dipseys

[bob]

Just getting into dipsey fishing, can anyone explain the pros and cons of regular dipseys vs. the slide diver type? Any spescial tips would be appreciated!

[ETT]

Slide divers give you the chance to place the Dipsy as far ahead as you like(50'if you feel the need), but on Erie almost everybody uses the reg. Dipsy. Here's some tips: for calm water set the trip tension at 2-1/2 pounds for rough conditions up it to 4 pounds. (use a fish scale to pull on the big swivel to set the tension. Use 30 pound test super braid line on your Dipsy rods, it just makes the whole thing easier and reading the rods is a snap. Dipsy rods must be designed to handle the load (buy rods that say Dipsy Rod on the side). Use snubbers between the Dipsy and the leader to act as shock absorbers and reduce rip offs. Leader length is from 5' to 10' but must use 6' most of the time. Get a copy of Precision Trolling it has a ton of valuable info. Good luck.

[Lund_Dude]

ETT:

I bow down to your Dipsy trolling experience. ;-) I have the PT book and was wondering how accurate the dive curves for the Dispy is? I have been told that it is about as accurate as snap weights (as compared to accurate as cranks). True?

[4-given]

A lot of the dipsy rods are designed with king salmon in mind and can be pretty stiff for walleye. Eagle Claw Starfire's have a little softer tip than most. I use some medium action downriggers rods, too. I have not broke one...yet.

[EYE-GUIDE]

There are some small Dipseys out that I used in Canada for Lakers recently. About the size of a silver dollar. The only problem I found with them is that you need to use smaller cranks with them, like Thunderstick Jr.'s, or small floating Raps. Otherwise if they are too big, they will dive too deep, and counteract the action of the dipsey. They get down about 30 feet with 14/6 fireline with about 150 feet out.
Good Luck!
Tuck

[FreeByrd]

Lund Dude,
While I'm sure my answer won't be as good as one from ETT, the main difference between the dive curves for "most" of the cranks compared to snap weights or in this case dipseys in terms of "accuracy" is that snap weights and dipseys are influenced much more by speed than the typical crankbait because the snap weights and dipseys are really just fancy sinkers. They go deeper when you go slower (straight down if you stop) and higher the faster you go. In general the dive curves for most of the crankbaits are not impacted a great deal when you are in the "typical" trolling speed ranges as compared to sinking devices. Also while PT is a great tool remember that it too is going to be an approximation. It is better to error on the side of running above the fish in the water column than running below them. Let the fish tell you what they want and be able to repeat it.
Good Catching,
Steve

[Gray Ghost]

For what it's worth, I started using slide divers this year for trout and salmon on Lake Michigan. I have not yet had the oportunity to use them for walleye. Before this year I always had used dipseys. I usually run dipseys (1 or 2) off one side of the boat and slide divers (1 or 2) off the other side. So far I have been getting hits about 2:1 slide diver to dipsey. I usually run 15' to 30' leads on the slide divers.

One other advantage of slide divers is that no snubber is necessary. Instead use a 4' or 5' mono leader, tied to a swivel, which is tied to the main line (I use 20 lb or 30 lb superline for the main line - helps in tripping the dipseys / divers when you have a lot of line out, and helps them get deeper). The swivel acts as the stopper so the slide diver doesn't slide all the way back to the fish and hit it on the nose.

Not as much shock absorbtion is necessary with the slide diver, because of the tripping mechanism. The mono leader helps give some stretch / shock absorbtion.

One other reason for using a long, soft, but sturdy rod is that you need a soft rod to take shocks, if you are using superline.

GG

[ETT]

In all fairness to Mark Romanac, Dipsys and snap weights are both VERY speed dependent. For the speeds shown I wouldn't argue at all, but on Erie most run at higher speeds which causes both to run higher. We use the rule of thumb of 1' of every 1/4th oz (only an approximation) Good luck.

[vetspet(ind)]

agree with all of the above...will add two things...use a lower lb rating on your leader so that if you snag up , all you lose is the lure and not the dipsy....and if you do not have line counters and are using level winds ...count the number of back and forths you let out, and vary that number between rods with the dipsies...so that you can repeat the approx. line out when the rods begin to go off...steve