Running dive bombs on coppers?

[DJ 17]

Those of you that run dive bombs on coppers can you chime in on your favorite set up? Do you run the dive bomb on the leader end of the copper or do you hook it to the backing?  What have you find to be the best way to deploy them with out tangling other lines, besides clearing the whole side of the boat?  What is your preferred length of copper to run while using what size dive bomb?  Any help is appreciated, I am really getting tired of running long coppers, they take the fun out of fishing at times.  Has anyone ever tried running regular "walleye style" snap weights on coppers?  If so, how did it work?

 

 

Sorry for all the questions, just looking for a better mouse trap I guess.

[TyeeTanic]

I've only run them on the backing, but not often. It puts another 100 ft of line out, and it's not good to have braid in the water with the fleas in full force.  So, I've been thinking of using it on the end of the leader. But then that will dampen the movement of the copper in the water (which I think is one advantage), kind of will act like a dead weight. Also you would need a fairly long leader to keep that weight away from the bait, at least 30 ft.  I currently use 15 ft leads on my copper. Keeps the drag down on this end of the line, so I get to the depths I want.

 

So probably the best is to have copper, and then 100 ft of 30 lb mono (for fleas) as the first portion of backing to put the torpedo weight on. But then it is only advantageous if you use the 12 oz, cuda weight, as 100 ft of mono will chew up a lot of reel capacity, and if you use a lighter drop weight, well you may as well have put more copper on the reel to get the same depth.

[Silver Fox]

Put the dive bomb on the copper. I do it all the time. Not sure why you wouldn't.

silverfoxcharters.net

[TyeeTanic]

SilverFox,

 

I would be worried about the copper kinking and breaking due to point fatigue.

But that is speculation.  You say you've been doing it for a while? Where on the copper, at the leader end or in the middle somewhere?

[Silver Fox]

Somewhere in the middle.

silverfoxcharters.net

[Gator]

There's no kink where you put the dive bomb on the copper. The line goes straight through a "sheath" and is held there by a plastic pin, which is at least two inches long. The contact point is quite large. I guess you could weaken the line there, but I haven't seen it so far. We did lose a 500' copper during the Shootout because we were clipping the copper itself to a Scotty release on the boards...it kept tripping in the waves when it was on the braid. Lesson learned. We now have 4' of 80 lb mono between the backing and copper.

 

I don't see the same kind of compression occurring with the dive bombs, nor a kink. If anybody knows differently, I'd love to hear.

[reel drag]

I also run the dive bombs right about the midway point of the copper, 500feet of copper dive bomb at 250 feet. Being doing this for a few years also. Never any issues.

[landingzone]

Anyone have any data or idea of how much a particular size dive bomb will increase the depth of a particular length copper?

[Landshark]

I prefer the offshore tackle tadpoles. Just add a release to both swivels with a small piece of moni or braid. They work great and are easy to take off when you get them to the rod tip. 4.5 oz is the biggest they make

[TyeeTanic]

What I was (am) worried about is it kinking (maybe not the right word) because from the rod tip to the dive bomb the line is under tension due to the weight/drag of the dive bomb. After the dive bomb the copper is free flowing, and wipping as you turn, enter currents, waves from the surface, etc.  So you have a pinch point that holds the higher half solid, while the lower half flexes back and forth. I would have guessed this would ultimately lead to failure at that pinch point.

 

But this is all theory, if someones been doing it for years and it is holding up, then that trumps the theory.

[Silver Fox]

Wanna hear something real crazy? I do it on full cores too! If your worried about it, don't do it.......

silverfoxcharters.net

[GAMBLER]

Wanna hear something real crazy? I do it on full cores too! If your worried about it, don't do it.......

silverfoxcharters.net

Lol.  You crack me up Scott. 

[TyeeTanic]

Scott, if it works, I really want to go this way. The only reason I haven't used torpedo weights on the core or copper is because I thought I had to put it on the braid and let out another 100 ft of line, and that wasn't boding well, especially with braid in the water during flea season.

 

If it works, then that's a game changer. Could have easily used that technique when the cold water was 100 ft deep.

[Silver Fox]

Thank you Brian, I'm here every day.....

silverfoxcharters.net

[DJ 17]

I was told or read somewhere that they are supposed to dive about 8 ft per ounce. Do you find this to be true on coppers and cores Scott ? Or is that number just someone's SWAG estimate?

[Legacy]

watch this...

[Gator]

Now, I'm not one who's apt to tell people that they're overthinking things...particularly given my job...but you're overthinking this.  

 

I get what you're saying about the pinch point and in theory you're probably right, but as you say, practice trumps theory. In general, our coppers last ~4-5 years before needing to be replaced and it may just be that they're more likely to fail from other causes before that pinch point hits critical mass. It probably helps that the dive bomb gets attached at a different spot every time out.

 

And for the record, I think both Scott and Brian should take their comedy show on the road