I want to start fishing Superior more and I have been told to use dipsies. I have braid on my rods, what dipsies do I need? I used them before when fishing with friends but have never set them up myself so no idea what I need or what to do. Thanks
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Not a expect but its tied about 6′ from lure and line let out to your fishing depth. Hang on cause there’s a lot tork when you close the bail. About a 3″ or 4″round one is what my buddy uses on Lake Michigan
I always use a heavy duty snap swivel when connect to the dipsy. Retie your line everyday due to the stress on your knot. I always use 65lb power pro and have been able to break my line at the knot after it has been pulled for a full day at deep depths. I like to use a snap swivel at both ends of my leader. Your leader can be as long as you like but if too long you may have to grab it to net the fish if you can’t backup any further. To set the dipsy adjust the screw on the side so that you can give it a jerk and break it free. Its no fun to reel in a dipsy it it can’t open up. When deploying I like to have my clicker on and thumb it a little to get it started just to get it off to the side. If you use 2 on one side make the outside one set to 3 and the inside set to 2 or 1. Always start on the outside and work your way in and have the outside set to the shallowest and the deepest on the inside. Think of a V shape behind the boat. I have always liked clear but other like color to attract fish to there spread. If you add the bigger ring you can even get deeper along with the heavier weight. I have used steel as well and caught a huge Laker when my dipsy started to hit bottom on a sharp turn. That was in 100′ of water and it was close to 20lbs. I have ran cowbells with spoons and flasher flies and caught fish. Right now I would just use plugs on top and maybe try a 2 or 3 color of leadcore with a spoon but no need to go deep just yet.
Make sure to not make sharp turns because you want to keep even pressure on all of the dipsys. If you tangle it will be a big mess and might end your day of fishing. Watch your rod tips cause they will tell if your dipsy is working. It should be loaded up. I all so use 8’6″ and 10’6″ rods with the longest on the outside.
Mag dipseys are all I use on superior on 50 pound braid. 50 pound mono from dipsey to swivel to attach flasher or spoon or whatever. No snubber needed if using mono but I have used snubbers when running fluoro.
Mag dipseys are all I use on superior on 50 pound braid. 50 pound mono from dipsey to swivel to attach flasher or spoon or whatever. No snubber needed if using mono but I have used snubbers when running fluoro.
I was just going to ask which size….I am not after lakers, hoping more for Brown’s and Coho so do I need the Magnum or would a #1 work for what I am doing?
Braid has no stretch so a dipsey which has a short hookup is pretty intense. Care must be taken to set the drag pretty light. With a fairly large salmon or trout on a shot line the stress on the hook is pretty severe. A lighter action rod would be a plus. We always ran a snubber in front of the dipsey.
I usually just longline for browns and coho in spring/fall when they’re up a little shallower so can’t say with much confidence. There’s a lot of water in the summer when they scatter deep. Although I did catch a coho on a meat rig with a dipsy mag in 100 FOW last summer but that is the only time I’ve ever had one on.
Dipsys are a fish catching machine on Lake Michigan for me. The only dipsey I have to back up with is my wire ones, and with those you do need to leave the drag just tight enough to stop it from pulling out when trolling to start. For all other dipsys, just tye in a loop about a foot before the end of your braid wit a piece of lead core sheath, and run a leader 30 to 50′ to lure. Then put a small s-biner clip on your dipseys trip arm. Super simple, no need to have to back up when netting. No need for snubbers, your leader is your shock absorber. Netter just unclips dipsy when it gets to boat similar to planer board. I have never had to retie my powerpro knot in 5 years, and that is with 50# powerpro. Always set your dipsy drags just tight enough to not pull line out when trolling till fish hits, you can tighten drags as needed after grabbing rod. Pic from Friday with dipsy. I have to edit when I say never have to retie, I have retied a couple of times due to my leader shortening up from retieing. When leader gets down to 25′ or so, I will retie a new leader on.
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A few people have messaged me for a better explanation. Maybe this will help. I use 50# powerpro main line. Take about a 6 or 7″ piece of outer sheath from some 27# lead core that you have pulled out the lead and thread your mainline through the lead core sheath by using a sewing needle. Slide that up about a foot and a half or so up your main line and tie a drop loop in the middle of it. The reason for the sheath is to not only protect your main line, but also make the loop a little stiffer. Then attach a leader 35 to 50 ‘ length to your mainline. I do not use a swivel. I use big game for a leader as that has some stretch. The clips you can get at fleet farm, or menards about a buck ea. It’s so simple to use, you’ll wonder why they designed dipsys the way they did. No Fish Nick has a youtube on this also, but makes his drop loop different, and uses a swivel to attach leader. I don’t like using a swivel if I don’t have to.
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