# Dipsy Diver line length / depths - newbie needs help!?



## Rainbow

I'm trying to figure out how much line to let out for dipsy's. 

I tried using their charts for 'Size 1 w/O-ring'... but I don't think it was anywhere near the depth I was targeting.

I have 35# braid. Running spoons / shallow stick baits.

We had 3 dipsy's out with settings of 1, 2, 3.
Line lengths were variable from '1' @ 65'-75', '2' @ 75'-85', '3' @ 85'-100'... depending on speed / direction / targeted depths.

We were in 55' and targeting fish around 35-40' deep... speed was between 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 (depending on direction of travel - into or with wind / waves).

We caught (some) 'eyes - but I think we were too high on all of these line lengths...
I see people starting at around 100 with a '1' setting, and as far back as 180'+ with a '3' setting.

I know the best thing to do is, run them out until you feel them touch, then adjust - but I only get to fish on Erie, when wind / waves are favorable for an 18' boat on weekends (which isn't often)... and it'd be nice to fish instead of testing line lengths.

I've also seen people say things like 3-1... so if you're targeting 35', then the line length would be about 105' (I'm guessing for a '0' setting?).

Is there a formula I can use - similar to that, that might also take into account trolling speed? I know when the speed increases, the dipsy's rise and slowing makes them drop - but jheez... 5-10' can be the difference between too high or too low?!

While I'm asking - do you generally stay in a straight line while trolling, or do you steer in a kind of 'S' maneuver, back and forth, to get the dipsy's to rise and fall (to cover more area)?

I usually look at other's reports and kind of start there - when they list speeds / line lengths - but that assumes a lot of other variables.

Thanks for any help in advance!


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## Misdirection

Rainbow said:


> I'm trying to figure out how much line to let out for dipsy's.
> 
> I tried using their charts for 'Size 1 w/O-ring'... but I don't think it was anywhere near the depth I was targeting.
> 
> I have 35# braid. Running spoons / shallow stick baits.
> 
> We had 3 dipsy's out with settings of 1, 2, 3.
> Line lengths were variable from '1' @ 65'-75', '2' @ 75'-85', '3' @ 85'-100'... depending on speed / direction / targeted depths.
> 
> We were in 55' and targeting fish around 35-40' deep... speed was between 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 (depending on direction of travel - into or with wind / waves).
> 
> We caught (some) 'eyes - but I think we were too high on all of these line lengths...
> I see people starting at around 100 with a '1' setting, and as far back as 180'+ with a '3' setting.
> 
> I know the best thing to do is, run them out until you feel them touch, then adjust - but I only get to fish on Erie, when wind / waves are favorable for an 18' boat on weekends (which isn't often)... and it'd be nice to fish instead of testing line lengths.
> 
> I've also seen people say things like 3-1... so if you're targeting 35', then the line length would be about 105' (I'm guessing for a '0' setting?).
> 
> Is there a formula I can use - similar to that, that might also take into account trolling speed? I know when the speed increases, the dipsy's rise and slowing makes them drop - but jheez... 5-10' can be the difference between too high or too low?!
> 
> While I'm asking - do you generally stay in a straight line while trolling, or do you steer in a kind of 'S' maneuver, back and forth, to get the dipsy's to rise and fall (to cover more area)?
> 
> I usually look at other's reports and kind of start there - when they list speeds / line lengths - but that assumes a lot of other variables.
> 
> Thanks for any help in advance!


First things first. Are your reels calibrated? Meaning, if you mark off 100' in your yard (say two T posts) and pull out line with your rod tip at one T post until your at the other T post, what does the line counter read? If it doesn't read 100 or a couple of feet one way or another, you need to calibrate your rods. You need to check and calibrate each rod. There are YouTube videos on how to do this. 

When people reference 1 and 3, that is the setting on the bottom of the dipsy. #1 setting has to run inside a #3 if your running 4 rods (2 on each side). 

The chart that comes with them are directionally correct with 30 lbs test power pro. 

Keep in mind that you should setup about 10' above fish. The depth of the fish on a sonar is the distance to the fish. But if that fish is out to the side, it's not as deep as you think.

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk


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## Rainbow

Misdirection said:


> First things first. Are your reels calibrated? Meaning, if you mark off 100' in your yard (say two T posts) and pull out line with your rod tip at one T post until your at the other T post, what does the line counter read? If it doesn't read 100 or a couple of feet one way or another, you need to calibrate your rods. You need to check and calibrate each rod. There are YouTube videos on how to do this.
> 
> When people reference 1 and 3, that is the setting on the bottom of the dipsy. #1 setting has to run inside a #3 if your running 4 rods (2 on each side).
> 
> The chart that comes with them are directionally correct with 30 lbs test power pro.
> 
> Keep in mind that you should setup about 10' above fish. The depth of the fish on a sonar is the distance to the fish. But if that fish is out to the side, it's not as deep as you think.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk


Yes... already calibrated to 100'.
I understand how the dipsy's work and how to set them up - just not the line length for depths.

Today I was targeting fish at around 60' and caught my limit with 120' of line out.
But, I also tried something new (I was fishing solo)... so I started turning the wheel back and forth to cause the dipsy's to rise / fall / speed up / slow down... and it made a huge difference. Every time I did that, I caught fish.

According to the Luhr Jensen chart (provided with the diver), I should have been letting out (Base setting '1') 107' to get to get to 50' (about 10' above the fish I was marking). My dipsy is 4.125" with the ring.

Someone posted this chart - and it says at 120' I would have been around 50'. So, to your point... 10' above the fish with this chart, was accurate.


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## STRONGPERSUADER

Rainbow said:


> Yes... already calibrated to 100'.
> I understand how the dipsy's work and how to set them up - just not the line length for depths.
> 
> Today I was targeting fish at around 60' and caught my limit with 120' of line out.
> But, I also tried something new (I was fishing solo)... so I started turning the wheel back and forth to cause the dipsy's to rise / fall / speed up / slow down... and it made a huge difference. Every time I did that, I caught fish.
> 
> According to the Luhr Jensen chart (provided with the diver), I should have been letting out (Base setting '1') 107' to get to get to 50' (about 10' above the fish I was marking). My dipsy is 4.125" with the ring.
> 
> Someone posted this chart - and it says at 120' I would have been around 50'. So, to your point... 10' above the fish with this chart, was accurate.


Not sure where you are fishing but over here in Mentor, we are getting them in 75’. The charts are just to get you close. You will need to dial them in. Turns and figure 8’s will definitely trigger strikes. It’s much easier to do fishing solo with only two rods. It sounds like you dialed em in this trip. Good job! Learning is the best part.


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## fishhogg

Rainbow, follow the chart you have there. you may want to adjust as you go through out the day. Just takes some lake time on those lures. Make sure you use snubbers, and flouro leader. Sometimes in that deep clear water you will need extra length on the leader, 12' not out of the question. Good luck brother and be safe.


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## Rainbow

fishhogg said:


> Rainbow, follow the chart you have there. you may want to adjust as you go through out the day. Just takes some lake time on those lures. Make sure you use snubbers, and flouro leader. Sometimes in that deep clear water you will need extra length on the leader, 12' not out of the question. Good luck brother and be safe.


Thanks!
12’ leader on 7-9’ rods, solo, would be pretty tough! I’m using snubbers and 20lb. fluorocarbon leaders... measured to the length of the rods, plus the extra 4-1/8” dipsy. Last time out, that worked great!


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## fishhogg

Rock on!


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## TRIPLE-J

sounds like ya have them dialed in pretty good
me personally I never use snubbers just another piece that can go wrong, but if you like them then go for it


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## Farmhand

I personally like to run 20lb flouro. I don’t net walleye unless they’re big. I just grab the leader and pull them in the boat. I only run snubbers on my wire rods when steelhead are around.


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## sherman51

I never use over 7' leaders. I tried 12' and its just extra work and my catch rate didnt improve. but thats just me. if your on fish and there not biting try letting out an extra 20' on one side of the boat and reeling in 20' on the other side. or change speed a tad. I run 1.8 to 2.0 most with harnesses. but have found on some days 1.6 did the trick. with spoons 2.8 to 3.0 did the damage for us. but I've read where 2.5 to 3.5 has been good. and i've done good with spoons on my downriggers at 1.8 to 2.0 while running harnesses on my divers. you just have to be marking fish then try everything until you get it right.

go out to 50' of water set a diver on 3 or 3.5 now let out line until you bump bottom. then divide that number by 10. that gives you how many lengths of 10' you have. then divide 50 by the number you got from the 10' lengths you get. with the same set up at the same speed you will know where to start fishing. set you front diver about 5' above the fish. I used 65# braid at 1.8 to 2.0 and with a lite bite slide diver on 4.5 it took 185' divided by 10 gave me 18.5 times 10'. then I divided 50' by 18.5 which gave me 2.7. which means i'm getting down 2.7' for every 10' of line out. then I always set that diver where I want to fish then set my middle diver on 3 and 15' or 20' shorter. then the back diver on 1.5 15 or 20 shorter than my middle diver. if i'm marking fish at 60' I let out 195' to set my diver at aprox 55'. then go from there.

if say it takes 154' to hit bottom in 50' you divide 154 by 10. which gives you 12.8. now divide 50 by 12.6 which would give you 3.9. then just multiply 3.9 by the 10' lengths you have out. I would just use 4 if I got that close. 100' would be 39' deep. if I wanted to fish 50' its easy 155' would be very close. or divide the depth say 35' divide 35 by 3.9 which gives you 10 at 3.9 is 136 ft of line out. hope this helps. or you can go by the chart and get close.
sherman
sherman


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## Meerkat

Sounds like you are doing it right! Sometimes they just dont want to play - then you have to start mixing it up. Drop them down 5 ft. Or bring one up 5 ft and drop the other one down 5 ft. Change speed, change trolling direction (as waves allow). Change speed. Etc, etc.

For the last month we had been fishing our lures at 30' down for fish that were marking 40' down. And we were smoking them. Last time out, for some reason that did not work. We had to run them just above where we were marking fish. Have to admit, I was not smart enough to figure this out for myself - Walleye Hunter took pity on me and gave me the intel! Thanks Walleye Hunter!

And the chart that comes with the dipsy is pretty accurate....


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## sherman51

Meerkat said:


> Sounds like you are doing it right! Sometimes they just dont want to play - then you have to start mixing it up. Drop them down 5 ft. Or bring one up 5 ft and drop the other one down 5 ft. Change speed, change trolling direction (as waves allow). Change speed. Etc, etc.
> 
> For the last month we had been fishing our lures at 30' down for fish that were marking 40' down. And we were smoking them. Last time out, for some reason that did not work. We had to run them just above where we were marking fish. Have to admit, I was not smart enough to figure this out for myself - Walleye Hunter took pity on me and gave me the intel! Thanks Walleye Hunter!
> 
> And the chart that comes with the dipsy is pretty accurate....


changing thing up just a little can make all the difference. just a .5 mph or direction change can mean limits or just another day on the water. its took yrs fishing erie to learn these things. and never stop learning. I still have so much to learn. good fishing to you all.
sherman


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## Meerkat

To each his own but I always use a snubber. 

I agree that if the person on the rod knows what they are doing then for walleye you do not need a snubber. But I have had guys on my boat who no matter how many times you tell them, will point the rod straight at the fish so the only shock absorption I have is the snubber (dont get much from the braid). The snubber helps get that person's fish in the boat.

And even when I am fishing for walleye we do get the occasional steelhead, big catfish or huge sheephead. My snubber then becomes my insurance so that I dont lose tackle.


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## TRIPLE-J

Meerkat said:


> To each his own but I always use a snubber.


hey if i you feel more secure while your out and useing them, then by all means go for it...
personally ive fished for salmon, browns, steelhead, walleye for over 30 years and have never used one or felt the need to use one...
ive never lost a fish or a lure because i didnt have one...


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## Rainbow

I never used snubbers in the past - but wanted to hook up with some Steelhead... so, I added them on this last trip out. It might not be 'needed' but it does add some additional insurance / flexibility. 

On a previous trip out, I lost what seemed like it might've been a decent fish, when it pulled 3 times hard on the rod... then snapped the line near the lure. 

I didn't lose any with the snubber - even a heavy farm animal that came in gill hooked and spinning in circles (thought it was a huge fish).
Anyway - thanks for the advice / feedback!


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## sherman51

Meerkat said:


> To each his own but I always use a snubber.
> 
> I agree that if the person on the rod knows what they are doing then for walleye you do not need a snubber. But I have had guys on my boat who no matter how many times you tell them, will point the rod straight at the fish so the only shock absorption I have is the snubber (dont get much from the braid). The snubber helps get that person's fish in the boat.
> 
> And even when I am fishing for walleye we do get the occasional steelhead, big catfish or huge sheephead. My snubber then becomes my insurance so that I dont lose tackle.


when we were getting mostly big eyes out of Geneva we used snubbers. now that we have the small fish there not needed that much. but with the rookie fishermen on my boat I still use them just in case they get a large eye or steely. to each there own but for rookies I recommend using snubbers. i'll always use them but thats just me.
sherman


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## TRIPLE-J

as long as your drag is set right snubbers are not needed, its when you crank down the drag to get the fish in quick that snubbers help. my drags on my dipseys are set so they just tick every now and then while im trolling, that with sticky sharp hooks and good quality line and snubbers are not needed for any fish... but like i said before if it gives you a sense of security then by all means use them. I salmon fish with dipseys all the time and they fight alot harder than any walleye or farm animal and ive never lost a fish or lure cause i did not have a snubber. then again i also re-tie all the time and make sure my knots are tied correctly...
only time i ever had an issue was when i spooled with a different line i was trying out. that line broke on me a few times, was pitched shortly after and re-spooled with ANDE mono that i always use, and never had an issue again.


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