Dipsy vs. Jet Diver

[PickerelHunter]

I am new to the trolling technique and posted recently about rod selection etc and got great feedback from you guys. I'm now wondering about the benefits/limitations of these two types of divers. I'm mostly going to be trolling in the 20-40 range for walleye and hopefully some larger pike now that the water has warmed up. The main difference I find, aside from obvious appearance, is the directional capability of the Dipsy. I've used the Jet in the past but I seem to hear a lot more about the Dipsy which is why I'm asking in the first place.

 

What type and size divers do you guys use for the type of fishing I mentioned?

 

Thanks for any feedback.

[Fishing4Tails]

Dipsy and jet are great but .. There's always a but .. I've been using Torpedo divers for my walleye and salmon/trout fishing . They are directional like dipsys and can be placed any where on your line with a clip. I use the off shore or-18 clips (red ones)...they come with a chart that tells you your target depth and how many feet out your need at that exact speed. Check out their web site .

Good luck !!

Edited June 29, 2011 by fishing4tails

[dave524]

For 20 to 40 foot depths, have you considered reels with 4 to 8 sections of lead core ? Good searching technique especially when run off boards.

[Woodsman]

I've been using Torpedo divers for my walleye and salmon/trout fishing . They are directional like dipsys and can be placed any where on your line with a clip.

Yes the Torpedo's are directional but in no way do they track as far out to the side as Dipsy's. Placing them anywhere on your line is an advantage being that your able to run your bait much further back from the diver but removing the diver can be a little problematic especially if your alone.

Advantages & disadvantages to both types.

[Vanselena]

Yes the Torpedo's are directional but in no way do they track as far out to the side as Dipsy's. Placing them anywhere on your line is an advantage being that your able to run your bait much further back from the diver but removing the diver can be a little problematic especially if your alone.

Advantages & disadvantages to both types.

 

Nothing is perfect, I hate netting a fish alone with a dipsy or jet, total pain in the ass but if that is the presentation the fish want that particular day then that's what I'm using. To have my rod but against my foot and reach up and unclip a Torpedo is much easier then removing an inline board, that being said, inline boards are used every trip on my boat whether alone or with friends. Riggers are also a pain, especially setting them up on rough days alone but I have 3 riggers on my boat, even worse is I have 2 speed and temp units on my boat to define the thermocline plus a fishhawk TD to ensure my leadcore and Torpedo's are running where I want them, current can and does move baits deeper or higher, all a complete pain in the butt to use when alone, but necessary.

 

After fishing with the best Charter Captains across the great lakes there is one thing they all have in common. Each one does whatever it takes to get fish in the box, most times there are challenges but again most times they return to port with full boxes.

 

If my baits are working as a team and catching fish then I am a happy camper, the distance the baits are from the boat is not what is important, catching fish is. To get my baits further from the boat inline boards come to the front of the line. The directional feature of a Torpedo is close to a 1.5 to 2 setting on a dipsy, depending on the torpedo used.

[SlowPoke]

Nothing is perfect, I hate netting a fish alone with a dipsy or jet, total pain in the ass but if that is the presentation the fish want that particular day then that's what I'm using.

 

Well said.

Sometimes I wonder if it's the turbulance created by dipsy's, torpedo's and cannon balls that attracts fish. It may not always be the lure, flasher, dodger etc. Lure location and proximity to the boat aren't always a factor, moreso is, the fish's line of site. A fish will see a silhouette of a lure and come up 40' to hit it but if your lure's silhouette is overshadowed by your boat's hull, it may never be seen. Long leads off a rigger can move the lure away from the shadow of the hull but how do we explain when short leads can sometimes be so hot? That takes us back to the action/turbulance therory.

 

The simple answer to the Jet/Dipsy question is;

Have both.

[Woodsman]

And my point was not to discredit any of the types of getting your bait down & maybe out to the side.

It was simple that all have their time & place. What works for one person may not work for someone else due to their different fishing styles.

[joesmink]

In line planer( Walleye board) and Jet divers 20's and 30's set back 125'. the boards really help spread out your presentation and are easily removed when hauling in a walleye.