keeping rings on dipseys

[Boatnut]

One annoying thing about using dipsy's is that the plastic rings seem to wanna popoff too easily. Anyone found a solution to "permanently" attach the durn things? Glue? Silicon? PVC cement? Air nailer? Duct tape?
thanks!
Mike(boatnut)

[Denied]

Mike, I have replaced the rings on my dipsys a couple of times. They seem to get worn and loose. New rings seem to correct the problem. They come 4 to a pack as I recall.

Fishing Western Lake Erie aboard "DENIED"
web page; http://www.cliftond.com

[ETT]

Mike, I think everyone fights this. The rings get banged around and the little tabs that hold them on get stretched, worn or broken. Some just seem like they are a might too large, and don't snap on tight. The metalic colored dipsys are the worst for not holding the rings. We've tried epoxy, super glue, vinyl adhesive, etc. with little success. Get a pack or 2 of replacement rings and stick a new one on whenever neccessary.

It was nice to meet you at Clev., thanks for introducing yourself. Talk to you soon.

[Captain Dan Kelly (BucketsPa)]

i have a solution for you buy new rings snap them on then melt the little plastic tab with a lighter the flatten it out on the underside of the dipsy it gives you more plastic where you need it if you understand what i am saying another way is to use the slide diver rings on the luhr jensen divers they stay on pretty well ok i hope this helps good fishing dan

[Chris G]

Boatnut,
Consider swithching to Slide Diver brand divers. I saw them at a sports show recently and they look like they have a better design for the ring along with interchangeable size rings to allow one size diver to go various depths. The line also slides through the release mechanism allowing you to change the length of the lead to your lure without retying and also allows you a direct line to the fish as the diver will slide down to a swivel in front of your lure after it trips. I saw enough to make me change next year and their priced about the same I believe. They were designed by a charter boat captain in Sheboygan,Wi. and guys that I talked to that have used them were extremely happy with the performance. Especially the ring issue.
Good Luck,
Chris

[Sparky]

I purchased some of the slide divers at the Pontiac, MI fishing show last year. After running them a while I noticed my line starting to wear. It happened on the 30' mono and 30' fireline. It was a spooky feeling knowing the size Salmon that we catch in Ludington, MI. If they don't have a solution for that problem my slide divers will set in the old tackle box until they do. One person suggested that I set the diver in a different place each time to reduce wear. I work enough at checking leaders after boating fish on the lake. I won't run equipment that damages my line. The gentleman that I spoke to at the show last year may be back. If he is I'll ask about the problem. I didn't notice a differnce in catch rates between the slides and the dipsey. I ran one off the port side and the other off starboard. They both caught fish. I certainly like the concept and it makes sense. Maybe someone else has heard about a solution for the problem I had last year with the slides.

Sparky

[Fish'n Fool]

Sparky I had the same fears when I bought mine so before I even used them I put tape right under where the clip goes down and I found that a few people did not realize that the piece of sugical tubing was to slide over the arm down to the spot where the arm engages the line you might try one of the replacement pads instead of tape from offshore big clips I have not found any week points in my line yet JIm

[SeaCat]

The surgical tubing you speak of was a "fix" the SlideDiver folks made just before last season. This was specifically because of the wear problem.

Ryan

[Airwave(OH)]

Mike stay away from the slide divers. I have some you can try or have for that matter. Enough said!!!

[Boatnut]

Brian,
dont worry...i've got too much invested in Dipsy's to switch now!
take care!
Mike(boatnut)

[Boatnut]

Thanks for all your responses, folks. Thats what i love about this board!
I did contact Luhr Jensen and they said to try a dab of super glue or...just buy extra rings as ETT suggested.
thanks again,
Mike(boatnut)

[Tom S.]

A friend of mine drills small holes and uses fine wire. I do tis in addition to the super glue. Works great for me.

[RANGER]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-30-01 AT 11:49AM (CST)[p]I haven't, yet to this day, figured out the purpose of the rings in the first place! Seriously, 4 little tabs to hold them on instead of something like a sleeve or snap type rings. I realize that some things are "after market hooks" (to get you to buy more stuff) but I lose enough in a year to satisfy any manufacturer!


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"

[Airwave(OH)]

I'm with ya on the losin things...LOL Ya they could just make the dang things that size to begin with.. The only reason some people fish without rings is cuz they can't keep em on anyhow...Maybe we ought to all let Luhr Jensen know what we think ...Think that'll work....:) Hey they did start putting in a metal sleeve for the screw that locks the lever. (instead of threaded plastic) You never know ....

[RANGER]

Airwave,

Maybe you're on to something there. Maybe go to the Web Site and drop them a line! Good idea!

There is somthing I have had some success with - Liquid Nails. Works well but is really messy to apply and if you are not into gluing paneling or 2x4s, it's expensive to waste the tube.

Come to think of it - Not a good idea! It seems that after I glue the ring on - THAT's the one I lose! LOL!


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"

[Phil Jensen]

Hey! ...Wow!!! I am sorry. The original reason for the putting the rings on the "Dipsy" was, simply, to make it larger, giving it more "bite" so that it could achieve greater depths if the fisherman so desired. ...versatility! you know what I mean. We have modifed the rings to make them more reliable, but evidently it wasn't enough to make them "bulletproof". This is a bummer, and I will look into it immediatly. My good friend "Greybeard" (alias Michael Collins)has been telling me this for about a year. Michael was the one that put me onto your URL so's he could rub my nose in this valuable "input".

On the other hand... perhaps we should just modify (enlarge) the cavity in the mold so that we don't need the rings. I would appreciate it if you would give me some feedback on that option. If the mold base is large enough, it would not be a very hard "fix". I'll check it out. !!!????!!!

Contact me at pjensen@luhrjensen.com. I would appreciate your input. Also, check out our website at www.luhrjensen.com. There's good stuff there.

Thanks for beating me up a bit. I don't want to lose you as friends or customers. We can fix this problem.

Thanks again.... Phil Jensen ><}}}">

[Boatnut]

Phil,
Hey, THANKS for listening! I can understand trying to make a product "versatile". However, I also think, that in this case,
your dipsy's work just fine at the size that includes the ring. All the dive charts are based on this also. If it was up to a vote, I'd vote to just enlarge the divers and eliminate the ring!
my 2 cents
Mike(boatnut)

[pwsr #174]

To keep the rings on take a med size Phillip's screw driver and get it red hot. touch it to where the ring meets the diver and give it about a quarter turn. Seals it right up.

[RANGER]

Phil,

Thank you for your commitment to resolve this aggravating problem. For my 2 cents, I believe enlarging the molds are the best answer, particularily because the dive charts, as Boatnut said, are calculated for these sizes. Great product, the Dipsy Divers, as are many of your products. Looking forward to the new and "improved" version.

Thanks, again, for your commitment here and responding positively! I know I and other members on this site really appreciate it!


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"

[Denied]

Phil, thanks for your comments. Its good to hear from a tackle maker that is interested in the problems of the end users and is willing to talk about it and interested in product improvement. So many others are not interested.
Regards, dean

Fishing Western Lake Erie aboard "DENIED"
web page; http://www.cliftond.com

[phil Jensen]

Thanks for the feedback. We are working on a fix and will keep you posted.

Question... does anyone use the Dipsy without the ring?

Thanks... Phil ><}}}">

[ETT (Jim Stedke)]

Phil, Fishermen in the western basin of Lake Erie are fishing water depths of 30 - 35' most of the time. They do find it easier to use the #0 Dipsys without the rings, but overall on Erie, I'm sure that the percentage of ring on vs. ring off is like 90 - 905% ring on. Hope this helps . Jim

[Phil Jensen]

Well... our latest thought (and simplest) is to consider molding the rings out of a material that can easily by glued (like airplane cement). To accomplish this we will have to modify the ring mold a bit (about a grand to do this) to accomodate different shrinkage rates of the plastic... we would also try to beef up the little "holder tabs" as best as the mold ejection pins and cooling lines would allow. We were encouraged to maintain the ring "option", as there has been some feedback that under some circumstances the fisherman does want to use them without the rings. This "glue fix" will accomodate that and still give the fisherman the option to secure it with a "little dab" of airplane glue (easily and cheaply found at any "mart").

Whatta ya think?

Phil ><}}}">

[RANGER]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-01-01 AT 12:02PM (CST)[p]Phil,

Not to imply I know your business but what about a slipper, or sleeve type ring? i.e. a sheath that overlaps 75% or 80% of the leading edge by, say, 1/4 inch or more with a tab(s) at the rear to snap over the tail with an option to glue? I view it on the order of, or concept of, a tire and rim assembly (with the "tire" - the ring - grabing the outside of the rim - the Dipsey. Hard to write about it! Only an idea.

Those of us that fish the Central Basin of Erie (40-100+ ft) run them with the rings ON.


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"

[Bob K]

I super glue the new rings on but the replacement rings will eventually fall off. The easy solution to this problem would be to simply make the dipsey with the ring molded in but this is to logical for Lure Jensen-they are selling alot of replacement rings.
Bob K

[Sparky]

I am a little surprised about all of the "lost rings". I run dipseys a lot and don't seem to have a problem with losing them. I've probably "lost" more around my house then I've ever lost on the lake. The only problem I've had is when I set the dipsey in the water it can't be dropped hard. I've had a few pop loose that way but they always stayed on the diver. I pull it in, reset the diver and ring, and we're back to fishing. If it's set into the water smoothly the rings stay put and I don't recall ever losing one in the water unless I lost the entire setup against the rock wall in the Ludington channel. Sometimes the Salmon like to hug the walls of the channel near the Coast Guard station and I will donate a few divers in the process of catching fish. Some years I don't lose any there but other years, oh well! My standard setup is four divers but I have run as many as eight at a time. I haven't had one come back without a ring yet. Whatever is happening to those that are losing all of these rings I hope that I don't find out.

Sparky

[Wild Bill]

Sparky,I don`t think anyone here said anything about losing rings in the water.They just don`t stay snapped onto the diver.

[Airwave(OH)]

Phil since I Think maybe I sorta started this making the diver bigger proposition you probably know my opinion.. Maybe sell the divers in the size they are now with or with out rings(your choice) and make one bigger without the ring option. I know this is costly but I'd bet you see what were using that way. Any way you do it we will keep using your product as it works better than any other and I've tried them all..MY OPINION

[Sparky]

Maybe it wasn't clear to me what they meant. Someone mentioned them selling a lot of replacement rings. If I dropped a ring in the boat and could recover it I don't see the need to buy a new one. I figured they must mean losing it in the water if they were buying replacements. I've had some that have gotten loose over the years. A tab redesign wouldn't be a bad idea. I still like the option of being able to remove the ring. Anyway, I was reporting my experience with using dipseys over the last 12 years. That is a short amount of time compared to many on this board but, that's all I was trying to do.

Sparky

[Wildman]

I use arrow fletch glue seems to work alright for me.

[ETT]

So long as the glue-able plastic is tuff enough to be slammed into the transom of the boat, stepped on, and take the abuse that they get it should be fine. I'm saying this thinking that it would probably be more brittle and easily broken, and assumeing there is not one material that is tuff, flexable and glue-able. I realize that no matter what you do, if you change what the public is used to, you will be precieved as cheapening your product, and lining your pockets. your risk... your call. Personally i's love to see the rings molded in. Maybe the answer is a new line of deep water dipsys,... but who needs all the additional UPC codes. Tough question.

[Sparky]

Does anyone know of a glue that holds but, that you can pop loose if you ever want to remove the rings?

Sparky

[Chris G]

If I'm not mistaken Sparky, they have changed the area where the lines goes through to fix the line wear issue I was told.

[Steelie7]

Boatnut, I agree with everyone who thinks Luhr Jensen should increase the size of there molds & do away with the rings, but till then, try some 3M 5200. You will never have a ring fall off a dipsey again. Good luck!

[Phil Jensen]

Great Answers Guys! We're still thinkin'. The poly-ring does take the abuse and to change materials does involve some risk. The cosmic-glue (3M-5200) might be the best answer. We will try it and, perhaps, add this suggestion to the instructions.

No, we didn't design the product to sell rings... The ring was an afterthought to add versatility (more depth) to the exsisting product.

The steel mold for that product is not large enough to increase the diameter of the body... That is too bad, but...

Thanks again for the forum to discuss and get your good feedback. I appreciate it.

Phil ><}}}">

[Herminator]

I concur with Boatnut 100%. Keep it simple. We all use the rings (almost all the time) so please, please make us a one-piece Dipsey! They work excellent. Great invention.

[reeltime]

yeah, we use the dipseys without the rings. when the fish go deep we put the rings back on.

[RANGER]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-02-01 AT 08:57PM (CST)[p]and we appreciate your attention to this matter! Nice to know that there is a manufacturer out there that CARES! You have me for life!


RANGER


"KEEP YOUR LINES WET, YOUR POWDER DRY and THE BEER COLD"

[Stinger]

The question was raised about the Slide Diver and the line wear. The folks at Slide Diver have done extensive testing on the line wear issue and the answer is in the new modification they came out with late last year. A spring has been added at the place where the line makes a 90 degree bend or toe point and this has taken care of the problem. They also make rings; three sizes and they are made right they don't come off unless you pull them off. Also new this year is a smaller version of the slide diver with 3 sets of rings also. There products are improving and giving us more versitility all the time.