Diving For Kings

[GLF]

Want to put more fish in your boat? Then make sure you have an assortment of Dipsy Divers at your disposal.

DIPSY DIVER

If you are new to the sport of Great Lakes fishing you may be asking what on earth a Dipsy Diver is?

A “Dipsy Diver†is a device manufactured by Luhr Jenson & Sons, Inc. A dipsy diver is a round disk with a directional weight system (keel), with optional extension ring.

The Divers come in four popular sizes, Magnum (4 1/8†Diameter with larger keel sinker), Standard (4 1/8†with a regular keel sinker), Small (3 ¼â€), and Mini (2 ¼â€).

Different Sizes of Dipsy Divers

Rings can be placed on the dipsy to increase surface space creating more resistance and better diving and plane ability. There are standard and magnum rings created for the 4 1/8†divers.

This disk can be set up to dive straight down, to the port, or starboard side of the boat. To do this, look on the bottom of the diver, you will see a directional dial from 3R to 3L. R for Right or Starboard side of the boat, L for Left or Port side of the boat. (Port and Starboard is always determined by looking towards the bow of the boat).

Directional Dial

The numbers indicate how far you want the dipsy to plane to the side. The 3 causes the furthest plane, and a 0 is straight down. You would use a 3 for your outside dipsy and 1 for your inside. A 0 would be used if you ran a dipsy down the chute (straight off the back).

The “trip†mechanism (on the top) needs to be set (by pushing it down) in order for the dipsy to dive. A set screw is located on the side of the trip allowing you to adjust the tension. You want to set this trip just heavy enough so it doesn’t trip with speed changes but light enough to trip when a fish hits. Lower tensions should be used on less aggressive fish like Walleye. I will attest that it is a bear to bring in a big king and fight the diver at the same time.

Trip Mechanism

A snubber is a piece of rubber tubing that acts as a shock absorber between the dipsy and your lure. A snubber is not always necessary with monofilament line because this line will stretch some unlike other types of line.

Snubber

Last but not least, the leader. Leaders for dipsies, like other leaders, are used to space your lure from your diving device. For dipsies, leaders should roughly be the length of rod you are using. (A 10’ pole should have a 10’ leader). The reason I only use a leader as long as my rod is because when you bring a fish to the back of the boat if you have a 15 foot leader you are going to need and extendo net. I’ve found that unless you are a master netter on the big pond that you will lose a lot of fish if you do not have control of your net. If you need longer leaders you can use another product derived from the same idea that is called a slide diver.

LINE TYPES WITH DIPSIES

* Monofilament: 20-30 lb. test, 300 yards, used mostly on higher, outside divers

* Super braid: 30 lb. test, 300 yards, used for inside or low divers

* Wire: 30 lb. test, 7 strand, used on inside low divers

RIGGING A DIPSY

1. Tie snap swivel to your main line

2. Attach swivel to trip mechanism on Dipsy

3. Check/Adjust tension of trip mechanism

4. Set trip

5. Set directional weight

6. Attach snubber

7. Attach leader

8. Attach bait (flasher-fly, spoon, and plugs)

Okay now drop this diver over the side of the boat but keep it out of the rigger lines and whatever else is out there. Make sure you reset the line counter on your reel. The amount of line you let you depends on what depth you wish to fish.

There are some publications available that have depth charts for the various divers’ available (check out www.fishdogco.com for Big Water Precision Trolling book). If you don’t want to buy one of those books there are a couple ways to figure out for yourself how deep your divers are diving. Set your divers out to a desired length of line out. Then gradually navigate the boat to shallower water until your divers start hitting bottom. But let me tell you it is much easier to buy the books. Luhr-Jensen’s website (www.luhrjensen.com) under tech info will also provide depth info.

OUTSIDE DIVERS

My Mono Dipsy rods are 9’ 6†Shimano TDR rods with Okuma Convector 30D Line counter reels spooled with 25lb Ande line. I will refer to these rods as my “High Divers†or “Outside Diversâ€. I will again set this to a ‘3’ setting.

A couple words of caution on the mono divers, if you set out a mono diver much farther than 180 feet they are very tough to trip. You may end up fighting the diver for a few feet before you will be able to trip it due to all the stretch in the mono.

INSIDE DIVERS

My Super Braid Dipsy rods are 8’ 6†Okuma Classic Pro rods with Okuma Convector 30D Line counter reels spooled with 30lb Power Pro or 30lb Berkley Fire Line. My Wire Dipsy rod is an 8’ 6†Okuma Blue Diamond roller rod with Okuma Convector 30D line counter reel. I will refer to these divers as my “Low Divers†or “Inside Diversâ€.

For my inside diver rods always use a shorter rod than the outside divers. This helps keep the two from tangling. I will also put a magnum ring on the diver along with setting the weight to a 0 or a 1 so it doesn’t plane out to the side as much. This helps for reaching desired depths and reducing tangles.

More words of caution: Super Braid or Wire you must not jerk them too hard or you may break your rod or line. These two lines have little to no stretch

GET OUT AND TRY IT

I have given you a small glimpse into the world of Dipsy Diver fishing. With what you read here you should be able to gear up with some divers and go out and catch some fish.

The Rod & Reel combos I have mentioned are available from a website sponsoring Member The Fishdog Company. They also have the Dipsy Divers and quality snap swivels.

Written and photographed by Jim and Beverly Six(SixShooter)

[GLF]

Thanks Bev and Jim!

[Catfishhoge]

Very nicely writen. Great information and advice!

Thanks for the article!

Rick

[Live2fishdjs]

Thanks for the time Jim and Bev...great read.:GreenDolphin:

[Sixshooter]

Thanks Bev and Jim!

You are More than Welcome Mike and the rest who have enjoyed the read.

we are currently working on a slider/advanced downrigger one with all the questions lately about sliders and such.

Should see it soon.

-Jim/Bev

[JWheeler]

I have fished w/dipsy's ever since I started salmon fishing, they work great. I have fished lake erie one time with success using jet divers, but have never used them for salmon. I am always looking for a new weapon for my arsenal, just wondering if anyone uses jet divers for salmon with success.

Furthermore; I watch michigan public television every thursday, looking mainly for fishing segments. I saw an episode where a charter captain was using dipsy's on lake erie going for the walleye. Haven't tried it yet, but next summer will give it a wirl and see what the result is.

Good Luck...

[shu9265]

As far as Dipsey's on Lake Erie, I won't leave the dock with out them!

They are probably one of the most effective tools I have on my boat for walleye.

[JWheeler]

I will take your word about the dipsies and deploy my arsenal on some unsuspecting walleye come next summer. Hopefully I will have the same success you have with them. How long of a leader do you like to run with your dipsies for eye's? Furthermore do you also use body baits behind the diver? All this talk about fishing and no chance in the near future for me to fish, I think maybe I oughta' drown my sorrows.

[shu9265]

I like to run a leader that is no longer than the rod. Sometimes only 3-4 footer's.

And yes, I run a lot of stick baits behind my dipsey divers. I can show you a way to run your leads out as far as you want to for, on your divers, and still be able to reel all the way in. hehe.

I know what you mean, I want to be out there,and the engine is out of mine for maint. over the winter.

[Boltman]

Great read, and I THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I've ust started fishing and only have dipsey's, they do work, but ar hard to get the big one's, God I know I'm going to pay for saying that.....

[j1musser]

This is a great piece that is all info and no bs;). Just started this year the whole Dipsy thing was a mystery to me. Without help from some others on here such such as Fishwhiperer, i would be lost. This is a top notch breakdown. TY and looking forward to the slide diver one as i have never used one.

[Priority1]

This is a great piece that is all info and no bs;). Just started this year the whole Dipsy thing was a mystery to me. Without help from some others on here such such as Fishwhiperer, i would be lost. This is a top notch breakdown. TY and looking forward to the slide diver one as i have never used one.

The Dipsy Diver has been around a long time. Back in the 60s the Dipsy gained the name of "Poor Mans Downrigger". It's a Gr8 way to start fishing Salmon, or to add to any spread. Unless the riggers have been extremely hot, I'll start by getting the high divers out. I have had fish on before I could get a rigger down. Finally, yes this is a GR8 thread.

[SkeinMachine]

I like to run a leader that is no longer than the rod. Sometimes only 3-4 footer's.

And yes, I run a lot of stick baits behind my dipsey divers. I can show you a way to run your leads out as far as you want to for, on your divers, and still be able to reel all the way in. hehe.

I know what you mean, I want to be out there,and the engine is out of mine for maint. over the winter.

Had a couple trips this past summer where a shorter 5 ft leader from diver out performed our standard 10 ft leader length.

[Priority1]

The Dipsy can act just like any other attractor.

[GLF]

Had a couple trips this past summer where a shorter 5 ft leader from diver out performed our standard 10 ft leader length.

Are you running the 10 ft leader with a flasher fly combo, or is this with a spoon or plug?

[SkeinMachine]

70% of the time it's flasher/fly Mike.

Usually will pull a spoon behind the diver(minimun 10 ft leader) when the targets are in the top 40 fow.

[GLF]

70% of the time it's flasher/fly Mike.

Usually will pull a spoon behind the diver(minimun 10 ft leader) when the targets are in the top 40 fow.

Do you have any issues getting the fish close enough to the back of the boat to net with a 10' leader?

[1mainiac]

Strangly last year a friend I chat with on the radio ( Ham Radio ) who did a lot of testing and research for Rhyes Davis had me make some changes in my dipsey program this year and drop the meat rigs. Honestly my dipseys were hot all year and I had many trips the rigger poles went untouched. First thing I changed was I ran shorter leads on every thing behind the diver Spoons 4 to 5 ft back plugs 5 to 6 ft back as maximum leader lengths. for flasher fly setups I ran 24 to 30in behind the diver for the flasher and never more than 3 times the flasher length back to the fly. The reason is the water is getting clearer if you attract a fish get the hit as soon as he sees it don't let him think about it. Shorter leads make the fish think the attracter is trying to get the bait and cause them to decide to get it first. Salmon are aggresive and will often strike just cause they can and if they feel they are competing for a food source they will go all out to get it first. Keeping the diver setup short makes it easy to manage at the back of the boat and reduces problems netting. I go after the fussy spooky fish with long leads behind the balls and SWR setups as well as using my core program. So when runnig a full program the divers get the aggressive fish the SWR and long leads off the balls picks up the tenative ones and the core program goes after the rest.

[Paulywood]

I was talking to a guy that did well fishing the amateur side of the Gander Mt. tourney 2 years ago. They were running the leaders from the dipsey's so long that they had his girlfriend sitting on the hardtop of the boat and had to hand the rod to her in order to net the fish. If they ran anything shorter they couldn't get a hit. I have never really changed leader length's but might play around with it this year.

[1mainiac]

I used to run em long Nick but have to admit the way I ran them this year worked really well.

[SkeinMachine]

Do you have any issues getting the fish close enough to the back of the boat to net with a 10' leader?

No Mike,we use a net with a 12 ft handle,and who ever is on the rod,walks to the bow,when the fish is played out.

Some guys on Lake.O have been known to use 15 ft leads off their divers during tourneys to fill a box during a tough bite(same netting approach we use)..

[Priority1]

I think I would rather have a babe sitting on my hardtop reeling the fish.

I know the walk to the bow option is not possible on my boat.

I think that's why the Slide Diver was invented. But realistically, even with 12-15 feet of line behind a Diver on a 9 or 10 foot rod, an experienced crew should be able to net the fish. In this scenario I would probably fight it out the port side window of my hardtop. I used to run Slide Divers as my High Divers, but I had so many inexperienced people that hated to mess with them. The Dipsys are easier on and off. I think a regular Dipsy could be tricked out to slide after it released. I may just work on this. I seldom fish Salmon when they are spooky. I concentrate on the eyes until August.