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Dipsy's vs Slide Divers


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Generally speaking I use slide divers in the spring when fish are above 40 feet and once the fish go below 40 feet I switch over to Dipsy divers. I have developed my own dive charts for these devices using a TD fishhawk. One of the things I can't understand, a slide diver weighs 5.12 ounces and a Dipsy diver #1 weighs 4.97 ounces. Both divers are basically a #1 Dipsy diver except one (the slide diver) has the ability to be very stealthy. So my question is, why won't a slide diver that weighs approximately the exact same amount as a Dipsy diver go to the same depths? Are the action of these two diver different? I just don't understand why if I have a Dipsy diver #1 at a certain depth with so many feet of wire out why I cannot switch over to a slide diver and get the exact same depth? I have tried switching a slide diver over to a fixed diver and I still cannot get the exact same depth. Don't understand. I have always assumed that if I ran a slide diver and put a spoon back 50 feet behind the diver that is what was causing the diver to rise up to a level that was not the same as a #1 Dipsy diver. That does not make sense to me but I just don't understand why the Slide Diver is so different from the standard #1 Dipsy diver that weighs the exact same amount. Any answers or theories would be appreciated.

 

 

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Slide diver makes a kit that comes with a heavier weight and a large ring...that should get down to depths desired. It is called U-Charters Slide Diver Ultimate Accessory Ring and Weight Set. Sold at many stores...Google it.

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Fishinlslife, not sure.  I have never really checked to see if the entire into the water is different.  If I am using the same holders, location on the boat and rod setup I just assumed it was not a variable.  Something I will look at next time I am out. Thank you.    

 

Thank you pjprod, yes I am aware that slide diver can be upgraded to the heavy weight to make them run deeper.  This is why I checked the weights of the two divers.  With them being the same I just don't understand why they don't work the same.

 

Yes, dipsey are a fixed leader length and slide diver are adjustable.  I have had days when fish would not touch a lure behind a dipsy with a 5 or 6 foot leader to the spoon/flasher fly and then increased that length to 8, 10 or 12 feet and it is a totally different dipsy setup.  Game on.  The bad thing now is that I have to hand line in every fish.  This is the advantage of the slide diver and the reason why I was asking the question.  

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7 minutes ago, Fishbowl836 said:

Fishinlslife, not sure.  I have never really checked to see if the entire into the water is different.  If I am using the same holders, location on the boat and rod setup I just assumed it was not a variable.  Something I will look at next time I am out. Thank you.    

 

Thank you pjprod, yes I am aware that slide diver can be upgraded to the heavy weight to make them run deeper.  This is why I checked the weights of the two divers.  With them being the same I just don't understand why they don't work the same.

 

Yes, dipsey are a fixed leader length and slide diver are adjustable.  I have had days when fish would not touch a lure behind a dipsy with a 5 or 6 foot leader to the spoon/flasher fly and then increased that length to 8, 10 or 12 feet and it is a totally different dipsy setup.  Game on.  The bad thing now is that I have to hand line in every fish.  This is the advantage of the slide diver and the reason why I was asking the question.  

As an engineer I can tell you its an angle thing based on design.  Exactly where it pulls from when set relative to everything else results in a shallower dive angle.     There could be a diameter difference too buy honestly I never measured them side by side.   

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5 hours ago, Fishbowl836 said:


Yes, both are wire set up's. I have even tried to switch the dipsy's from one rod set up to another. Both set ups are using the 9 foot GLT classic Dipsy rods with seven stranded wire.



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the side setting are not the same on both , are the reading you get with a 0 (zero) setting way off ?

 

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Erabbit, you might be onto something. I guess when I'm out this weekend that's a test I will do. Run both divers at zero and see what I get.

Like I said it just doesn't make sense to me when both divers weigh approximately the same amount and both have approximately the same amount of surface area for planning purposes.


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34 minutes ago, Fishbowl836 said:

Erabbit, you might be onto something. I guess when I'm out this weekend that's a test I will do. Run both divers at zero and see what I get.

Like I said it just doesn't make sense to me when both divers weigh approximately the same amount and both have approximately the same amount of surface area for planning purposes.


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If you take both divers and line them up togather you will see the differnts in setting , then just mark so you would have them the same.... I hope this gets you in the ball park with both !!!!!

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You have to test them on same side of boat going into the current at the same direction. Dipsys on opposite sides same distance back may be 10' different in depth based on how the current is hitting the face of the diver

Edited by Gill-T
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It's actually pretty simple if you think about it... You have 50' of line drag behind the slide diver pulling the back of it down flatter in the back. At the same time that changes the dig or bite of the front, in effect lifting it.. Kind of like stepping on a shovel with your foot while it's laying on the ground. When you do that the handle will point up.. Thus the diver points up when weight is applied to the back of it. ... To really prove the point of adding pull and angle, hook a deep crank bait to the back at any length from a diver or dipsey and watch it become a surf board on the surface... Now we can all have beer!

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i have the u charters slide divers with the ring and bigger weights they get down 80 ,90 ft . i really don't see much difference in catch ratio between the non slide and slide divers. hey pass be one of those beers ...

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2 hours ago, fisherdude said:

i have the u charters slide divers with the ring and bigger weights they get down 80 ,90 ft . i really don't see much difference in catch ratio between the non slide and slide divers. hey pass be one of those beers ...

How far are you running them back to get 80-90 down?

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On 8/13/2017 at 8:01 AM, catmandu said:

FYI
I spoke to the slide diver company owner. He told me with the ultimate kit installed, it's a 2/1 ratio. 2 ft of line out ...1 ft depth.


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Is that on the #2 setting?

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