Adjusting Dipsy Divers properly

Bassassin

Bassassin

Well-Known Member
As some of you great folks may know I'm new to this deep water longlining. Now that I'm the pilot and not the passenger going for a leisurely boat ride I sure have a new appreciation for all the hard work the Captain does in a day long fish.

The problem I'm having is getting the release setting just right. On both #1 and #0 the releases out of the package won't release. If I back off the side screw enough to release, they release on their own when I get enough line out.

Question, does the setting on the diver effect the release, i.e. is 1 different than 3?

I played with them all day without success, is there a trick?

Man reeling in a Dipsy #1 with the release on is like reeling in a Halibut. I have learned to bring in all other rigs and reel in the unreleased Dipsy last.

EXPERIENCE IS A LIFETIME OF MISTAKES, WISDOM IS KNOWING HOW TO NOT MAKE THEM.

Thanks

Johnny D
 
Hey, I'm not an expert but have noticed that my cheap (inexpensive) Dipsy's are very hard to set as compared to the better quality ones. I bought some at a good fishing store in London and they work great. I also bought one at a local place where they sell minnows by the lake and it is a crappy release and you can feel the poor quality. It has made its way to my garbage can as I had the same issues you are describing. However, I must say I am no expert and maybe somebody else can give better advice.

Cheers,

Mitch
 
Try filing down the edges of the release where it snaps in . I found that it makes for a smoother release.
 
WhatsthePoint said:
As some of you great folks may know I'm new to this deep water longlining. Now that I'm the pilot and not the passenger going for a leisurely boat ride I sure have a new appreciation for all the hard work the Captain does in a day long fish.

The problem I'm having is getting the release setting just right. On both #1 and #0 the releases out of the package won't release. If I back off the side screw enough to release, they release on their own when I get enough line out.

Question, does the setting on the diver effect the release, i.e. is 1 different than 3?

I played with them all day without success, is there a trick?

Man reeling in a Dipsy #1 with the release on is like reeling in a Halibut. I have learned to bring in all other rigs and reel in the unreleased Dipsy last.

EXPERIENCE IS A LIFETIME OF MISTAKES, WISDOM IS KNOWING HOW TO NOT MAKE THEM.

Thanks

Johnny D
Click to expand...

If you have monofilament line on it's very hard to release ..put on braided line should work better..
 
Thanks for the advice folks. The 2 rods I borrowed have mono spooled on them. My pal (no fish on radio ch. 68) said he never had a problem. Then again he is an angler so who knows what the truth is, thanks Thirty.

Jaker I am going to file one down a bit and try it, sounds logical.

Mitch, I learned a long time ago about buying into cheap look alikes, including blonds. These are real Lehr Jenson's so that's not the problem, thanks. I have however bought dollar store lures that have outfished Rappala before so who knows.

Thanks again boys.
 
Thirstystone is correct on the mono.
I'm running 30 to 40 lb braid on my dipsy rods and 25 lb flouro on my leader line too.
I adjusted the release screw a tiny bit on all my dipsys but not much.

I've found that when I get a bow or walleye on, the size and strike will release the dipsy every time even if its a little stiff.
If its too loose I found that unless I took 20 minutes to get the line out it would pop on me at some point and have to bring them in and do it all over again.

When I get a silver , sheep or perch on the line, the strike is similar on the rod tip but like you said reeling in a dipsy that hasn't popped is tough.
If I don't feel the head shake from a walleye or the reel isn't screaming from a bow, I can kinda say with certainty that its ok to pull on the rod to manually release the dipsy and bring it in.
Many times I've fought a fish with engaged dipsy to find a farm animal on it lol.

I've been running my outside lines on a # 3 setting to get them farther out, as well, lately have taken the "O" ring off so they don't run as deep and I can let more line out so they are farther back.
My inside lines I keep the "O" ring on and run them right out the back on a #0 or #1 setting so they run deeper than my outside lines on shorter line out.

This helps me when I get one on......if I get one on the inside lines I can reel it in to the back of the boat and don't have to worry about my outside lines.
If I get one on the outside lines I can reel it in to the side if I want but normally just hop my inside lines and reel in to the back of the boat as well.
When the dipsy dis engages from a fish on it comes up above the inside lines that are deep so hopping over them to bring the fish in at the back is workable.

I'm using all black dipsys as well, and am looking at getting plainer boards for my outside lines so I can run my inside rods on a #2 or #3 setting too.
I've heard the walleye swing out when the motor passes over so outside lines will be there to pick them up ect........
Not sure if its true but I've caught most of my walleye on my outside lines and most of my trout on the inside lines.

Another learning curve for me was my drag setting. Once I get the dipsy out I adjust the drag so its just snug enough that it won't let any line out.
I have the clicker on as well so I can hear if line creeps out a bit and adjust accordingly, as well when a there is a strike.
Doing this has increased my catch rate.

I have lost a few spoons from big strikes, prob bows because I didn't have a snubber on my line to cushion the strike, and my drag was too tight.
Have had way less knock offs too since adjusting the drag. Once a fish is on it takes a little line out but its tight enough with the boat moving I have time to tighten up the drag a bit and start reeling in.

Lures that have been working for me are:
Bows: pink panties, nascar, blueberry muffin spoons.
Walleye: monkey puke ( green or red ), greasy chick, orange crush spoons, rippling red fin ( gold / black ).

I'm a rookie at this too and relied on reports from here and some of my fishing buds, and a lot of trial and error I seem to be doing ok now lol
Hope some of the smart people on here pipe in and give us some more tips, every little bit helps!

Cheers
D
 
Iwould also recommend a good quality ball bearing snap swivel; like the cross-lok style! Why? Because they hold way better than your thin wire snaps! May I suggest P-line cross-loks with ball bearing. They are super stong! I am also talking about connection from main-line braid to Dipsey! Hope this helps--Walleyeman!
 
Johnny D. Are you using snubbers behind your dipseys? I ran the standard dipsey for years with snubbers and have been surprised to see the number of fish I've dragged around without the dipsey tripping. A few years back I heard about the lite-bite dipseys on this site I think. I tried one and have never looked back. They release with the smallest of fish on and I rarely find one being towed around. They don't have as many colours as luhr jensen but I use black mostly anyway. They are easy to set, go just as deep, and can be rigged a number of ways. I have mine set-up to connect to a snap just like reg. dipseys. No need for a snubber and I run #25 mono and have not lost one yet. (touch wood) Hope this helps. Do a google search, their website has some interesting videos.
 
I don't know where to begin, man you guys are all of great help.

Twinfisher, you sure don't sound like a beginner to me. Great info, just fantastic.

No fish Ted was over today, we re spooled with braid on 6 set ups. he has 14 downrigger rods and reels. He needs to go back to work to re spool the rest. After all these years he is now a believer in super line, including flouro, after I outfished him 10 to 1 on smallies last month.

OK I give, what is a snubber, someone who won't dance with you when asked? I saw a guy boat a nice Walleye yesterday and had what I would describe as afoot long sleeve below the diver, snubber?

Thanks again to all, now if you need any help with landing Snook let me know. I'm pretty proficient at smallies. I was the original Bassassin before there was an internet. Lake Nippissing Walleye, now I can carry on a conversation.

Johnny D, the former Bassassin.
 
A snubber is a piece of rubber tubing ...I use surgical rubber tubing...I has 45 lb.swivel on each end attached to 50 lb. test line about 30" long. slide the tubing over the line and swivels...wire the rubber to one side of the swivel roll back the rubber to cover the wire. the length of rubber would be about 14" long. the 24 or 30 inch line is cured up insde the rubber...and when stretched it will ease the bite until the rubber stretches the full lengh of the line inside....or you could just buy them at a tackle store....
 
I'm new to the forum, also just tried dipseys for the fist time last weekend with no luck.

The information you guys provide is fantastic. Thanks for all the help, hopefully I will have some pictures worth posting soon.
 
WhatsthePoint said:
I don't know where to begin, man you guys are all of great help.

Twinfisher, you sure don't sound like a beginner to me. Great info, just fantastic.

No fish Ted was over today, we re spooled with braid on 6 set ups. he has 14 downrigger rods and reels. He needs to go back to work to re spool the rest. After all these years he is now a believer in super line, including flouro, after I outfished him 10 to 1 on smallies last month.

OK I give, what is a snubber, someone who won't dance with you when asked? I saw a guy boat a nice Walleye yesterday and had what I would describe as afoot long sleeve below the diver, snubber?

Thanks again to all, now if you need any help with landing Snook let me know. I'm pretty proficient at smallies. I was the original Bassassin before there was an internet. Lake Nippissing Walleye, now I can carry on a conversation.

Johnny D, the former Bassassin.
Click to expand...


Thanks Johnny,

I've fished all my life but I'm a rookie on the big water..........just got my first rig this year too and loving it!

Now thankfully I've got a great wife who fully supports me getting a return on my new investment.......ie hitting the water every time I can this summer lol My boys and her have been having fun on it too so all good!

As far as being snubbed..........been a while since I've hit the dance floor but I've been snubbed by the fish God's a few times this year lol

I'd deff be up for smallies..........I've got a cpl weeks vacation coming up and plan to hit bluffs and the inner bay lots so give me a buzz when you're going out!

Where bouts did you see the guy with the eye? I was out of hoovers yesterday and got a cpl 8 pounders, my rigs black and grey / side console.

Cheers
D
 
D.

Saw him strait off the stacks, can't remember the boat but I was close enough to see the snubber, I think it was yellow.

I will wait a few weeks for the bass hunt. The end of Sept into October is hog time out here. They put on the winter feedbag. 30 feet of water, strait down dropshoting with rubber or large shinners, big bait big fish, fluorocarbon is key as well. A neighbour trolls for them now in about 15 feet now and got a beauty 5 pounder Sunday right in front, or back of the cottage depending on ones perspective.

Again the fall is hit and miss for wind and wave. I find those dead calm and sunny the best days. I don't venture far from Nanticoke to find the 30 to 35 foot range. Use about 80% less fuel than hunting for Walleye, that's a good thing.

PM me and I will remember to drop you a line when you are off. I heard a few splashing this morning so they are coming in close.

JD
 
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