# portable mini downriggers or dipsy diver?



## 1morecast

Has anyone ever used mini downriggers? I have a little boat that I want to start trolling with, but those large downriggers are out of the question. I'm also curious about dipsy divers, but I dont understand how you would get them to your desired depth? Any tips or help will be much appreciated.


----------



## wyogoob

The mini downriggers work OK. One drawback is the cannonballs are on the light side and don't stay directly under the boat/fish finder. Another is that they're a little on the flimsy side when you're hung up. Always have a pair of gloves and side cutters handy. I prefer mounting on the gunwhale, not the transom; it's just too easy to stand a little boat up on its end a fill it with water if you get snagged.

Dipsey divers have been around a long time. We used them on Lake Michigan long before downriggers became popular/readily available. They come in a variety of sizes, colors and styles and most have adjustable diving angles. They "trip" and then plane up to the surface when a fish is on or it snags. I never really knew how deep the things were running. We would run out a bunch of line and when we caught a fish, usually salmon or lake trout, we would mark the line with a rubber band. I haven'y used one for years and, frankly, don't miss them.


----------



## 1morecast

Thanks for the info, I guess ill try a few dipsy divers since theyre pretty cheap, then ill consider buying a mini downrigger.


----------



## Grandpa D

The thing that I don't like about divers is that they create a very hard drag on your rod. It's difficult to detect a strike with one. However once a fish is on, it triggers the release and the drag lessons a bit.
But they are cheap.


----------



## BROWN BAGGER

I disagree with not being able to detect a fish. Just like with a downrigger, when your rod and line are tight I can tell better when I get a strike. lure jensen makes different diving rigs. all are numbered accordingly: 20 30 40 50 which of couse tells you the max depth that they will dive. Having a line counter on your reel makes all the world of difference. running divers is no different than lead line, except the drag. I still (or should I say my wife) run divers, she is so anti rigger? (go figure). I would still stick with the mini rigger and spool it with braided line. you will like the fact of not having to reel so much line in with a rigger when you have a fish on. long lining it gives the fish more time to work it's way off.
Don't let them worry you about tipping your boat, I have never had or seen it happen. I attached a longer plank on my raft and mounted a downrigger off to the side.


----------



## DallanC

I started with dipsy divers, then moved up to mini's. Now I use LakeTroll's. I agree with the others here, skip dipsy divers. I also dislike leadcore line... so if I had to go back 20 years ago and start over knowing what I know now, and not able to afford a single nice downrigger.

On the cheap, I would go with Banana sinkers. They work well and are a primary means of fishing in alaska.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas- ... l+Products

Baring that, I would buy a single 8lb cannonball and some heavy braided construction line. Tie one end to the ball with loops every 5ft. Lower the ball X number of loops to get the depth you want then hook the last loop over a cleat or something. Poor-mans downrigging 

-DallanC


----------



## 1morecast

Heys guys thanks for the info, I am gonna go with the mini downrigger, and the braided line tip is very helpful. Im a light line, light rod kinda of guy, I cant imagine all the drag that the divers have as well as the effect it has between the rod and fish?


----------



## DallanC

1morecast said:


> Heys guys thanks for the info, I am gonna go with the mini downrigger, and the braided line tip is very helpful. Im a light line, light rod kinda of guy, I cant imagine all the drag that the divers have as well as the effect it has between the rod and fish?


Yes you dont want the fish to be able to leverage itself between the diver and the hook.

One type of diver I have used with ok results, has a built in "release" that takes it out of dive mode. You can adjust the amount of force it takes to trip it. I've used these alot in Alaska... with the smallest though, it seems to strain the lighter line we use here in Utah for trout. Once tripped it will want to rise to the surface automatically.

Lur Jensen Deep Six:









-DallanC


----------



## DallanC

Attwood mini-downriggers are junk btw. Extremely flimsy. I had one for a day and took it right back.

Watch ebay for a used scotty or cannon.


-DallanC


----------



## wyogoob

DallanC said:


> 1morecast said:
> 
> 
> 
> ............................................................................................................................................
> Lur Jensen Deep Six:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -DallanC
Click to expand...

Cool. The Deep Six came out in the late 60's....maybe 1970. It was called the "Pink Lady" and came in pink and then orange. I have one in the International Fishing Museum in Evingston.


----------



## wyogoob

Let me repeat: 

Always have a pair of gloves and side cutters handy. I prefer mounting on the gunwhale, not the transom; it's just too easy to stand a little boat up on its end a fill it with water if you get snagged.


The stories I could tell.


----------



## Dodger

1morecast said:


> Has anyone ever used mini downriggers? I have a little boat that I want to start trolling with, but those large downriggers are out of the question. I'm also curious about dipsy divers, but I dont understand how you would get them to your desired depth? Any tips or help will be much appreciated.


I think Dipsys are hard to use because it is (1) hard to get them to the depth you want and (2) don't always trip when you get a hit. If the dipsy doesn't trip, it takes a lot of fun out of it.

Wyogoob is absolutely right on the mini-riggers. They work but you have to be careful with them, especially in small boats.


----------



## BROWN BAGGER

One more tidbit, try and find a pan cake weight for you rigger. they track and have less blow back in the water, which means less pressure on that smaller downrigger. sportsmans used to have 8lb pancakes, but I haven't seen them in a while. you might have to try on-line ordering. In fact I'll check to see what I have if you can find one.

I found these with a quick look....




btw...how fast are you troilling wyogoob to stand a boat up on end?
If he runs dacron line, just a quick kaanife job is all that is needed......


----------



## 1morecast

Thanks for all the info, ill let you guys know if I can make a porta boat hit 12 o clock.....as far as trolling, what do you guys recommend as distance between the rig and lure? I figure some fish would be spooked by the ball or pan cake? And hoping I can find a pan cake weight, it looks like it would cut through better than a ball.


----------



## Dodger

1morecast said:


> Thanks for all the info, ill let you guys know if I can make a porta boat hit 12 o clock.....as far as trolling, what do you guys recommend as distance between the rig and lure? I figure some fish would be spooked by the ball or pan cake? And hoping I can find a pan cake weight, it looks like it would cut through better than a ball.


That all depends on the fish, the speed, you are trolling, and whether or not you are running stackers or a line on the top.

For trout and salmon, I will usually go from 15-40 feet behind the weight for the bottom rig. For the top rig, I'll do 10-20 feet behind the stacker.

A lot of people like to keep distances shorter - 6-8ft. You'll have to experiment and see what works for you. If you are working with folks that don't know how to use riggers, longer leads between the weight and the lure mean more tangles and messiness.


----------



## drakebob01

I think in-line weights do a better job that the dipsy's. Never tried the mini's


----------



## 1morecast

Yep so far ive tied on dipsy divers and they get down there, to what depth I really dont know? It sucks trying to reel them in if they dont have the snap release system, and even then I would imagine still having that heavy drag. Ill post my info about mini down riggers as soon as I get one.


----------



## BROWN BAGGER

get you a line counter reel, you will always be able to repeat the depth where the fish are! and look at the walker dipsy divers with the release.


----------



## wyogoob

....................................
btw...how fast are you trolling wyogoob to stand a boat up on end?
If he runs dacron line, just a quick kaanife job is all that is needed......[/quote]

Doesn't matter. If you're in a small aluminum boat on a windy day and have the downrigger mounted on the transom and the cannonball is hung-up the waves can come in the back as soon as you run all the line off the spool.....especially if you are alone.

I'm glad those little boats were made to float....and I hate swimming after my tackle box and cooler.

Those Stinger things look cool. How much do they weigh?


----------

