WIRE & DIPSEYS

[Xxx]

I'm just curious, why do you guys use wire line instead of 30# power pro, can you tie the usuall knots or do you use the crimp type, how do you attach fluorocarbon line to wire? Maybe this is a dumb guestion, never played around with wire, but it shure is popular way amongst the salmon guys any help would be appreciated

[cuseroller]

you cant tie the same knots in wire, youre supposed to use a figure 8knot or a wire line knot, crimps are a thing of the past most guys dont use them anymore. Crimps make a weak spot at the crimp in your wire. You dont tie wire to fluoro either I tie it right to a swivel, that attaches directly to your dipsy. I only use wire for my dipsy rods, reason is the fleas fall right off. In the middle of summer with braid fleas can pile up so thick you cant reel pole in and end up losing fish while youre cleaning line. I gave up on flea flicker also for my downrigger rods, now i just use 30# big game, less twist that flea flicker just gives me headaches. hope that halps.

[Guppy35]

I just started using wire for my dipsy rods last season. The other guys that are more experienced can tell you more about it, but one of the things i was told was that wire will get your dipsy and lure down deeper than 30# power pro will. Once you get to a certain depth with 30# power pro it will stay at that depth even when you let more line out (i'm assuming it begins to get so much blowback in the line that it won't allow it to go any deeper). Since the wire is more dense and has less resistance in the water, you are able to get down to greater depths with it.

[Tim Bromund]

tying wire to swivel. do not use crimps, all they do is create weak points that will break and lose all your gear

http://www.lotsa.org/Wire%20Line%20Knot.htm

Tim

[TyeeTanic]

tying wire to swivel. do not use crimps, all they do is create weak points that will break and lose all your gear

http://www.lotsa.org/Wire%20Line%20Knot.htm

Tim

Yes, Tim has provided the best advice for tieing the wire line to a swivel, just do it according to those instructions and you will not have any problems.

We use wire because (a) it gets deeper than braid and (b) spiny fleas will accumulate on braid and render it useless in summer - wire has no problems cutting through fleas.

[Hooked on Kings]

Wire will go deeper, the math I use when setting wire pulling dipsys with a spin doctor and fly is 2 to 1 minus 10%. Now this can very depending on size of dipsy, trolling speed and current. Plus, things I have read say wire gives off a hum that the salmon find attractive, so for me, the more attractions on one rig I can have out there the better.

[Xxx]

Alright, I had that **** on my line, where you couldn't even reel the line in I didn't know what it was I thought it was algea, so I get why you guys go to wire, now what is the best bang for your buck set up for wire, how do you know how much wire you have out? a line counter or what kind of a set up do you guys run? any help would be great

[Legacy]

Alright, I had that **** on my line, where you couldn't even reel the line in I didn't know what it was I thought it was algea, so I get why you guys go to wire, now what is the best bang for your buck set up for wire, how do you know how much wire you have out? a line counter or what kind of a set up do you guys run? any help would be great

The diver setup that im using is an Okuma Classic Pro GLT (10' diver rods) with an Okuma Cold Water reel 30 series loaded with 1000' of Blood Run wire. Any 30 series Okuma is a good choice whether its a Convector, Cold Water, or a Catalina. Convector is a great place to start. What ever your choice, a line counter reel is a must. A large quality swivel tied on directly with a simple overhand knot and absolutely never any crimps. A twilly tip is not absolutely necessary but highly recommended and I never use a snubber.

The precision trolling guide book is a huge help with depth conversion.

[Mortigan]

Still looking to pick up a used copy of the Precision Trolling: Big Water Edition (hint, hint) but we've been copying Captain Rob since we started two years ago. Any equipment failures have been self-inflicted (and highly entertaining, after the fact).

[Sk8man]

The only thing I'd add to what Tim said about the wire knot is that I take a hot glue gun with clear glue and use a small amount on the knot on the trim tag where it meets the wire and it prevents catching on things (such as your finger etc.)and possiblly fraying (strand separation)or coming loose.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Sk8man

[magic7777]

Something I was told but haven't tried yet is to heat the line red hot before you cut it to keep it from fraying.

[Sk8man]

Heat can adversely affect the tensile strength of the wire...especialy small diameter wire like that 30 pound stuff and potentially may cause it to prematurely fail.

Edited March 3, 2013 by Sk8man

[magic7777]

SK8man Ilike the hot galue idea. Should stop fraying.

[DJ 17]

The only thing I can add is that the wire does not stretch at all so it adds action to the dipsy and obviously your bait presentation as your boat travels through the water. I know braid doesn't stretch that much either but the wire is a presentation that can't be replicated with any other type of line. There really isn't anything comparable to holding onto a 30# king ripping on a wire dipsy!

[BALLS DEEP]

The only thing I can add is that the wire does not stretch at all so it adds action to the dipsy and obviously your bait presentation as your boat travels through the water. I know braid doesn't stretch that much either but the wire is a presentation that can't be replicated with any other type of line. There really isn't anything comparable to holding onto a 30# king ripping on a wire dipsy!

  Well said Dj. Nothing like hearing a 20 plus pounder ripping wire!

Edited March 6, 2013 by BALLS DEEP

[Poles293]

I have Twilly tips on my  wire Dipsey rods and before I tie on the snap swivel I slide a bead on the line. Large enough that it won't go through the Twilly. This way when your done you can just reel the bead straight into the Twilly so there is no bends in the wire. Bends, kinks, frays are a recipe to lose $50 worth of equipment. I just reel the bead / swivel to the end and store my rods put together. Always remember keep the wire tight at all times.

[jobsite]

I do the bead trick too. Not only does it allow you to reel the line tight at the end of the day, it keeps you from accidentally reeling the swivel into the twili tip and causing damage while fighting a fish.

 

Each line that we put in the water (mono, braid, copper, wire... even the downrigger cables) give off different vibrations or "hums" that may attract fish one moment and repel them the next. Some days the fish adore a braid line dipsy, while the next day all they hit is the wire dipsy.

 

The fact that you get to feel every tug of the fish, due to zero stretch, is my favorite reason for wire.

 

Only downside to wire is if you're fighting another fish on a mono line and it crosses your wire line... the mono often cuts off... bye bye fish and whatever you were running for hardware.

[Chas0218]

Ok so 2 to 1 minus 10% so if you would could you tell me if my example is correct?

 

Desired depth is 100'

so 200' will get it down to 90' hypothetically?

 

Thanks,

Chas

Edited March 12, 2013 by Chas0218

[apb]

Poles293 makes a good point...do not break your rods down and allways keep the wire taught.  I leave my Dipsy's right on at all times.(keeps the tension)  Ok can anyone else chime in on depth formula?   2 to 1 minus 10% within a few feet ?!?!?  Speed and lure affects this, we know.

[Mortigan]

I run 107mm Deeper Divers.  Precision Trolling says I'll get about 62 ft on a 1 setting or about 58 ft on a three setting, both with 200 ft of wire out.  I'm surprised there's not more of a spread between the two.

 

For a standard ring #1 Dipsy, it lists I'll get about 74 ft on a 1 setting or about 62 ft on a three setting, both with 200 ft of wire out.

 

The only way you'll know for sure is to run your gear out until you bounce it off the bottom, assuming you know how many feet of water you're over.  You could also connect a FishHawk TD, run the dipsey out 200ft, bring it back in and check the TD for the depth.

[Hooked on Kings]

For me 2 to 1 minus 10% works dead on until about 80 ft, then the % changes, last year trying for the kings in the afternoon sitting on bottom had to put out 290 to get down 120 ft. After 80 ft the extra drag from the wire changes things a bit. I use Walker divers, They are now called deeper divers, after Fishhawk bought them out.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Hooked on Kings

[King Slammin]

I thought wire was 3 to 1 on a 3 and 2.5 to one on a 1

[Hooked on Kings]

The one on the left is the walker, the one on the right is Luhr Jensen, both mags and same weight. Not saying they're any better, but they go deeper faster, like running Luhr Jensen with the ring on them. 

[vetting]

The one on the left is the walker, the one on the right is Luhr Jensen, both mags and same weight. Not saying they're any better, but they go deeper faster, like running Luhr Jensen with the ring on them. Walker diver.jpg

Yeah the walkers are much better overall then the Luhr Jensens.  There have been some durrability issues with the clear walkers in the past, but now that Fish Hawk bought them out, they are adding UV inhibititors to the plastic to make them more durrable.  The 124mm size can really dig and even the next size down (107 i think) can really dive.