Dipsey - vs- Downrigger why one will work and not the other

[Fishbowl836]

Question for all of you that have been doing this a lot longer than I have.  I have been running wire dipsey for the last three weeks doing very well on the Finger Lake using both spoons and Spin Doctor/Fly combos.  But for the last moth I cannot get a rigger to fire at any depth.  Yesterday I had a dipsey firing with a doctor/fly combo every time I put it down to 85 feet. Down it goes and 5 to 10 minutes later fish on.  So I decide to take the complete rig off the dipsey and put it on the rigger down to the same depth and the rigger would not fire.  Why?  Any ideas?  I just don’t understand why the same rig at the same level as the dipsey and it won’t fire.  I was also using a black dipsey thinking the silver one was attracting the fish in to the rig.  Boat speed was the same as when using the dipsey.  Downrigger weight are also black.  Just don’t understand what would be different from one setup to another.  I also tired letting the rigger down another 10 to 15 feet thinking the blow back in the rigger might be the problem.  Still not firing.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  Still learning a lot.     

[zackblain]

Ditch the rigger and run another diver on a 0 setting.

[Fishbowl836]

Forgot to mention the dipsey setting was a zero.  My thinking was that this setting would be very close to running a downrigger directly behind the boat.   So yes the setup that I was running was two wire dipseys off one side set to 0 and the other one set to a 2.  During the weekend when I was fishing with the boss I ran two braid dipseys off the other side set to a setting of 1 and the other one set to 3.  Sorry I forgot to state that important fact.  

[Sk8man]

One thing quickly comes to mind- when you are running the dipsey freely it has very different action and range of motion than when it is restricted by the attachment to the downrigger and the two methods are far from "equal". The reasons for not hitting the downrigger can be numerous - wire noise, length of lead on the lure, current interaction with the weightl/lure etc.  Sometimes they want the riggers and sometimes they want the dipseys out away from turbulence of the motor and weight etc. Go with what works!

Edited August 27, 2014 by Sk8man

[Guppy35]

If you're running the downrigger at the same depth as the dipsy, my guess is that the dipsy (even on a 0 setting) would be much farther behind the boat than the Flasher/Fly from the downrigger.  As Sk8man pointed out, sometimes the fish prefer less turbulence from the motor - what is the leader length on your downrigger?  Maybe try making that longer to get it back behind the boat farther. 

 

When you say you are putting the dipsy down to 85', do you mean you're letting 85' of line out, or ~250' of line out to get to 85' deep?  Could be that the downrigger isn't in the same water column as the dipsy is...

[Nautitroller]

Stealth.... boat is probably making a noise the fish don't like, or the rigger cable.. the distance back is key...

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[Steve.e]

I had same issue in early Aug. Ran spoons on riggers 35-70ft back and started getting more action, not as much as dipsies though.

[mr 580]

My guess is that your dipsey is running higher than you think it is. I'd suggest you move a rigger higher and also play with your leads off the ball. Dipseys are a deadly tool but some days the fish want the riggers. I can see my riggers on electronics so I know where they are. Dipsey's I think I know, but have come to the conclusion they are probably higher than what I think usually.

[ontherise]

Why is the world round?

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[TyeeTanic]

Haha. I think Guppy has it right, you weren't far enough back and away from the boat. I also think MR580 has it right, the dipsey was higher in the water column than you thought (how did you figure they were 85' down)??

 

Now as to what fish want and why, is like asking why I want a beer on somedays and a rum and coke on other days. It's just because I feel like it.

 

I've been getting about 80% of my hits on wire dipsey rods, BUT! Get this, on Saturday last weekend I went 5 for 8.  ALL 8 hits were on the rigger line.  They did not touch the dipsey lines.

[FishnChef]

could also be worth it to check your voltage make sure you don't have a hot boat

[nijajordan]

What's a hot boat.

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[Sk8man]

An improperly grounded electrical situation  where the downrigger wire  is conducting and giving off electrical charge

[ray koziatek]

if yer a

talkin laker catching only run the spinny 5 to 7 ft off the ball ,problem solved...

[Silver Fox]

Wow, again with the "thinking too much"! I've had many days recently that the riggers only were going then for some reason it was divers. I had a brown bite 3 weeks ago that 90% came on divers, then the next day it was riggers. Couldn't buy a hit on the divers. It happens!

[FishnChef]

Silver Fox is most likely right on with that though for me personally every day this year has been rigger Day rather than a dipsy day

[Big Dave]

With the dipsie everytime the boat rocks with a wave the lure gets jigged with the boat action..  Very differant action from the same lure fished on a rigger.   Be glad if you have a rod that is the "hotrod" of the day.

[Chas0218]

Had more Lakers hit my dipsys this year in the middle of the water column than kings and had more kings hit my riggers.

Sent from my thinking chair...