Torpedo Divers and hydrodynamic sinkers- how do you make the most

[Nic Gibson]

I'm interested in the use of weights for trolling. 

There are a lot of trolling sinkers out there. I have one Torpedo Diver, but they are real pricey and I can be careless with gear, i take out semi-competent people and kids. So I like to keep my terminal tackle investments modest. Plus, I could be running 6+ lines at times, needing different weights. $25 bucks a weight is a lot. 

It seems like the west coast standard weight is cannon balls- 1-2lbs, getting to 125ft max. These, like rigger balls aren't the most hydrodynamic, but the drop is predictable- 2ft out 1 ft down. simple. Is a little more drag worth clear predictability?

It seems like there are a lot more hydrodynamic weights out there, but they are all designed to run in line, limiting how much leader you can have. That's not acceptable. I'll be in a two man situation and my son is disabled. He can't handline or net, so all my rigs need to reel up to a netable distance. So I need to attach the weight in a removable way to something that runs through rod eyes (like a knot or small swivel).  Most of my leads are going to be a lot longer than 7 feet- 12-18 is more normal. 

What is the most hydrodynamic weight I can us that I can drop predictably. I know of two main options:

1. Torpedo divers are really good and quite pricey. 

2. virtually any weight can be clipped to a line, but they all have different sink rates relative to a pile of variables. That makes things less efficient and introduces a lot a variables. There are some snap kits with sink rate drafts, and cannon balls are made for regularity. But Torpedoes are more efficient and the charts say they can get down a lot deeper. 

2 questions: 

1. What weight system do you use and how do you keep it relatively simple? 

2. Do you add weight to shorter lengths of weighted lines to make fewer rigs more versatile? For example, do any of you spool a three color lead (SWR) and weight it to the depth you want to hit? I have not heard of anyone doing it, but I don't understand why not. Especially for smaller boats.  

I think I can build a torpedo diver for a bout $3 each after an initial investment of a mold ($200), or disc shaped weights for about $50 (kind of like a pancake rigger). but I want to know if there is a better way. Is it better to just use something with a chart- like cannon balls or a kit of clip weights? I don't have coppers, and can't do 50 rods in my 18ft Lund. So I need these weights to get me down quite a ways and to make the fewest rods function with the most versatilely. 

my plan is to run these behind boards. I assume that's obvious.