Dipsy diver or Downrigger? What do you think?

[Walleyeking125]

I was wondering if I should by a downrigger or just get a couple dipsy divers???. A couple of people told me that the dipsy divers work just as good as a downrigger if you know how to use them. Please tell me what your opinion

[Polar]

I was wondering if I should by a downrigger or just get a couple dipsy divers???. A couple of people told me that the dipsy divers work just as good as a downrigger if you know how to use them. Please tell me what your opinion

I only use dipsy,jets or leadcore. Guess it depends on what you want to chase and how far down they are.In most cases if your after the eyes the above will suit you just fine.

[hunter13]

not to rob the thread but what is a dipsy diver and are they hard to figure out i troll with lead core line and by late summer cant reach the fish as well with just leadcore so maybe i should check out them dipsy divers  if they are easy to run lol


hunter13

[Chucker]

not to rob the thread but what is a dipsy diver and are they hard to figure out i troll with lead core line and by late summer cant reach the fish as well with just leadcore so maybe i should check out them dipsy divers  if they are easy to run lol


hunter13

http://www.luhrjensen.com/prod_list.cfm?categoryID=12

[Webguy]

Short on funds - go dipsey, got the cash - go downrigger. Its all good!

I'd say try a dipsey either way, they're fairly cheap. I'll add that downriggers will allow much better bait control. Its much easier to know where the lure is actually running with a rigger that has a counter on the line. You can then repeat the set-up easily when you find out what's working. You can have a line counter on your dipsey rod too but blow back makes it a guessing game for actual running depth until you put lots of time in with them.

[wormwigglr]

i know as of late downriggers have not been producing for most people on lake erie. everyone i have talked to on the radio and at the launch have been pulling the downriggers and running more dipsys. right now the hotspot is from 40 to 60 feet down so the dipsys are hitting the perfect depth for suspended eyes. if you use fireline with the dipsys they will run at a deeper depth than mono. there is a book called precision trolling guide that tells the depth of the dipsys with fireline and mono and you can acheive depths greater than 50 feet with them. dipsys release and do not cause much resistance  when fighting the fish because then they run flat not at and angle which would increase resistance. that is why if the dipsy is popped before it is out it, it will float, no resistance.

[rendo]

 I agree with Mac, Dipsys and downriggers combined are the arsonal that covers a lot of water depths. If you are only fishing a couple rods the cheapest way to go is dipsys

[GAMBELL]

I run a mix of dipsy divers, slide divers, down riggers, wire drop weights and mono drop weights.  If you are looking to use dipsy divers, I suggest using 20 lb. stainless steel 7 strand wire by the Malin company.  To figure of the depth the are running try the precision trollers big lake addition book.  It has charts for lead core, drop weights, slide divers (on mono, super lines), regular dipsys (on mono, wire and super lines), and jet divers.  Every piece of equipment has it's day.  Some days fish are picky and want down riggers and other days, the are slamming the dipsys.  I suggest getting both.  You can never have too much fishing equipment.

[troutman]

Mac, you are right about wire being easy to kink. Wire can’t kink going through you guides. Wire kinks when you let it coil up or leave a little slack in it will cause a kink. 7 strand wire is the worst for fraying and kinking. 7 strand wire will cut through the rollers guides too because this kind of wire is very abrasive. Single strand wire is much better to use because it is a smooth wire and it’s not abrasive

[GAMBELL]

But people should also be told that you simply can't run wire on conventional rods.  The wire will cut through your guides (even ceramic ones), especially the one on the tip.  You need a special rod with roller guides made specifically for wire, also a larger diameter spool on the reel is a benefit.  The roller on the tip needs to be for wire so it doesn't bend the wire and kink the wire.  Kinked wire is a weak spot in the wire that will eventually break.

Mac
[/quote]

Mac and troutman,

I run 7 strand wire on ugly stick dipsy diver rods.  The only addition to the rod is a thing called a twillie tip ( not a roller tip).  I have been running these rods for 4 years now and the guides are in excelent shape.  I have not had the wire kink and break in the 4 years I have been running it.  Roller rods get pricey and are hard to find in the desired length for most fresh water applications. 

[Reel Wet Ride]

How deep and what for? Dipsy's not only take your lure down but out away from the boat, good for mid-depth wallyes and also good for the Kings you don't mark on the graph.  If you read everything everyones already wrote it pretty much sums it up.  Downriggers = Less line out, fighting only the fish, percision depth control. Dipsys= away from the boat trolling, considerably cheap, ect.

[pirkaus]

Being a poor (monetary) fisherman the dipsey has always worked well for me
That said if I had the funds for downriggers I would buy them in a heart beat

[pirkaus]

Thanks  Mac
Then I'll need a bigger boat to mount them on and a bigger truck to pull the bigger boat and so on
I'm happy for now and it works for me

[killitandgrillit]

I fully agree with Mac. If you are not using Downriggers w/sliders or stackers, Dipsys, and Outboard Planers you are cheating yourself out of lines and the water column. Dont go too fast, or the dipsys wont dive. I use the biggest dipsy they make- you can always run a big dipsy as shallow as the small ones, but can never run a small dispy as deep as a large. The bigger ones will also turn out further from the boat to minimize tangling and maximize water coverage.

Watch your turns, watch your rods, and once you get a fish, double up on the producing lure. You can stack as many lures on one downrigger as practical for the depth you fish if you use Mac's "pinning" method (which I just discovered today, thanks Mac!). This COULD equate to 3 stackers per downrigger and rod in as little as 60 FOW. I have my best success running the spoons in the bottom two slots and a rapala up high (make sure you compensate for a diving lure- set the middle one far enough down to avoid a tangled mess). Hold onto that rod if you have a fish hit each line of the stacker though, it can be a blast

I'm assuming your new to the trolling scene. Here are a few tricks I've picked up that might help you out.

I never run more than 2 lures at the same depth. If you want to create the illusion of more "baitfish", try cowbells or a flasher/slasher, dont put all your lines in the same place to create that illusion. The exception to the rule would be if you were fishing Lake Trout that were stuck to the bottom or in waters too shallow to effectively stagger them.

CHANGE YOUR PRESENTATIONS! Last year was my first on the Big Water, and I outfished most of the Veterans I know. Why? I used some unconventional stuff because "traditional" ideas were not ingrained in my head. So far, I've gotten more fish on one particular bait (lipless shad rap in blue/white/silver with orange belly) than my buddy who uses traditional approaches (spoons, flies, flashers). Sure, he makes fun of me for fishing Salmon with Bass lures, but I catch fish when he gets skunked, and do as well when the bite is on. Try doing crazy stuff- sometimes the oddest lures are the best producers. For instance- I have a Silver Streak that a big king bent almost straight. Guess what? The fish seem to dig it's action. It kinda swims, but only spins once in awhile.

Salmon feed mostly off of their lateral lines- use stuff that makes noise or displaces lots of water when it's in action.

I picked up my downriggers from Cablela's for a hundred bucks each- INCLUDING a free downrigger rod with each. You'll still need the ball and releases, but it's a good deal.

http://www.cabelas.C0M/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0013620016340a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=lake+ranger&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=lake+ranger&noImage=0