Discussion on Dipsy's

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nubutlernin

Active Member
I am still fairly new to walleye fishing deep on Lake Erie. I like using dipsy's but am unsure as to the reliability of the charts as far as how much line to get to certain depths.
I have a Walker 107 and a Dipsy #1, which pretty much look the same size.
I run 15-20lb mono.

The other day I was out and was marking fish at 62 ft of water, one with a ripplin and the other with a spoon and was running 2-2.5 mph.

How much line would you be letting out to get to the correct depths?
I tried anywhere from 120 ft, up to 200. Didn't get any hits, but that may be just picky pics lol.

Just looking for experienced advice.
Thanks!
 
What setting where you on ?
Dipsey with or without the ring?
The walker will run a little shallower than the dipsey with ring.
I would highly recommend you purchase a second #1 dipsey. This will make life much easier if you are getting fish with 100ft out on one match that on the second one.
 
Might want to get braid on your dipsey reel. You want as little stretch as possible to help fine tune the depth but keep in mind that the charts are an approximate guide. Depending on your sonar you might also want to try turning up the sensitivity to see if you can find it down there and then adjust accordingly
 
@nubutlernin Have a look at this thread from September 2019

'September Thread

Fishing was tough, the boat was fishing mid 60s and the fish were lying on bottom. The thread includes the line lengths and dipsy settings.

Always use braid with dipsys, #50 braid same diameter as #15 mono and zero stretch.

You will never get the dipsy to release with the amount of stretch there is in mono that far back.
 
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Charts are also based on speed so there is variables.
you can always let out line until dipsy starts bouncing off the bottom
Compare your line counter to what the chart says your depth should be and what the fish finder says the bottom is.
 
I had them both at 0.
turtle said:
What setting where you on ?
Dipsey with or without the ring?
The walker will run a little shallower than the dipsey with ring.
I would highly recommend you purchase a second #1 dipsey. This will make life much easier if you are getting fish with 100ft out on one match that on the second one.
Click to expand...
I had them both at 0, I don't find the settings change them a whole lot, but maybe as someone said, I should get braided line.
 
Tough to get down much beyond 50 feet with a #1 dipsy. Wire line may help but as mentioned in an earlier post, braid fishing line would be a significant improvement. I really struggled using 20 pound mono early in my career and things really improved when I switched to 30 pound braid once it became common and recommended.
 
I've boiled it down to 3 to 1 ratio, I run a number 1 dipsey on 2.5-3 setting with the ring, on 30lb braid, if I want it 50' down 150 on the counter, 30' down 90 on the counter ect. Not really that concerned to be at an exact depth, but when I get the rod firing I just return to the number on the counter. I'm probably with in 5'-7' using the 3 to 1 ratio or maybe not, but it doesn't concern me that much, just keep experimenting till you get bit, then return to the counter number.
 
The setting will definitely change the depth as they run more horizontally the higher the setting. Braid is in my opinion a must for dipseys. As others have said 3:1 ratio will get you close. My first year fishing dipseys I spent plenty of time getting it to tick the bottom at different depths just because I wanted to know exactly how much line I needed for certain depths. I have charts and can tell you they are just a guide.
The most important thing to remember is that your better to be too high than too low walleye will come up to hit a lure they won’t even see it if your under them
 
According to the chart dipsey with ring 200ft back on 0 should be at 70ft
120 back should be 54ft
#1 setting Walker 200 back should be at 62ft. 120 back should be 43ft
Hopefully this helps
 
Well.
The first thing is Braided line.
Fluorocarbon leader 3 to 5 feet long.
Check your line counters, I set the pole on the grass and walk the line out to different lengths marked with a screwdriver stuck in the grass. Checking the #'s for each length. Most line counters reels are more accurate when fully spooled.
See where the fish are on the graph and stay 5 feet above.
Trust the settings and remember!! Where it was when you get something.
My opinion.
 
Correct settings. 0 straight down deeper 3out to side shallower. That is if you have it hooked up right main line goes to release side of dippsy.
 
Way She Goes said:
Well.
The first thing is Braided line.
Fluorocarbon leader 3 to 5 feet long.
Check your line counters, I set the pole on the grass and walk the line out to different lengths marked with a screwdriver stuck in the grass. Checking the #'s for each length. Most line counters reels are more accurate when fully spooled.
See where the fish are on the graph and stay 5 feet above.
Trust the settings and remember!! Where it was when you get something.
My opinion.
Click to expand...
I never run a leader less then 7' from my dipsey and in most cases I'm running 10' and then 36" more of harness, I reel right up to the dipsey then back up pulling the fish into the net. I find with a longer leader you get more bites, long handle net helps as well, I fish Lake O with salmon guys that hand line the fish in the net with long leaders from the Dipsey.
 
@nubutlernin if you get a dipsy presentation dialed in it will fill your limit easily.

Many, many days all my boat has in the water is a multy spread dipsy presentation.
 
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