Rigger Weight Colors

[Sk8man]

Sean - I've had good success with the 124 mm (largest size) Walker Deeper Diver rather than the some of the others in the Finger Lakes especially because they can really get down there especially for lakers. I've bumped bottom in 140 ft of water with them on my wire rigs. The best performance for me seems to come on 30 lb wire rather than braid or mono as the main line etc.  Sometimes you also have to play with the distance from the diver to lure too and although I usually run the setup so that it is about the length of my rod in its entirety I also sometimes use a long lead and "handline" in the fish.

[Egoody]

Thank You All for the Dipsey replys.

I expect there is a direct correlation between the number setting on the D D and the distance it runs away from the boat. I'm also sure boat speed plays into this, but does anyone have any information regarding this? Earlier someone said they may run 2 divers of the same side of their boat.

Thanks and

Boat Safe

Egoody.

[Guppy35]

Below is a chart that was sent to me by Sk8man (Les) last year.  It is a very useful chart for dipsy divers that show the differences when using regular dipsy vs magnum dipsy, braid vs wire, and the different settings (1,2,3).  When some guys run two per side, they most likely run one on a 1 setting and the other on a 3 setting.  I have also heard from others on this site to be careful not to have the dipsy set PAST #3 setting or the dipsy will spin out of control while deploying. 

 

 

Everybody will have slightly different charts, but this gives you the general idea.

[Egoody]

Thank you for the chart. I'm not sure if it indicates how far off the side of the boat the dd will be running at the depth shown in the chart. I'm thinking the numbers in the body of the chart presents line out.

Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and

Boat Safe

Egoody

[TileMan Dan]

Chart shows how much line to let out to achieve desired depth for setting on the dd.

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[finsntins]

we also use that chart,had it laminated,and keep it on the boat,it is very close.i have never seen a chart or any info on how far away from the boat they run,but as you can see in the chart,as the setting goes up,you have to let more line out to achive the same depth,also,as the setting goes up the further away from the boat they run.as a general rule of thumb,we run them on a 2 setting when running copper on boards.if we run 2 per side,we run 1 on a 1.5 setting and the other on a 3,but you have to be very careful on your turns.

[Big Dave]

Egoody - I have tried Dipsey Divers for a couple years now on the finger lakes, and for some reason i was just not able to get the hang of them either.  They never seemed to get out away from the boat as far as i thought they should be, and think i only caught 1 fish on that set up after many trips.  I bought leadcore last Spring and set up a 7 color and a 3 color and had a lot better luck with those than i did Dipseys.  With that being said, i will still try to figure out how to use the Dipseys because of the large number of people on this site that swear by them and say that they won't leave the dock without them.

Put a flasher and fly on them and run 2.2 to 3 and you will catch fish on them.  Lakers can swim faster than alot of people think.  Chrome dipsies in the bright sun with a chrome finish flasher works good for kings too.

[Guppy35]

Big Dave - I think my problem might be with the flasher and flies rather than the DD's. I've always ran flasher fly combos in my DD setups, and have also tried flasher fly combos on down riggers as well. Never had much luck at all on them. 99% of the fish I catch in the finger lakes while trolling are on spoons. I usually run about 1.9 - 2.3 GPS speed, maybe I'm not running fast enough for the flasher fly combos to be effective?

[finsntins]

our target speed for the most part is 2 to 2.2 with f/f on lake o and do just fine at that speed.we have never fished the fingers and by no means are we experts on lake o,but im wondering if the fish in the fingers are  smaller than in lake o,maybe a f/f set up is to much or to big of a presentation????might be a post you want to put in the finger lakes section.

Edited January 17, 2015 by finsntins

[Sk8man]

Just as a point of information for folks who might be unfamiliar with the Finger Lakes flasher flies and spinney flies and also dodgers with them as well as squid work very well on most of the Finger Lakes and especially the larger ones like Seneca, Cayuga, Keuka, and Canandaigua. They have been used successfully for years there for Lake Trout, Rainbows, Landlocked Salmon and Brown Trout. I even caught a 4-5 lb smallmouth bass on a wonderbread echip flasher and fly combo last season . In my opinion there is no "magic speed" I have caught rainbows with them going 3 mph when I was running spoons at that speed and was too lazy to change over the flasher/fly combo and they hit it   Rather than just the gps or surface speed I continually watch my rod tips primarily and and get them "pulsating" slightly and do this with cowbell setups as well.....I know it is "old school" but it works. It also can be an indicator of current change such as going with the current rather than against or across it (which you should be) as the rod tops appear to "go slack" in comparison. A lot of times it is mainly a matter of not running in the same layer as the active fish in the water column when they don't seem to "work".

Edited January 17, 2015 by Sk8man

[Frogger]

Yea, I'd have to say at least on Seneca, the only time they don't work at all is during Memorial Day weekend. I wouldn't even bother trying them at that time........

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[Egoody]

I can't get over the amount of knowledge and the willingness to share it from everyone. I see this over and over on this forum,and I'm sure I'm not the only one who greatly appreciates this.

Thank you and,

Boat Safe

Egoody

[finsntins]

I can't get over the amount of knowledge and the willingness to share it from everyone. I see this over and over on this forum,and I'm sure I'm not the only one who greatly appreciates this.

Thank you and,

Boat Safe

Egoody

thats what this site is about.3 years ago i didnt even know what a salmon looked like,never used a down rigger and never even heard of a dipsey diver.im no expert and still have alot to learn,but i can honestly say that 95% of my knowledge has come from this website in one form or another,from reading posts to fishing with fellow lou members,to doing tournaments.what is really great now,is with a little experience now and my time on the water,i can give back!!!!!!!

[Guppy35]

Yea, I'd have to say at least on Seneca, the only time they don't work at all is during Memorial Day weekend. I wouldn't even bother trying them at that time........

Haha Frogger - don't worry I go on an annual family fishing trip to Sandy Pond every Memorial Day weekend (have for the last 20 years now). I would love to fish the derby that weekend on Seneca, but am not ready to give up my tradition.

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[Frogger]

😃! Saw right through me lol

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[Big Dave]

Though the fish may run a little smaller than on Lake Ontario, they don't know that.  They hit the same combos and colors that the Kings do.  The Fingerlakes fish don't know they are on a small pond .