Trolling Setups - before I buy questions

[ThreeDogsDown]

“If you are purchasing new downriggers why would you continue using dipsies and not invest in downrigger weights?”

Downriggers are only 2 presentations (or 4 if you stack them) in a 9 or 12 rod spread. Somedays, dipsies outperform downriggers, at which point, I will stow one downrigger and replace it with another dipsy. I always have one DR down with my Fishhawk Probe.

“Using downrigger weights such as the 4 Fins design will allow you the ability to know precisely what depth your presentation is with little or no blow back depending on your trolling speed”.

My probe tells me how much blowback I am incurring at all speeds...and I can tell you it is 20’ or more blowback at 2.5 mph. This is a hassle both in presentation accuracy and tangles. This feature is attractive to me.

“This design of DR weights also track extremely well and will not travel under your boat during turns when trolling.”

This feature is also attractive to me. I have 39 days trolling on Lake Michigan this season and this season is winding down. I have lost one ball this season. I replaced it with another Cabelas Directional 12lb downrigger weight. It does pull the ball outside (slightly) the gunnel and opens up the chute for turns and fighting/netting fish. So they do track well, but I am always ready to try something else.

My plan is to purchase ALL MY SEASON UPGRADES (DR weights included) in one big month. Most probably in March 2020 (which is what I did this year) at the Ultimate Sport Show in Grand Rapids. I make a list of everything new or different I would like to try. If it isn’t at the show, I will order online in the hotel that night. Shark style weights are on my list.



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[dan agnello]

I see a few people talking about running dipseys on a board. Doesn’t make sense. Like stated above dipseys, especially on 3, get out away from the boat.

Also, not sure you need to spend $50+ for the bigger inline boards. I use standard Offshore boards with up to 300 copper and full core with no problem.

My friend even uses Church walleye boards for up to 300 copper and full core. I was surprised but they track pretty good. He just moves the weights to the back.

My 2 cents.

[ThreeDogsDown]

I see a few people talking about running dipseys on a board. Doesn’t make sense. Like stated above dipseys, especially on 3, get out away from the boat.
Also, not sure you need to spend $50+ for the bigger inline boards. I use standard Offshore boards with up to 300 copper and full core with no problem.
My friend even uses Church walleye boards for up to 300 copper and full core. I was surprised but they track pretty good. He just moves the weights to the back.
My 2 cents.

Yeah, the Dipsy under a planer board was just a test to see if the board would perform. It did OK, but was not recommended as a technique. The video is on Youtube.

I agree that the regular size planer boards work good for 10 Color Leadcore. I use the Church Walleye Boards and the Offshore OR-12a for 10 color leadcore. I do upgrade to the locking clip (OR-18) so I can release the board for retrieval versus the red and orange clips.

As for the big boards, It seems the Walleye Board and the OR-12s pull better than the big Church TX-44s.




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[dan agnello]

Agree. My Offshores have been converted with OR18 releases also.

If somehow you lose a board don’t forget to put your name n phone number on it. Someone might return it.

This summer  a guy called me the next day that he found my Church walleye board in Erie west basin.Told him thanks for the call and to keep the board and lure. He said the fish was still on but lost it at the boat. Maybe should have paid him to ship it to me. Might have had a specially painted expensive Bandit on it.

[ThreeDogsDown]

Good point. Mine are all labelled. I snagged a Walleye board with a wire line on it with a huge flatfish on it yesterday. It was not labelled. So I added a flag and reflective tape and put it in my bow netting for another spare.


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[Sea Eagle]

I purchased my Big Jon Tournaments along with my tracks and Berts ratcheting rod holders at the GR sports show many years ago now. I've moved them between my boats by just adding new tracks. I've used both Berts and Traxstech tracks. My downriggers are mounted on Big Jon swivel bases. Here is a photo of my set up on my latest boat. You can definitely save a bunch of money by buying at the spring shows. I picked up my trees at a swap meet for $75 for the pair. I might also be the guy Dan was talking about who runs 300 Cu and 10 colors of leadcore on church Walleye boards.  If you have one, I did need to fabricate a new pick up for my Depth Raider speed/temp probe so the bead for the auto stops on the down riggers would pass through. I made it out of some flared copper tubing, a couple of tubing clamps and some zip ties. Here is a close up of that. 

[ThreeDogsDown]

Looks great Sea Eagle. I like your rod/reel organization too.

I took off my Magnum Metalz downriggers, lubed them up, cut off some cable and added new Klincher ends.

I am ready to troll this coming spring (or if we get some calm days out in Frankfort), but I put the sport top up and I am now configured for perch jigging. I can quickly change back to trolling if we get an Indian summer.


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[1HI4X]

If you are purchasing new downriggers why would you continue using dipsies and not invest in downrigger weights? 

Because dipsies absolutely crush fish.


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[Frozen minnows]

I have 3 big Jon Tournament series riggers for sale.


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[sherman brown]

if you do decide to add holders for your divers, cannon ratcheting holders work great for them. they set down with one hand then to raise them just grab the rod and lift and the holder ratchets all the way to the upright position making it ever so easy to remove the rod from the holder. when a fish is on or your just checking or changing a lure there's no more leaning out over the side of the boat and straining to remove the rod from the holder.

 

the cannon has 6 positions where the traxsteck has 17. i liked the idea of 17 position and was going to switch. but i liked the one hand operation of the cannon so much better than than having to use both hands to lower the holder i went back to the cannon.

 

the cannon holders are 72.00 for the single axis and 83.00 at walleyetacklestore.com.

[CAC]

I run a Lund 1750 rebel with the same sport track. My advice is to look into a track system such as Cisco or traxstech. I ran traxstech tracks and vert tree last year, and just bought berts ratecheting holders this winter for my dipsys. I run my riggers, which are walkers, off my tracks in a traxstech swivel base. The nice part of the track system is I can move things around to suit my needs. Also, adding new holders doesn’t require the purchase of new bases. My first season for salmon was last year and I learned a lot. Mainly, dipsy rods put a ton of strain on the trees. I did a lot of research prior to setting up my rig and what I found was most people prefer to run a track vs mounting directly to the sport track itself. Hope this helps and good luck.  

I have a Lund with all Big Jon rod holders and 1 tree. They all work marvelously. I am glad the tracks work well for some. I love my rod holders. And I advise to get the big Jon net holder too for your Lund.
Good luck rigging and tight lines.
Clyde
Reel Therapy


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[trlittle]

On 6/4/2019 at 9:33 PM, CAslirod said:

It truly understand.   We sell our coated 12's  to Charter boat owners/captains who fish in the pacific ocean in Alaska and off the California coast.  Currents are the issue but our weights minimize most blowback.  I talked to a charter boat owner last week, he has been fishing for salmon 240' deep.  He switching from cannon 15# cannon balls to our coated 12's.

Several guides use our 10's & 12's in Lake Tahoe & Shasta Lake, fishing 100'-200' at 3-4mph for lake trout.  These are two very deep lakes.   See 4 Fins on facebook or 916 798-4505. for more info.

I run the 4 fn on my boat in northern cal and like them very much