Stupid Dipsey?!!!!

[What's Up Dock?]

Tried trolling Dipsey's for the first time this weekend. Ended up feeling QUITE silly (stupid). I am using size 0, set on 2, back 65 feet with spoons. 1 worked great. The other kept breaking the surface about every 30 seconds. What am I doing wrong???? I was running between 1.8 and 2.5 MPH. Any help offered will certainly save a few hairs on my already sparsely populated scalp!

[FreeByrd]

Just a guess here...
Check the tension of the screw on the release mechanism. It is possible that the one that keeps surfacing is not tight enough and it is releasing on you causing the dipsey to surface. Check out how much tension is on the release arm compared to the one that is working. Adjust it by tightening the screw without the arm in the release. A little bit of turn can go a long way. We try and keep the releases just tight enough so they won't release on their own. I've also seen where the part the screw turns into becomes stripped rendering the dipsey useless - Always check them at the store before buying them. If this is the case and you just bought them try taking it back for an exchange of one that works.
Good Luck,
Steve

[Pitchum]

Do yourself a favor and throw those Mickey Mouse things away. You will have more time spent fishing on the water than wondering if the %^%$#* Dipsey is working right or not. I wonder if the name is any indication "Dipsey" is that like Mr. Dipstick or Dips$%^.

[FreeByrd]

I probably shouldn't even bother to respond to this but in the interest of helping the original poster I will. Simply put - if you plan to do much trolling at all - at least on Lake Erie (and probably anyplace deeper than 28 feet- you're ingoring a great tool if you eliminate dipseys from your program. Just like anything new there is a learning curve associated with dipseys. Once you learn them you'll start catching more fish. There are plenty of ways to catch eyes and plenty of ways to catch them trolling but considering the effectiveness of dipseys compared to the expense / difficulty / versatility of other methods - Dipseys would be the first thing I'd recommend someone learn. Email if you wish.
Good Luck,
Steve
steve199132@yahoo.com

[Bob Z]

I cannot answer your question as to why one would come to the surface for you. Nothing wrong with you speed. I have mucho hours trolling Dipseys with spoons and have not had that problem. What line are you using? Feel free to Email me also.

Don't give up. Dipsys and spoons are a super Erie fishing technique.

[What's Up Dock?]

Thanks for the responses. I am using 20# Fireline. The one that keeps releasing is not tripped. I'm not giving up trolling Dipsy's. Just trying to figue it out and I'm spending more time focusing on what the fish want and not messing with equipment. Thanks so much!

[Gilligan]

Good answer Steve. I don't care to fish dipsies but if you are going to fish Erie you better learn. Go back thru your Erie tournament winners and I would be suprised to find many that weren't pulling them.

[Wild Bill]

Were you possibly pulling the dipsy backwards?

[W'eyes Guy]

I believe thye problem you are having is that the Dipsey is rolling over. Try setting it at less of an angle to the side. Also, make sure your ring is properly in place. Another thing to try would be to switch sides with the one that is working; if it still rolls on you perhaps you should return it to the place of purchase for exchange. Once you get these things set, they are pretty simple to use; your release tension is usually the most difficult thing to adjust. Hope this helps, and good fishin'.

#610

[Mac]

Unless they have changed them since I used them to fish salmon, there are right side(green)and left side (red) dipseys. Are you using two the same color?

[rich]

your problem is one of 2 things dipsy not set for right side of boat or your not holding presure on your reel spool when your letting it out. you can not let it free spool or they will flip and come to the surface. that should do it for you good luck and good fishing rich

[Bob Z]

If you havn't found the problem - just got another idea for you.

When letting the Dipsey out keep a tight line all the way - no slack. Any slack given to the Dipsey will allow the Dipsey to rotate as it descends through the water.

This rotation will wrap the leader around the Dipsey and your 20 lb Fireline. The whole thing sort of comes back to you backwards to the surface where it sometimes unwinds itself.

I also like the suggestion of trying it on the other side of the boat.

[W'eyes Guy]

Sorry to age you, but dipsey divers are multi-directional; have been as long as I can remember.

#610

[Finaddict]

I have 2 dipsies that the release clip is broken at the solder joint this caused them not to track true. make sure yours is not broke. These are newer dipsies maybe luhr jensen should look into this problem.

[skipnskul]

One of two things could be wrong.First make sure the wieght is in the dipsy.Second,try rotating the wieght part of dipsy 180 degrees.Hope this helps.Let us know. Mike

[What's Up Dock?]

Thanks for all the posts. I let them out by loosening the drag just enough for them to pull line out at a fair pace. Maybe I let it go too free. Funny, all your responses have me second guessing did I do that or not?

[vetspet(ind)]

mac is referring to yellow birds....i have had the same thing happen for me and my dipsy's did not trip....i think it was when i was trying to go too far to the outside..ie placed the weight too far to the side and was using certain lures...i think hotntots...the deep diving lures seemed to fight the diving dipsy when i tried to go out with the dipsy...it has been a while since this happened and i think this was my assumed solution....used the wt more to the deeper running angles...steve

[Marble Eyes]

I bought a pair of Dipsys and attempted to use them the other day.

I ran 1/4 oz. Hot n Tots off them.

A couple of questions I have.

How far out meaning outside the tracking of the Boat should these things go at the different settings. I mean, are they supposed to go way out Like planar boards? Do they track differently when using Hot n Tots versus Stinger spoons or crawler harnesses?

On both of Mine, size 0, with the screw almost all the way out of the threads the release still feels like it would take a minimum of 10+ pounds of pressure to trip it. Do you need to use a screwdriver or something to spread the gap open and then screw it in from that?

[Justin]

If your hot n tot is a deep diver, you should not be running it off of a dipsy. Only run spoons, harnesses or shallow divers off of the dipsies. Do not go past the 3 1/2 setting. I usually don't go past the 3. 3 1/2 setting with more then 150' of line out makes it get tangled in my board lines when I need to release it to bring it in.