Pulling the Trigger!

[Adk1]

Learning allot from all of your helpful advice and reading allot! Just bought 2 Okuma 8'6" Down Rigger with the Okuma Magda 30DX reels...Next will be 2 rods for dipseydivers. Thinking the 6' Okuma rod with the Magda 20DX reels. From what I understand, can get away with the 20DX reel because it will be loaded with superline of smaller diameter therefore holding more line. IS this correct? Would I run the 30lb superline? I am full of questions but loving every minute of it! Luckily I already have 2 rods for my lead setups. Of course I also will need some high capacity rods for the boards..Would these be the same as the downrigger rod setups?

[bottom-feeder]

i would go wire on the dipsy reels....the 30's will hold 1000' of wire nicely....many guys like the 7' rods for dipsies...i run 10'6 for the outside ones and 8'6 for the inside ones

 

yes your board rods can be same as rigger set ups

[Adk1]

Do I really need to go with the 30a reel for the dipsey or can I go with the 20a reel?

[bottom-feeder]

30a  or 45a....for dipsy set ups

 

dont drop under a 30a unless you are setting up rods for just brown trout or walleyes

[DJ 17]

You will need the 30's, the 20's won't hold 1000' of wire.  Also, make sure you get linecounters for your dipsy reels, so you can repeat your program when it catches fish.

 

You might be able to run the 20's if you were running braid, just know that once the fleas show up your braid dipsy is just about worthless.

[Adk1]

Good to know thanks. I have never run wire on anything so I figured the wire was of a smaller diameter, must be that I am mistaken. 30's it is then

[Mortigan]

We have 4 Magda 20s and although they'll work for rigger or boards, I'm not a fan of the drags or the clickers.  I'd recommend Convector (or Coldwater) 30s for dipsy use.  There's a huge difference between reeling 100 feet of line with a 10 pound brown on the end vs. a 20-30 pound king ripping out 600 feet of line in 30 seconds, from a dipsy already running 180 feet out.  Then the work starts.  It's great - but it demands a better reel...

[bottom-feeder]

ive ran the same magda 30 reels the last 3 seasons on my dipsy rods never an issue

[Sk8man]

Definitely want at least 30's but Convectors is probably a better choice for the money and with the 30's they can be adapted to do most of the different setups and can handle some capacity for the various lines. They are good for running anything from standard downriggers to stranded wire or lead core with the right rods.....Although I have specific setups for the different lead cores and wire I also switch line from one of my rigs from braid to wire when the fleas start up so they are quite flexible reels too.

Edited April 27, 2013 by Sk8man

[Adk1]

do you need t ohave a special pole for wire? i.e. roller guides?

[RYE]

No, they make a twilley tip kit which replaces your rod tip eyelet. Most of your lake shore tackle shops will install or you can do it yourself. Will need one though if you plan to run wire. Wire will cut a regular rod tip eyelet.

[Adk1]

Just the rod tip eyelet needs to be replaced? Ok thanks, will look into that. what is some decent brands of wire as I have never seen it

[Mortigan]

Mason, AFW, Torpedo, Blood Run - there's only maybe half a dozen choices for 7 strand, 30lb trolling wire.  A twilly tip is less than 10 bucks and easy to install.

[Legacy]

do you need t ohave a special pole for wire? i.e. roller guides?

No. Most of the diver specific rods these days have guides that will put up with the punishment of stainless wire but Twili tips protect against wire fatigue. read this...

 

 

"Twili Tip Wire Line Guide

FJR Industries manufactures a Fishing Rod Tip for use with wire trolling line. The use of wire line for deep water trolling has become very popular, particularly in the Great Lakes region.

The coil wire tip, sold under the trademark TWILI-TIP, features a stainless steel spring to resist corrosion and a bright yellow body to improve tip visibility. Designed to fit most popular rod sizes; six inserts, sizes #5 through #16, are packaged with each tip. Installation is simple requiring only Super-Glueâ„¢.

The use of wire line for deep water trolling dates back to the early 1940's. The earliest metallic lines were made from copper and quickly broke due to cold working of the metal resulting from wire fatigue at the rod tip. Although the wire trolling line used today is much improved over the earlier copper wire, the problems of resistance to reeling and the wire fatigue, both caused by the rod guide tip, still exist.

Early on several different rod tip ideas were used to minimize the above noted problems. A roller guide was effective in reducing the resistance to reeling, however the radius of the roller is quite small and offers little improvement to reducing wire fatigue and care must also be taken to make certain the wire remains on the roller.

The idea that proved to be the most effective solution was the addition of a coil spring to the rod tip. The spring, acting as a strain relief, provides a large arc at the rod tip and effectively reduces both wire fatigue and resistance to reeling. The effectiveness of the spring is unaffected by the orientation of the rod tip."

[Sk8man]

The twilli's are a good solution and if you are only fishing Lake O the twilli is probably the least expensive and a practical choice  but the roller tips aren't bad either and although the line fatigue could hypothetically be a problem I have 4 thermocline rods that have had the same 7 strand wire on roller tip rods for over 30 years (Mason 7 strand) and many hundreds (or more) fish have been caught on each with a 2 pound weight also at the end of it and the wire looks like it was just put on.. For fresh water  you'd want a light to medium roller tip rod (they usually have a roller guide for the first one as well as the roller tip) if you ever go in that direction.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Sk8man

[Adk1]

What lb Mason wire line should I be getting? Someone mentioned 7 strand?

[Sk8man]

30 lb Mason or Malin, or Blood Run 30 lb 7 strand would be good. You'll need 1000 ft. (if your reel will hold it) not sure how easy to find it (1,000 ft rolls) in Mason now days. (I prefer the brownish color if you have a choice), You should also consider putting on a few hundred feet of 30 lb. Berkely Big Game mono  as backing too especially with an aluminum spool reel)

Edited April 30, 2013 by Sk8man

[Adk1]

Ok thanks. I can do that. What color Big Game seems to be the best?

[Sk8man]

I don't think it will be a factor as it will be underneath the wire (and hopefully it won't see daylight for a while) Good luck with it!

[Adk1]

Well I got my 2 new Okuma Downrigger rods and Magda 30LC Reels...the only thing I can say is WOW. Coming from a walleye fisherman all my life using lesser tackle when I took these out of the shipping box I was surprised! That is some big equipment!

[Mortigan]

Wait til you catch a 20 lb king on one!

[Chas0218]

ive ran the same magda 30 reels the last 3 seasons on my dipsy rods never an issue

You and me both.  I run the 9' Okuma dipsy rod as my wire rods.  I run the Okuma 8'6" copper/leadcore for my braid they are stiffer than the 9' and were heavily discounted.

[Sk8man]

[Adk1]

For my 2 dipsey diver setups thinking about ordering the DD Depthmaster rods from cabelas and outfitting them with the Okuma Coldwater 30A reels..Can have them for $74 a piece with that setup

[Chas0218]

For my 2 dipsey diver setups thinking about ordering the DD Depthmaster rods from cabelas and outfitting them with the Okuma Coldwater 30A reels..Can have them for $74 a piece with that setup

The Cabelas rods are actually quite nice for the price. I have been running 6 depthmaster rods (8' downrigger) for 3 seasons and they have managed to stay together even after my buddies have shut them in the livewell lid twice, and between the tailgate and tonneau cover. Those rods are inexpensive and are of great quality.