Thumper rods.

[Chas0218]

Anyone running a thumper rod? If you are are you running a spoon on it or something different? I was planning on making a couple molds for thumper balls and wanted to see what you all ran behind them. Also does anyone run them on a board? I was thinking it would be nice to get it out away from the boat.

[DJ 17]

I would also be interested in how some people run this. What is your favorite size weight and how do choose the correct speed if running a spoon or something that doesn't produce the usual action on the rod tip?

[Gill-T]

I run a 2 lb er off transom with a saltwater deep drop rod when using big cowbells for lakers.  Also have a couple of Ugly Stick one-piece bigwater rods that I will run the lighter 1 lb or 1.5 lb weights for smaller bladed cowbells like Moonshine's or dodgers.  Some use a dodger on a thumper off the back.  I don't like have a long line off the back for my rigger fish to get into so if I want to run multiple bottom lines I use the lighter rigs and send them out off my otter boats using Aftco Roller releases.  The two pound weight rig is fished with wire, the lighter rigs utilize 30lb braid.

[Skidplate]

Use peanuts,spin and glow,flat fish spoon work sucks picking the rod up and down tho.i have a 2# candle stick mold work good and I like wire

[Paul Czarnecki]

A true "thumper rod" is a 1# ball trailing a dodger and squid or fly. The "thumping" comes from the action of the dodger and is used to judge speed. At least it was back before we had all the electronic crap we have now.

[Silver Fox]

A true "thumper rod" is a 1# ball trailing a dodger and squid or fly. The "thumping" comes from the action of the dodger and is used to judge speed. At least it was back before we had all the electronic crap we have now.

Yuppers

[Chas0218]

A true "thumper rod" is a 1# ball trailing a dodger and squid or fly. The "thumping" comes from the action of the dodger and is used to judge speed. At least it was back before we had all the electronic crap we have now.

I was planning on running a 1# or 16oz.

 

Use peanuts,spin and glow,flat fish spoon work sucks picking the rod up and down tho.i have a 2# candle stick mold work good and I like wire

Would cowbells work? I was thinking about running cowbells with cowbells, will the 1# weight be enough to get 100' down?

[on the lam]

Paul's description is exact. Ernie Lanteigne was teaching this application in the late 90s. The "thump" can only come from a dodger, and the proper "thump" will tell you your speed is correct. The name can be used for a shut wire rod with a #1 ball, but the true definition is what paul described.

[Paul Czarnecki]

I was planning on running a 1# or 16oz.

Would cowbells work? I was thinking about running cowbells with cowbells, will the 1# weight be enough to get 100' down?

Put whatever you want on it but it won't be a "thumper rod". It'll just be a wire rod with a 1 pound weight on it.

[Gill-T]

I was planning on running a 1# or 16oz.

 

Would cowbells work? I was thinking about running cowbells with cowbells, will the 1# weight be enough to get 100' down?

 

At 100' down, I am running a rigger on the bottom and dialing in my dipsys to run just off bottom.  Once Kings come around, bottom bouncing for lakers stops so I never am having to chase out to 100'.  In Niagara County 35'-85' FOW end of March thru April 15th is Laker time and you don't need a lot of specialized bottom bouncing equipment.  More fun on conventional trolling gear.  My 2 lb thumper has cobwebs on it.  It only comes out under dire -last resort conditions because it is no fun to winch up a laker with that much weight.

[Chas0218]

Put whatever you want on it but it won't be a "thumper rod". It'll just be a wire rod with a 1 pound weight on it.

I get that but wasn't sure drag wise if it would get to 100' down.

[Gill-T]

I get that but wasn't sure drag wise if it would get to 100' down.

 

Drag curve is similar to dipsys. 

[Paul Czarnecki]

I get that but wasn't sure drag wise if it would get to 100' down.

A 1# weight on wire will have no prob hitting bottom at lake trout speed.

[on the lam]

I agree it's like dipsey dive curve. 3 to 1 I used to use a jettison release with the 1# ball for lakers, and during staging bounce bottom with a j plug.

[Buckmaster7600]

How do you guys rig the meatball? I use them on lake George and champlain for lakers but after seeing a 1lb ball go through the windshield of an islander when A king came unbutton at the net I decided they weren't worth it for kings.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Buckmaster7600

[Chas0218]

My plan was to attach to the swivel already on the line or pinch style release.

[GAMBLER]

They do work but I find when fishing lakers, 2 riggers is too much at times and the thumper gets in the way!

[Chas0218]

They do work but I find when fishing lakers, 2 riggers is too much at times and the thumper gets in the way!

So running a thumper with 2 riggers is a bad idea? I was going to run 2 riggers, thumper down the middle, 2 dipsys out the sides. I know I could run more but I don't want to clutter things up too much.

[vetting]

We have a charter guy in Milwaukee that runs his dipsys in the dirt for lakers during tournament time.  I'm not such a fan of that and its a pain in the but.  So what about just running a 2 lb ball off of the inside board in place of the dipsy?  That way you can have 2 corner riggers - one smacking bottom and one 5 feet off the bottom.  Then run at least one ball off a board.  Is that too much going on down there

[Silver Fox]

Oh no, I feel that headache coming on!!!!!!!

[Gill-T]

Run one rigger and use the thumper off the opposite corner then two dipsys staggered.  Mag dipsy on the rigger side, standard dipsy on thumper side.  Add two board lines of leadcore in the spring and you will have all you can handle.

[GAMBLER]

If cowbells are fished properly, you will not need a thumper.  The riggers are way more efficient and will get the job done.  I run two riggers and that is it when I lake trout fish.  Most days, that is too much work.  Occasionally I run an extra rigger high for bonus kings, browns and steelhead.  That is only if the laker fishing is on the slower side.

[Chas0218]

If cowbells are fished properly, you will not need a thumper.  The riggers are way more efficient and will get the job done.  I run two riggers and that is it when I lake trout fish.  Most days, that is too much work.  Occasionally I run an extra rigger high for bonus kings, browns and steelhead.  That is only if the laker fishing is on the slower side.

Really that is all you run? Wow I have been really overkill when laker fishing. I was running 4 dipsys, and 3 riggers. I definitely need to scale back. You only run the cowbells and spinnys or do you run a spoon on one rigger?

[GAMBLER]

Really that is all you run? Wow I have been really overkill when laker fishing. I was running 4 dipsys, and 3 riggers. I definitely need to scale back. You only run the cowbells and spinnys or do you run a spoon on one rigger?

I run two rods with cowbells and spin n glows and that is it.  For years, I used to try jamming a third rigger down and that seemed to shut the bite down some.  There are four keys to laker fishing.  1. Speed 2. Direction of troll 3. keeping the riggers as close to the bottom as possible 4. No down time.  When I fish lakers, I commit 100% to laker fishing.  It is too hard to run king stuff at the speeds I troll for lakers.  It does work but I rarely do it.  I go with the less is more thought process. 

[Missdemeanor]

 Gambler is the LT man in his parts......    He is absolutely right...No need for all that stuff down there...If I am marking fish off the bottom, I might throw a couple divers down with Dodgers and Squids/Flies. The dodgers work awesome with the slower speeds needed for cowbells.... Plus if the fish happen to be suspended lakers, then they will hit a dodger as well.

   If the Laker bite is banging, then the two rod set up is more than enough....