trouble with dipsys spinning then not releasing when reeled

[Robert Benner]

Could someone fill me in on the tricks with the dipsy divers. I have always fished downriggers and leadcore and am now exploring the divers. I caught two nice lakers on them, but continued to have trouble with them spinning and twisting up and not releasing when you go to real in. The problem seemed to manifest when the divers were rotated on the disc to go out to the side more. Is this causing the spinning and twisting? How tite is the release to be set, I like to troll at 2.5 to 3 mph to get the larger fish who bite quickly out of fear and excitment. Try realing in the larger diver even with the boat off or turned down is a real bear. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated? Also anyone ever caught anything out of Skaneatlees or the clear lake?

Thanx. The Remedy

[ERABBIT]

I give this a shot.

1. If you let your divers out too fast they may spin out and get twisting up and when this happens they could be twisted around the release so it could not release. (Been there done it)

2.If your having trouble get the diver to release when it's not twisted up adjust it at the boat so it releases fairly easy. But not by using a "BASS style hook set". (Been there done that) Also it helps if you put your thumb on the reel keeping the drag from slipping when your trying to release it.

3. Set your diver for your style of fishing get to your trolling speed drop the diver over the side and give it a flip of the wrist type hook set with your thumb on the reel if it don't release brining it in adjust and try it again.

[IRISH56]

Sounds like your dipsey's are set a little tight. Are you running them on monofilament?? Best way to check the release is to run them 50' out or so and test the release, if you can't release it at 50' there's no way you'll be able to at 150' +, even worse with mono because of all the stretch in it.

It takes some fine tuning to get your divers set properly. If you are running mono divers they can be real tough to run at any real depth - too much stretch.

The spinning & twisting could be a result of running them out too fast which will actually get the diver ahead of the bait or sometimes real tight turns will do it also. If you go beyond the #3 setting too far it can cause problems.

DAN

[Robert Benner]

Thanx. guys! I was letting them out to fast to get other stuff done so I could sit there and watch the poles go up and down with the wake. I did use braided line on the dipsy pole and it works well just hard to set that pole right for the rigger releases. Any one run plugs off of those divers, would it give greater action to the plug?

Thanx. The Remedy(soon)

[IRISH56]

If you're in a hurry to get gear out you can loosen up on the drag to let the divers go out under tension, really helps 'cause you can set a rigger or two then go back to the diver rod. Some guys don't like to mess with the drag once it's set where they want it.

DAN

[Zebedee]

you can loosen up on the drag to let the divers go out under tension,

DAN

I set up some Wire divers this year and had the same problem. A friend sugggested this drag technique and I haven't had a problem since. I set the reel on "click" so I can listen to the speed while putting out the rest of my equipment.

[goin hungry]

yup - unless it's in close it's next to impossible to use mono on a dipsey. use braid or wire.

we use the drag/clicker technique to and have never had a problem with wrapping.