Okay I have a question regarding using downriggers to troll for fish, particularly white bass and hybrids. My dad ordered these downriggers from a guy in Michigan that used to troll Lake Michigan for trout. Well we just used them in Cedar Creek trying to find hybrids with little luck. We did happen to catch one of which we didn't know was on for like 20 minutes because it didn't release from the clip. The graph showed a ton of fish in the 30-40 feet deep part in front of the dam but we couldn't get any and ended up getting hung up a lot. Some of that was our fault as we weren't watching the graph but others were stickups that the graph didn't catch. Does anyone have any sort of experience with downriggers?

white bass are not big enough to trip the clip unless you use an umbrella rig and happen to catch 2 or 3 at the same time. not worth it for whites imo.

for striper/hybrid I used to make a couple of passes with the graph and estimate the depth they are at, set the weight just barely above that level and whatever bait I thought was best for conditions etc.
fish can see up easily prey put in the area just above them will trigger a reaction strike a lot of the time.
get some of the berkley dual wire rigs (like a small version of the umbrella rig), wally world carries them as do bass pro and others. I would rig it with a couple of bucktail jigs first and see what works from there.

I quit using my downriggers, as it was too much trouble, They hang up on the bottom when tolling points where the fish are. I'm sure they are great when the bottom is constant with no obstructions, a condition you won't find often in Texas.

The idea I use now is to get a deep diving lure like a Bomber fat free shad or DD22 and place two 1/4 oz jigs above this 12 in apart. This will begin to tap the bottom about 25 feet down at trolling speed. Fish suspending at 35 feet will see this above them and you'll catch plenty of them.

When you catch stripers with this rig, the downside is all but one will break off.

Contact Bob Maindelle of Holdng the Line Guide Service and pick his brain about successfully using downriggers or even better book a downrigging trip with him to learn the ropes in person.

Bob uses downriggers a lot in central Texas lakes trolling for whites and hybrids.

http://www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com

Some of the guys that hang out in the Austin Bass Fishing whitebass/hybrid/striper forum also successfully use downriggers on Lake Buchanan trolling for whites, hybirds, and stripers.

http://www.austinbassfishing.com/forum/striped-hybrid-white-bass-reports/

The Chamberlain Release is designed with two adjustments which is supposed to reduce false releases and small fish from not tripping the release:

http://www.downriggerrelease.com/

Post this in the Whites / Hybrids section and you will get more help.