snubbers on dipsy's

[IA bowhunter]

Changing my dipsys from mono to wire, do i need a snubber. I have also read about different brands of wire, whats everyone's choice?

[Yankee Troller]

No, you dont need a snubber. I havent used one in probably 10 years. I'll typically run 4 wires too. My leader behind the dipsey is 25lb McCoy Mean Green. I keep the drags locked down and still havent cracked off any hardware.

[IA bowhunter]

Thanks Y.T. That is what i wanted to here, Although gonna use mono for at least one more week as no one in my neck of the woods carries wire. Looks like Cabelas here I come.

[Yankee Troller]

You can buy it from Tom Allen at A-TOM-MIK.

[Silver Fox]

No snubber here either.

[off track]

it may be a bit late but Atommik has a great price on wire -- $35.00 for 1000'

[jekyll]

The first hit I took on 30# fireline without a snubber cleaned me off. Always used a snubber thereafter. Never lost anything with a snubber. Seems like inexpensive insurance to me.

Dipsy, spro, flasher and fly adds up to the cost of a rod or enough gas to troll for X long. Sorry, I didn't feel like putting in the number of hours you can troll because gas prices will climb before this is read

[GAMBLER]

I don't run snubbers either. I run 30 lb. Seagar with spoons and 50 lb. Seagar with flasher/ fly rigs. If you are cracking off fish, the drag is too tight or your main line (if it is not wire) is too light. Don't forget to use a high quality swivel on the wire. No stretch + cheap swivels = lost equipment.

[CBish]

No snubbers on my boat. I use 30# mono (big game twine) the stuff stretches about 1 inch per foot anyway. You can be confident in heavy mono between the dipsy and the lure, just make sure the mono is in good condition. I tie new leaders about every day if the fish are hitting them.

CC

[motoman]

two flys gone on the same day , and one the next trip out last fall LOC derby fishing, picked some clear snobers up at fat nancy and talked with one of there sales guys who runs a charter and he told me that snobbers would stop that from happening and that was a calmin problem , , not too mention my one dipsy rod was going all morning and the other one was not doing anything with the same set up , pulled it up no fly , no wonder that rod did nothing lol . snobbers 4 me

[Yankee Troller]

I don't run snubbers either. I run 30 lb. Seagar with spoons and 50 lb. Seagar with flasher/ fly rigs. If you are cracking off fish, the drag is too tight or your main line (if it is not wire) is too light. Don't forget to use a high quality swivel on the wire. No stretch + cheap swivels = lost equipment.

My wires drags are cranked down all the time until i get to the rod. Jax can vouch for that! I have found out through fishing these Pro-Ams that some of the best captains on the lake do the same. When I get to the rod I just back the drag off until i hear line coming out, and then get the rod out of the holder. Again I always use 25lb McCoy Mean Green as leaders behind my dipseys and never crack anything off.

During the Spring LOC I was putting out an otter boat when the wire on the other side of the boat starts diggin. One of my crew goes over to get the rod and he couldn't get it out of the holder. I told them what to do wbut in the heat of the moment I guess he forgot. This fish dug for a good 10 seconds thrashing that rod. When it stopped I was sure I had gotten cracked off. Brought it in and everything was still in tack.

[L&M]

No snubbers here & never a problem. The only difference from Yankee is I set the drags with just enough tension to hold them. It you can hear it clicking out every now and then your in good shape.

[Billy V]

I've always run snubbers on my dipsys, but after reading this thread I might give it a try without. My only concern is that we use 30# PLine Fluorocarbon leader material and it doesn't have nearly the stretch that the mono you guys are using does. I suppose I could always just run the 30# Big Game that we spool our rigger reels up with as leader material. Food for thought!

[UpGrady]

I've been fishing divers for 20 years with many captains and other friends... the number of times I've seen a crack off of a leader with a snubber is zero... I cannot say that about without a snubber... I'll take the insurance policy everytime rather than wonder about the one that got away...

[Legacy]

sounds like we need to flip a coin to get an answer around here.

i use snubbers and in my eyes theyre just an insurance policy. i also crank my drags down and adjust the drag after the fish is on.

[Paul Czarnecki]

The answer is......there isn't one! Its a matter of personal preference. If it makes you feel better and more confident to use a snubber--use one.

In 25 years of chartering Lake O I have never used a snubber. I used the old Luhr Jensen ones in my first year and broke off a giant king at the back of the boat when the snubber broke. Haven't used one since.

For those that think you MUST have them try this little trick. While sitting at the dock or in your driveway put your diver setup out and set it in a rod holder with the drag cranked down tight. Attach a scale to the swivel on the end of your diver leader and pull to see how much weight you can put on the setup. Pull as much as you want and I can almost guarantee you will NOT break the leader. Look at the bend and stress you put on your rod as well. I can also guarantee that a 6 foot, 200# man on land can pull a LOT harder on a diver set up than a fish ever could in the water. If YOU can't break it a fish never will. Just my opinion.

[alloutdoorsman]

No Snubbers!!! I run 40 lb floro leaders when runnin flasher/fly combos and 25 lb floro with spoons and have zero break offs! When we first started runnin wire we ran snubbers and lost a lot of fish due to bad hook ups! Too much stretch for a good hook set! got rid of the snubbers and started nettin those big nastys!!!

[ray koziatek]

I was tought the snubber thing not for the line or tackle loss but for the fish loss. with all the headshaking,stiff rod (even with a light drag)and no streach of wire or power pro the hookset could be compromised or rip right out .its not the hit ,or the run as the drag will buffer that its that headshake on the way in and expecially at the back of the boat when the head first pops out of the water.Might sound like im making this up but other than loosing a fish on the inital run i never have lost a dypsy fish on the retrive .

[UpGrady]

I run snubbers and rubber band the wire to keep drags loose on wire... I can't believe Yankee esp with the torqued drags... sure is a personal preference... my humble opinion is also that you can probably get away without the snubber on kings better than big steelhead that have the potential to clear water dragging the diver out as well...

[Yankee Troller]

I run snubbers and rubber band the wire to keep drags loose on wire... I can't believe Yankee esp with the torqued drags... sure is a personal preference... my humble opinion is also that you can probably get away without the snubber on kings better than big steelhead that have the potential to clear water dragging the diver out as well...

Whens the last time you heard me lie on here? LOL Jax can vouch for it as he fishes with me quite often. I would say my hook up to land ratio is pretty good, although I have never calculated it out. As Paul said its personal preference. But, for the weekend warrior trying to get some diver setups and save some money there is 20 bucks in his pocket.

[UpGrady]

Yankee,

That was not the intent of my comment... just merely, personal preference, but in my experience highly torqued drags on divers=lost fish and tackle. But, it's working for you, so what more can anyone say?