Tackle Setup - Sacrificial Line Segment - Advice Needed

[TyeeTanic]

Hello all,

I have the following from reel to lure:

- 30 lb Stainless Wire Main Line

- ball bearing swivel connector to Dipsey Diver

- swivel quick connect to 5 ft of 50 lb mono

- swivel quick connect to Spin Doctor

- connect to snubber chord 8" long

- swivel quick connect to 30" 50 lb floro lead directly attachement to fly (purchased like this).

My problem is if something is going to break, it will be the wire and I lose everything - Dipsey, Spin Doctor, Snubber and Fly + Leads/Swivels - all amount to almost $50 worth of tackle.

I am thinking of putting in a 20 lb floro sacrificial line maybe 6 " long between the Snubber and the Fly. This way if anything breaks it will be the 20 lb floro and the most I lose is the Fly which will cost me $8. Big difference.

Any recommendations??

[carpedium]

Maybe they should make 29.999 lb test mono

[TyeeTanic]

Very funny carpedium!

The mono lead isn't the problem, it is actually in the wrong place to snap - I lose the dodger and the fly if this happens.

I would rather have the line break just ahead of the fly so this is all I lose.

So, am I talking crazy - or do I have a point here and connect up 6" of 20 lb lead line between the dodger and the fly lead line?

[711skwerlz]

I run 30lb mono between my diver and flasher. This line is the one to break if any. If you put your 20lb between flasher and fly you will loose alot of action from your fly. The #1 reason to run the 50lb fluro on the fly is the stiffness it has throws the fly around. I have lost flasher and fly setups and it does suck but I have never lost a dipsy. But I think you'll hurt your setup any other way. The best way to keep your gear is to use your drag. The ones I have lost were all snagged on bottom.

I dont run a snubber. I think that is a different topic.

[Jolly II]

The idea with having heavy duty line going from the flasher to the fly is that heavier line is stiffer, and transfers the movement of the flasher/dodger to the fly. You may find that putting a 6" segment of 20lb mono between your flasher and fly well ellimate a lot of that movement, and could potentially mean less fish in the boat.

My dipseys are set up with 20lb mono (stretches), not floro (poor stretch qualities compared to mono), from dipsey to flasher, with a coast lock snap swivel at the flasher. Basically this order: 30lb wire, snap swivel, dipsey, clear snubber, snap, 20lb mono, snap swivel, flasher, 50lb Seagar (I think that is what is on Atomic Flies), and the fly.

You will have occasionally have break offs at the 20lb mono leader. You must pay attention to detail with your leaders and check them every time you catch a fish for knicks or burrs. In this game you have to pay attention to detail when it comes to everything. If you find anything questionable, retie it or replace it. That will keep you out of trouble 90% of the time. I also have my drags on my dipseys set as light as I can, then after the initial strike, little by little as needed, I tighten the drag when fighting the fish. That's generally drag procedure for me anyway.

Hope this helps. I'm sure some of the guys will share thier program and ideas.

[TyeeTanic]

That helps a lot - after reading my post again - I found I made a mistake - if you use a snubber it must come between the dipsey and the flasher or you mess everything up.

Okay - so essentially I use the same set up with flashers, where I go 30 lb wire, dipsey, snubber, 20 lb lead.

I connect this to the lure or the flasher/fly arrangement. If the line breaks I lose the lure or the flasher/fly which costs me $20 max. That's not too bad.

Thanks guys!

[Paul Czarnecki]

That helps a lot - after reading my post again - I found I made a mistake - if you use a snubber it must come between the dipsey and the flasher or you mess everything up.

Okay - so essentially I use the same set up with flashers, where I go 30 lb wire, dipsey, snubber, 20 lb lead.

I connect this to the lure or the flasher/fly arrangement. If the line breaks I lose the lure or the flasher/fly which costs me $20 max. That's not too bad.

Thanks guys!

Here's a novel idea......use your DRAG to make sure you don't break ANYTHING! 98% of all breakoffs are "Angler Error". Use a good reel with a good drag and you won't have any problem.

[Tim Bromund]

yup, if you break 30 lb wire and lose the diver and everything else, your drag is WAY too tight. It's supposed to let line out before it reaches the breaking point.

I'm not trying to be offensive, but between you and Howitzer, I don't think I've ever seen a greener couple guys on these boards.

What both of you need to do is make some friends that salmon fish and go out with them or even better, go out on some charters and make sure they know that you want it to be a learning/teaching charter, not just a fish catching charter.

If you aren't there already, you should also register on spoonpullers.com, which is a Canadian based site with lots of really good guys that will most likely be more than willing to show some newbes the ropes.

http://spoonpullers.proboards.com/index.cgi?

By the way, that's a really nice looking atlantic salmon the lad is wrapped around in your avatar.

Tim

[TyeeTanic]

Paul - you must think we are real newbies here!

The major thing I'm worried about is bottom dragging and snagging up on something. Once you hit a solid snag, the drag won't help you any, you have no choice but to break the line. Would rather lose less tackle than more...

[TyeeTanic]

Hey Tim,

Thanks - actually I'm not that green - have been fishing for 20 years, just off the shores - I started trolling around 2 weeks ago, and have made out okay - have landed around 8 fish in 6 hours of fishing over the past week and a bit.

I just like to ask a lot of questions to figure things out. I like trying new things (ideas and hardware). The real issue is you hear so many different recommendations about lures, leads, flies, etc. etc. and you don't know who is right. I like the fact that I can get some sort of consensus on this site.

By asking all the questions I've figured out a lot about the tackle I need (which cost me around $500 or more all in this week), recommendations to good sites (I just registered to spoon pullers) and general know how.

I still have to try out many suggestions and find out what works best for me - but I have the euipment and the knowledge to do that now on the wide open waters.

Thanks to LOU in 2 weeks I've learned what it should have taken me years to figure out on my own.

I appreciate everyone's helpful responses - and by the way - it is 10% for me, and 90% about putting a smile on my son's face by hooking up a fish and letting him take it on. That's him in the photo. Thought it was a Coho. Anyhow, fish was safely back in the water right after the pic was taken. That was his maiden fish - and a good fight too!!

Mark

[Tim Bromund]

Hey Tim,

Thanks - actually I'm not that green - have been fishing for 20 years, just off the shores - I started trolling around 2 weeks ago, and have made out okay - have landed around 8 fish in 6 hours of fishing over the past week and a bit.

Mark, I was referring specifically to trolling, not necessarily fishing in general.

I just like to ask a lot of questions to figure things out. I like trying new things (ideas and hardware). The real issue is you hear so many different recommendations about lures, leads, flies, etc. etc. and you don't know who is right. I like the fact that I can get some sort of consensus on this site.

That's what makes this game so much fun, so many different things can work for you. Go to a tournament weigh in some time and you'll see very good fishermen, fishing the same water with totally different programs and all come in with good boxes of fish. There is no one right way to do this and what works for that guy may not work at all for you and vice verce. It's the figuring out what works for you that is the fun and challenging part.

By asking all the questions I've figured out a lot about the tackle I need (which cost me around $500 or more all in this week), recommendations to good sites (I just registered to spoon pullers) and general know how.

I still have to try out many suggestions and find out what works best for me - but I have the euipment and the knowledge to do that now on the wide open waters.

Thanks to LOU in 2 weeks I've learned what it should have taken me years to figure out on my own.

I appreciate everyone's helpful responses - and by the way - it is 10% for me, and 90% about putting a smile on my son's face by hooking up a fish and letting him take it on. That's him in the photo. Thought it was a Coho. Anyhow, fish was safely back in the water right after the pic was taken. That was his maiden fish - and a good fight too!!

do you have a larger/higher resolution copy of that pic you can post. It's really hard to tell foe sure what it is at that size. I see what looks like may be some spots that wouldn't be on a coho, but that may just be due to the degraded image quality from the size reduction. And big congrats to him on his first of many.

Mark

[TyeeTanic]

Hey Tim,

Yes, appreciate I am a little green with the trolling, but have a good sense for the outdoors given the time I've put in and pick things up quickly. I just like asking a thousand questions to zero in on the best techniques. And I do very much appreciate your honest and informative responses!

Anyhow, I have a higher res picture on my phone.

The spots that you can obviously see in the picture are some scales that have come of the fish. It was wiggling hard to get out of my son's grip and I ask him to hold it firm to not drop it. The scales on the fish were very loose. I was told coho's are like that.

There are some small black spots in the top grey part of the body above head and along back, and then on top part of the tail fin.

Best regards,

Mark

[TyeeTanic]

Okay, the real deal is much better than talking in theory.

I had 20 lb connecting line between the dipsey snubber and the flasher and I had two big hits - lost the flasher and fly both times with snaps on the 20 lb line.

So, after cursing a little ... I decided to go with 40 lb line between the two, but didn't get a major bite again after that.

I figure you have to go with heavy duty tackle for the king - you can't waste your time with 20 lb connections - you have to go stronger and rely alot on the drag.

We did land (and release) 2 steelhead, 1 coho and 1 atlantic.

Hopefully tomorrow I will get another chance at a king with the 40 lb line.

Mark

[711skwerlz]

loosen the dipsy. if the dipsy is too tight your line wont give when the fish hits. It needs to pop open as the fish hits. I've never lost a flasher from a hit. Set your drag just tight enough to keep it from clicking out. 1-2 clicks every couple min. is fine. sounds like your drag is way too tight. by the way what colors are you using??

Is the 20lb mono or flouro

[TyeeTanic]

The fly was a green with some blue. The lure was green with a silver christmas tree in the middle.

The 20 lb is Floro. I am now using 40 lb Floro.

Yes, I think the drag was too tight as well. Now I set the drag to just keep it from turning under trolling drag.

I can't lose the dipsey's. I don't have down riggers and don't want to put them on my boat (it is a bow rider ski boat). I have a snubber to take on some of the shock from a big bite.

It is suprising that even with the snubber it still snapped the 20 lb lead - they must have been big fish.

[Big Dave]

Hello all,

I have the following from reel to lure:

- 30 lb Stainless Wire Main Line

- ball bearing swivel connector to Dipsey Diver

- swivel quick connect to 5 ft of 50 lb mono

- swivel quick connect to Spin Doctor

- connect to snubber chord 8" long

- swivel quick connect to 30" 50 lb floro lead directly attachement to fly (purchased like this).

My problem is if something is going to break, it will be the wire and I lose everything - Dipsey, Spin Doctor, Snubber and Fly + Leads/Swivels - all amount to almost $50 worth of tackle.

Not as bad as being in a hurry first thing in the AM and get the fly on the flasher , the flasher hooked to the dipsie and the snubber and pitching it over the side with out hooking it to the rod

[TyeeTanic]

Oh that is hilarious. Sorry, but that would win Americas funniest home video.

[ Post made via BlackBerry ]

[adam2000]

Im speachless on this. Mark what kind of knots do you use?

[ Post made via Android ]

[TyeeTanic]

I use a uni knot to tie my swivel quick connectors to the lead.

What I do is go through the swivel ring twice with the fish line and then do a uni knot, with 6 or so wraps before I pull it tight.

I think I know what went wrong. My drag was waaaaaaay too tight. I didn't know I had to tighten it only until the reel clicks every 20 to 30 seconds. I had it much tighter than that. Anyhow, I also have the 40 lb floro on now with the drag set much lighter.

I figured that out on Saturday - went out fishing Sat and Sun and guess what??? No bites. So I got everything setup properly, but now no fish that want to bite!!!! This sport can drive you crazy ....

[joejv4]

Not as bad as being in a hurry first thing in the AM and get the fly on the flasher , the flasher hooked to the dipsie and the snubber and pitching it over the side with out hooking it to the rod

making sure to have your morning coffee is the cure for that!!!!!!