Thumper rod set up?

[Gotta Bite]

I was considering running a thumper rod set up this season. I have an old spin cast 8'6" for down rigging spooled with 20lb mono. Can I run that out the back of the boat or should I look at a flatline LC reel spooled with braid or it doesn"t matter? I hardly use the DR spinning rod and figured I'd get some use out of it.

[IRISH56]

I would think that the mono has too much stretch, a "typical" thumper set up is wire to get down with the least amount of line out and no stretch to make sure you are keeping contact with the bottom. I would think the mono w/a #lb ball would bounce around too much especially when getting ready to net a fish. As far as the spincast rod/reel set up is concerned I'd be a little leary about it being heavy enough too handle it. Line counter reel helps with repeating the set up especially if you want to run it suspended v. bouncing on the bottom.

Braid is another option that works well, I've run a braid thumper rod with pretty good success on lakers in Cayuga Lake.

Hope this helps. DAN

[CBish]

The whole idea of a thumper rod on LO is it's use as a speed indicator first and a fish catching tool second. To set it up you need wire or braid because the transmission of the action of the dogger is what you are using to see the thump in the tip of the rod. The rod is also important in the selection of the system because you need a fast action tip to communicate to you the thumping action. A slow action downrigger rod will not work well in this application.

Irish seems to be talking about the other thumper. That is a thumper that thumps the bottom -- bouncing on the bottom. If this is the application any rod/line will work, but wire/braid will get to the bottom quicker than mono.

Linecounters are nice for the reasons Irish stated.

CC

[Gotta Bite]

I went out with a charter about 4 years ago and he explained the purpose of the thumper rod. It must have worked because we caught our limit quick and he was watching the action of that rod. I remember he had a round ball weight tied onto a three way swivel. I already have those just need the rod and reel combo. So I guess a med to heavy DR rod would work then? I am leaning toward 20lb to 25lb braided line. I plan on picking one up before I head up next Thursday. This way I will have it rigged and ready to go.

[Rich D]

Chris,

I will call you tomorrow, I just got your message. Sorry have been working nights. If you do not like those FB's I will take for you, would hate to see them clog your boat up with wasted space. lol

Rich

[Gotta Bite]

Rich,

Sounds good. I ended up getting a lead core set up today instead, at Gander. I may still and try to pick up a thumper before I head up next week. That should do it for me. Hopefully you'll be out on the water next weekend as well. I talked to Jon at his shop when I was up a few weeks ago and he said you were on the western part of the lake. I am looking forward to trying those FB spoons out. I have gotten a few positive responses about them. Take care.

[IRISH56]

Only issue with the braid is that it picks up fleas something awful.

DAN

[Gotta Bite]

Irish,

I was thinking about that. The small diameter of braid would be a nightmare during the flea season. I will most likely go with wire. My question is for I hook the wire to a snap swivel so I can easily remove the lead weight when not in use?

[CBish]

I just tie the wire to the swivel then hook the swivel to the eye of the weight and hook the swivel for the leader to the other side of the eye of the weight, 6-8' of line and the lure. You will (hopefully) have to get the rod out of the way when you are in to multiple hook ups, the swivel right to the weight allows you to detach the rod and stow it, I usually just throw the weight into a rod holder and the flasher on the floor under the gunnel until things are back under control. It is simple, easy and effective.

CC

[IRISH56]

Your wire should terminate with a large, high quality snap swivel. For the thumper set up I use a three way swivel and drop the weight off the bottom with about 6" or 8" of mono instead of attaching directly. When I run the thumper rod it is bouncing on bottom most of the time so there is a risk of it hanging up, the mono dropper keeps the rig up off the bottom a bit and if it gets hung up you're only replacing the weight not a dodger/fly etc..

You can remove the whole rig (weight & fishing rig) by just un-snapping the terminal end of the wireline.

DAN

[Zebedee]

I want to get one of these set-ups myself....Irish...does dropping the weight off the swivel take away from the action of the dodger that you see in your rod tip? How long of a leader do you run from 3-way to the dodger?

[IRISH56]

I have never run it any other way so ... I don't think so!! How's that for an answer!? You can see the action of the dodger transferred to the rod tip, to be real honest I don't pay much attention to it once I know it's bouncing on bottom.

I don't go real long with the leader, 4 - 5' maybe and I use a snubber. Just like with divers, don't go any longer than the length of the rod or netting fish becomes an adventure ... especially with #1 of lead flying around.

DAN

[rustyrat]

I use a good quality swivel and then put i big snap on the ring of the swivel. I attach the ball to the snap. 5 ft leader on the swivel. No snubber no dropper. Works great.

RR

[CBish]

Again it depends on your purpose of the thumper if you are thumping the bottom, use the dropper. If you are running a thumper to adjust proper speed -- hook direct.

Dan's thumper would not work well for speed indicating ( dropper, snubber)

Rusty's or My thumper would not work well for bottom bouncing

CC

[Miss em]

Our experience is that the dropper weight enhances the dodger action on the rod tip. There are some videos of thumper rod actions and setups on the Fish doctor site.