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Mike Schoonveld: The ‘Secret Weapon Rig’ is not so secret, but it really catches fish

The “secret weapon rig” can keep a downrigger productive even on bright, sunny days. James Kilgore, of Toledo, Ohio, caught this salmon at midday on a SWR. (Photo by Mike Schoonveld)

It’s been said that a secret is not a secret if more than one person knows it. That’s why the trolling technique called the “Secret Weapon Rig” is so poorly named.
I learned of it long ago and it’s so widely used in some areas that fishing reports from those ports just call it the “SWR.” It’s not really that much of a secret, but I have another secret to share: It really works. Here’s what it is.

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