What's a good dipsey rod under $60.00?

[Shawn]

Looking to buy 4 for spring to match with Diawa SG47LC's. I have 2 Diawa Heartland medium-action, 8 footers I use with my Off-shore boards. Dipseys will be too much for these and I'll need to get some poles with more muscle. Suggestions appreciated...

[FreeByrd]

Shawn,
Hard to beat the Okuma dipsey rods. Either the 8 footers or the 8'-6" medium action dipsey rods. These are very popular on Erie for dipseys. They should run around $35. No need to spend any more than $40 max on dipsey rods. I run the 8-6 model but that is because I use the same rods on Erie and on Lake Ontario for Salmon. If it is strictly walleye and some steelhead then the 8 footers are fine. Best advice I ever received on Dipsey rods is to match your setup - same on all of em. Makes reading the dipseys much easier.

Denny Braun who owns the Sportman's Outpost in Vermillion, OH should have them or be able to get them for you. Call him tollfree 1-888-855-9032. Other place I know has them is Fisherman's Wharf in Port Clinton but not sure if they are open yet. 419-734-0488

Good Luck,
Steve

[Denied]

Rods for dipsy's don't need to be expensive. I use Shakespeare, Ugly Sticks that sell for $27.99 from Cabelas. I like the 7 foot model and use them off the big boards, with the down riggers, with divers and flat line. It helps me reading the rod (telling if something has changed) to have all the same rods.
dean

[RANGER]

I agree and they are my choice as well - BWD110190 9' 2 piece downrigger rods in Cabela's for $53.99. They all have the Shakespeare Tidewater counter reels on them and I think they are bullet proof! Keep an eye out for the combo sales. Last year I added two of these combos for $79 each around this time of year!! That gave me the rod for free!

[Sluggo / NY]

Dean..Which model Ugly Stick are you using? I use the 7' 1100's for lite downrigging, but I know they won't pull dipsy's. I'd like to pick up some heavier ones as well. Gotta have them match..don't ya? Good Fishing, Sluggo (Chris)

[perchjerker]

I second Freebyrd on the Okuma rods. Bought mine from Den, too.

Nice rod, good price.

[Denied]

Chris, I think they are CAL 110270 two piece med action rods. The work find on dipsy's, have a nice bend that is easy to read with a perch or small walleye on.

[ETT]

There are a bunch of good Dipsy rods. We use Okumas and get along fine. Den (1 888 855 9032) is the guy to talk to. He had some specials at the show.

I would strongly suggest buying all the rod alike. It makes learning & reading the rods much easier. Subtle changes are much more obvious. good luck and have a ball.

[geo]

try the heartland 9'6" and the 10'6" they are very good rods for pulling the bigger dipsys we use them on the charter boat 200 plus charters a year and in two seasons still going strong

[punch1]

Shawn,

I have to agree with Geo. Try the Diawa Heartlands in either the 9'6" or the 10'6". I have the 9'6" and aside from a ceramic insert on one of the guides coming out I have had zero problems. For $29.99 they're hard to beat. I also have used the Eagle Claw StarFires on a few occasions and didn't have any problems with thos either. Good luck!

[Wallygetter]

There are a lot of good rods to use for dipseys as stated, no reason to spend more than $35 to $50 per rod. I also agree that it is important to keep all four the same so you can "read" the rods action. However, I do a lot of trolling on Lk. Mi. and found that I could present a better spread and not worry about getting tangled quite as much by running Eagle Claw Dipsey Diver rods, 10.5 ft. on the outside lines. I run them not quite straight off the sides with Ram rodholders, and then two off the corners. Set the outside ones on # 3 setting, and inside rods 0n 1.5 setting. I always run the outside lines the shallowest and inside the deepest. The two inside rods are matched Shakesphere rods, I can read each set good because of the seperation, and the longer rods help keeping the fish out just of harms way when landing fish on the outside lines. I run four dipseys while fishing for steelhead. Salmon fishing I run four Cannon downriggers, and then the two long dipsys on the side. Here in Mi. you are allowed 3 lines per angler while fishing for salmon and trout in the Great Lakes.Just something to ponder.

[Jose]

WallyGetter,
I posted a question yesterday about using Ram rod holders with dipsey's. Have you had any problems with the Ram holders holding up to dipsey's while fishing for salmon? Concerned if they will be strong enough or if I should just go with Big Jon's or Bert's tube type rod holders? How has you experiences been with Ram holders?

Jose`

[Wallygetter]

Jose,the Ram rodholders work ok for dipsey rods, mine are mounted on the gunnel and I'm thinking of adding some side mounts to use strickly for dipseys. If you mount them on the gunnels make sure you have some type of 1/2" plywood on the bottomside for extra support. I run a long piece of treated 1/2" plywood on each gunnel on the underside for extra support for both the rodholders and downriggers. I am also going to put a small piece onthe innerwall for support on the sidemounts. Be careful and check out the gunnel area before you do any drilling for cables, wiring, etc. I fish out of a 1900 ProV Lund so I have a nice wide gunnel to work with. Hope this helps, and good fishing.

[Shawn]

Thank you all for the good information. I'll print out the details on the rods you mentioned and pick them up next paycheck. Good thing I purchased a Rod Wrangler to hold them all!

[geo]

go with the big jon's or dot lines anything along those lines in the long run the plastic might not hold up

[targa2]

Vote # 3 for the Daiwa heartland 10' 6" rod for dipseys. Best bang for your buck I think. 8' is just too short is all.

[Bob G2]

One vote here for Shimano Dipsey rods. 29.99/copy. many choices of sizes, although I went with 9 footers for ease of operation in a relatively smaller (19 ft) boat.

[brushpile]

I have four Browning dipsy rods. Don't use them for dipseys though they hold up to a planer board very well. Inexpensive too.