or current.
Pancake vs Torpedo Downrigger Weights: Which Performs Better
Pancake and torpedo styles are the two shapes anglers argue about most. Torpedo or fish-shaped weights tend to slice through the water with less drag, which helps them hold depth at speed. Pancake weights are flatter and can create more resistance, which sometimes makes them rise faster when you push the throttle.
Anglers disagree on which shape performs better, and shape is only one factor alongside weight, speed and cable length.
If you troll fast or need precise depth, a streamlined weight is worth trying first. If you mostly fish slow and value simplicity, a traditional cannonball works fine.
Understanding Downrigger Blowback and How to Reduce It
Blowback is the backward drift of your weight and cable caused by water pressure while trolling. It matters because blowback lifts your lure above the depth you set, sometimes by 10, 20, or 30 feet depending on speed, weight, and cable out. If you trust the line counter and ignore blowback, you're fishing shallower than you think.
What Causes Blowback
Three factors drive blowback:
- Speed. Water resistance rises with speed. A weight that hangs straight at 2.0 mph will trail back at 3.0 mph.
- Cable out. More cable means more surface area for water to push against. Long leads increase blowback even at the same speed.
- Weight shape and mass. Heavier weights resist blowback better. Streamlined shapes (torpedo, fish) cut through water with less drag than flat shapes (pancake).
Blowback varies with weight, speed and cable length, so check your own setup with a depth sounder rather than relying on a generic figure.
How to Measure Blowback on Your Boat
You can't fix what you can't see. Here's a simple field method:
- Set your weight at a known depth (say, 80 ft on the counter).
- Troll at your normal speed and watch the sounder for the weight's mark.
- Note the difference between the counter and the sounder.
- Repeat at a faster speed and with more cable out.
That difference is your blowback for that weight, speed, and cable combination. Write it down. After a few trips you'll have a personal correction table that's more useful than any generic chart.
Reducing Blowback Without Going Heavier
Heavier isn't the only answer. You can also:
Salmon Cannonball Weights 2lb Lead Downrigger Sinkers →
- Shorten the cable. Run the shortest cable that still puts the lure behind the boat's shadow. Less cable, less blowback.
- Slow down. Dropping from 3.0 to 2.5 mph can cut blowback significantly, and many Great Lakes salmon are caught at 2.2-2.8 mph anyway.
- Switch shape. A streamlined torpedo or fish-shaped weight tracks straighter than a pancake at the same weight. If you're fighting blowback with a flat weight, try a streamlined one before adding pounds.
- Use a quality retriever. The Cannon Retro Ease Weight Retriever keeps the weight tracking cleanly on retrieval and reduces tangles that can kink cable and worsen tracking.
Blowback and Downrigger Capacity
Heavier weights reduce blowback but load your downrigger and cable harder. Before you jump to a 13 lb weight, check your downrigger's rated capacity and your cable's breaking strength. Running a weight beyond the unit's rating can damage the spool, brake, or boom, and a cable failure at depth means losing the weight and whatever it's attached to. Match weight, cable, and downrigger rating as a system, not as separate purchases.
A practical compromise most Great Lakes anglers land on: an 8-10 lb streamlined weight for everyday trolling, a 12-13 lb weight for deep, fast summer king fishing, and a 4-6 lb weight for shallow spring work. That three-weight kit covers most of the season without overloading a standard downrigger.
Matching Weight Capacity to Your Cable and Downrigger
Every downrigger has a rated capacity, and your cable has to match it. Using a weight heavier than your downrigger is rated for can damage the unit. Pairing a short cable with deep water leaves you short of reach, while an oversized cable adds unnecessary weight and drag.
Check your downrigger's capacity before buying weights, then choose a cable length that covers your typical fishing depth. Match cable length, weight, and downrigger rating together rather than buying each piece in isolation.
Choosing Your Great Lakes Weight Setup and Picking Up a Few Cannonballs
Build your setup around the depths and speeds you fish most. Start with a versatile middle weight, add one lighter option for shallow passes and one heavier option for deep water or fast trolling. Keep a retriever on the boat and check your cable length before every trip.
Cannonball weights are a reliable base for most setups. The Salmon Cannonball Weights 2lb Lead Downrigger Sinkers (Salmon Cannonball Weights 2lb Lead Downrigger Sinkers) are handmade in the USA, drop straight to the bottom without snagging, and come in multiple vinyl colors to protect your deck.
Stock a few cannonballs in the sizes you'll use most, match them to your cable and downrigger rating, and adjust as conditions change. That simple habit prevents most of the mistakes covered above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size downrigger weight is best for Great Lakes fishing?
Most Great Lakes anglers start with 8 to 12 pound weights for salmon and trout trolling at moderate speeds. Heavier weights of 10 to 12 pounds hold depth better at higher trolling speeds, while lighter weights suit shallower presentations. Match the weight to the depth you need to reach and the speed you troll, then adjust on the water. Elliott's Tackle & Rigging carries lead cannonball weights, including a 2 lb option.
How heavy should a downrigger ball be for salmon trolling?
Salmon trolling typically calls for weights in the 8 to 12 pound range, depending on how deep the fish are holding and how fast you are moving. Faster trolling speeds of 3 to 4 knots push weights back in the water column, so heavier balls help maintain depth. Lighter 2 lb weights are useful for shallow presentations and short drops, which is why many anglers keep a range of sizes in the boat.
Does downrigger weight shape affect blowback?
Shape influences how much a weight trails behind the boat when trolling, which is what anglers call blowback. Cannonball weights drop straight and are the most common choice on the Great Lakes, while flat or pancake designs are often described as creating more drag. Forum anglers disagree on how much shape matters in practice, so test your own setup and note how closely the depth on your sounder matches the depth on your downrigger counter.
How do I reduce downrigger blowback while trolling?
Reduce blowback by using a heavier weight that stays closer to vertical, lowering your trolling speed where conditions allow, and keeping the cable taut. Check that your release clip is seated correctly and that the weight is not snagging on the line. Reeling the weight up slightly after setting depth can also help you hold position, and you should recheck depth after each speed change.
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