help......please

[beefytheroadrunner]

im new to this site and new to trolling the big lake. right now im on a tight budget and need some advice. my buddy and i went trolling for the first time last weekend.we both went to the same tackle shop to get some gear and this is how they set us up. he got 2 8'6" rods and magda reels with 20# mono running planer boards. running inline keel weights and dodger/fly. they worked very well off of the sides. as for me i was going to run my 8' medium action spinning combo as a flat line with 30# braid. well they talked me into a 8'6" pinnacle power tip gold rod and magda reel. ok here is where im confused. they put 20# mono on the reel and told me i could use it for everything from riggers,planers, and dipsys. well we went out and i put a very small walker deeper diver on it with a dodger/fly and at 2.5mph it was skimming the top of the water with 100' of line out. i checked and it wasnt tripped so i put it out 135' and it still skimmed. well not very happy i put a #3 dipsy on my spinning combo and cought fish. only problem was i didnt know how much line was out and the rod was bent tip to butt while trolling. now i want to eliminate the spinning combo but was wondering if the trolling combo i got is really big enough to pull the big dipsy or if i got took. please keep in mind im on a very tight budget and i already got in the doghouse with the wife. thanks

[1mainiac]

While I have a low opinion of Pinnacle rods that rod and reel setup should pull a diver ok up to about 150 back and then you will begin having trouble tripping it with mono. There has to be something set wrong on the diver as they all go down when set right. I fished divers with mono my first year back as I only had 4 rods so all were setup with mono and I switched them around for differant setups. Where do you fish out of that would help a lot in gettting you headed in theright direction?

[tangled mess]

You should be able to use that rod and reel for every thing but the line is a little lite for dispys later in the year.

[Priority1]

Welcome to the site Jeremy. If you get a chance introduce yourself in the welcome forum. You will like it here.

[cduced]

Did you hook it on backwards? That's the only thing I can think of.

-- Bud

[Sea-Mac]

If you were using the little tiny walker divers ive had them raise up and not want to dive for me to at high speeds. You need to go really slow with those and keep a good eye on them and leave them at the 0 setting. Prolly didnt help you had a dodger/ fly combo those take a little more to get down. Good luck.

[Sea-Mac]

Just wanted to add 20# test is a little thick for the smaller divers and the bow in your line from surface to diver from having that much line out will actually work against the diver and lift it up. A smaller diameter line or braid will help get the smaller divers down and stay down alot better. Walker recommends you use 10lb. test with the smallest diver they make. (wish I coulda edited this into my last post but i was to late)

[beefytheroadrunner]

thanks guys. i fish out of Pastrick marnia in East Chicago Indiana. the small walker was tied on the same as the bigger dipsy. i can see the point in letting out too much line working against me. and i also had it cranked over to #3 setting. the larger one i had set on 1.5 and it did fine. i just dont want to lose a dipsy and whatever is behind it. should i change the line to braid to run the bigger dipsy's? thanks again

[Sea-Mac]

With just a little bigger dipsey to give you more "bite" you should have no problems with them raising up with the 20# test and be able to use them on the 3 setting with a dodger or flasher fly combo. I use the 000 size Luhr Jenson dipseys when im in shallow water, and the 001 size and magnum size when im out deep. If you do decide to go with braid you can attach 5-8' of mono or flouro leader to the end and its back to being a downrigger or planer with keel weight set up.

[Nailer]

im new to this site and new to trolling the big lake. right now im on a tight budget and need some advice. my buddy and i went trolling for the first time last weekend.we both went to the same tackle shop to get some gear and this is how they set us up. he got 2 8'6" rods and magda reels with 20# mono running planer boards. running inline keel weights and dodger/fly. they worked very well off of the sides. as for me i was going to run my 8' medium action spinning combo as a flat line with 30# braid. well they talked me into a 8'6" pinnacle power tip gold rod and magda reel. ok here is where im confused. they put 20# mono on the reel and told me i could use it for everything from riggers,planers, and dipsys. well we went out and i put a very small walker deeper diver on it with a dodger/fly and at 2.5mph it was skimming the top of the water with 100' of line out. i checked and it wasnt tripped so i put it out 135' and it still skimmed. well not very happy i put a #3 dipsy on my spinning combo and cought fish. only problem was i didnt know how much line was out and the rod was bent tip to butt while trolling. now i want to eliminate the spinning combo but was wondering if the trolling combo i got is really big enough to pull the big dipsy or if i got took. please keep in mind im on a very tight budget and i already got in the doghouse with the wife. thanks

Welcome aboard.

I've never been able to keep those small divers down.

[beefytheroadrunner]

thanks guys and heres the latest news. today i was sitting in the garage switching the dipsys around and i tied the small one on the braid. went to reel it up and the line broke. i checked the line (which i put on last weekend) and it looked fine. i tied it on again and it broke again. now im not happy so i took the line off the spinning reel and i just wont use it. while im doing the my youngest daughter comes in to get her bike and stepps on one of the guides on my new trolling rod and snapps it. i called the tackle shop and they said it happens and they have a guy who can fix it for $8 but will take a week. soooo if we go out this saturday im buying a new rod friday. my delima now is do i get another 8'6" or a taller dipsy rod. im leaning tword the dipsy rod but still not sure. any suggestions?

[Nailer]

Yes, use a Diver rod that has a line counter on it filled with 30-50 pound braided line.

One a second note, the money you are spending now is just the beginning

As you start getting these fish figured out, the money will fly.

Edit; I went back and reread your first post.

You may be able to use that new rod you bought, but put some braid on it. Give it a try, if it's not enough then buy the diver rod. (you don't need momma moving you out to the dog house).

It's not that hard to fix a broken eyelet. most tackle stores have them.

This is the best knot to use when tying braid to swivels http://www.netknots.com/html/palomar_knot.html

Keep at it and enjoy.

What area are you from?

[beefytheroadrunner]

well i was just going to get a new rod not a new reel but im thinking i should get a dipsy rod.

[Sea-Mac]

Your more than likely gonna be buying a couple if not 4 dipsey rods sooner or later anyways.

Just wondering if your tieing your dipseys directly to your line or using a swivel at the end. If you were tieing them directly your line will get all twisted up and that could be why its breaking so easy.

[tltorrice]

One more thing about braid Jeremy. When you tie braid you need to use a palmer knot. The trilean knot that is used with mono will not hold.

[beefytheroadrunner]

yes im using a swivel and the braid didnt break at the knot but about 2' up from it. this is the first time ive used the shakesphere ugly braid. maybe i got a bad roll?

[medic]

Jeremy,

First off..WELCOME!!

Now.. What size braid are you using? I normally run 50/12 Power Pro. Remember, you do not need to spool your whole reel with the braid. Use a quality mono backer and then add 100 to 200 yds of braid. This will save you a couple of bucks. I have never had any experience with the Ugly Braid. I have only run Power Pro and the original Fireline with good success with both.

Good luck and keep the questions coming!