Troll faster! Speed kills fish! You can go up to 3.5, but not with Colorado blades

 

You will probably get more feedback from more experienced anglers but here is start.
Speed up 2.0-2.5 harness, 2.5-3.2 hard-baits and spoons. I don’t use harnesses due to pia with crawlers and slow speed. Use double willow or hatchet blade trolling Harnesses to run over 2.5. Dipseys are great for pulling most lures that don’t have deep diving bill. Most use #1 size with ring, just follow the depth chart provided. I have some size 0 but never use them. Not sure how they mix in. For planer boards you can pull any behind them. Best if only 2 that they are a pair on same side of boat being pulled by matched rods and similar lures to detect bite when not pulling the same. Evening and early night fishing high in water like top 10 ft can be really good.

 

You will probably get more feedback from more experienced anglers but here is start.
Speed up 2.0-2.5 harness, 2.5-3.2 hard-baits and spoons. I don’t use harnesses due to pia with crawlers and slow speed. Use double willow or hatchet blade trolling Harnesses to run over 2.5. Dipseys are great for pulling most lures that don’t have deep diving bill. Most use #1 size with ring, just follow the depth chart provided. I have some size 0 but never use them. Not sure how they mix in. For planer boards you can pull any behind them. Best if only 2 that they are a pair on same side of boat being pulled by matched rods and similar lures to detect bite when not pulling the same. Evening and early night fishing high in water like top 10 ft can be really good.

Thanks for the info, Farmer, I'll have to think about all of this for a while. Just starting out with Dipsy's or boards, so both options are scary for this old newbee

 

I would get 2 more number 1 dipsys. Run 2 on each side 1 on a 0 or 1 setting close to the motor the other on a 3 closer to the bow then run a board off each side. I wouldnt worry about running worms and in september your still gonna be trolling over 2 mph. Mix in bandits flicker minnows and spoons and you should be busy enough and most likely not need weights on the planer boards

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I would get 2 more number 1 dipsys. Run 2 on each side 1 on a 0 or 1 setting close to the motor the other on a 3 closer to the bow then run a board off each side. I wouldnt worry about running worms and in september your still gonna be trolling over 2 mph. Mix in bandits flicker minnows and spoons and you should be busy enough and most likely not need weights on the planer boards

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Thanks for the info, for some reason I thought I would need to run slower in September. Running faster works for me as I can use my kicker when running into the wind.

 

We were running 2 mph am hour into november last year

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If you get a chance it can be a great help to fish with someone that is experienced using these methods, lots of little things you can pick up. Good luck!

 

Some have suggested running the boards and the dipsys at the same time. I guess I should run the boards on one side of the boat, and the dipsys on the other side. First, put in the inside Dipsy and let it drift back, then put in the outside dipsy and let it drift back. Turn to the other side of the boat, put the weighted line in for the 1st board, let out the line to the desired distance, attach the board, and then let it drift back and out. Then repeat for the second board. Does that sound right?

 

i do not know how many bords you have,
if you have 2 and one is left one is right,you have to run 1 bord on each side.
i run bords and dipsy at same time with ot problem.

you can setup dipsy in any order but you have to do the right think,that way you set them up with out tungle.
set dipsy to #1 and #3.

if you redy setup wiyh dipsy and bord and you catch fish on second rod #3 dipsy,you bring the fish in.you do not bring rest rods in you leave them in place.
that is what i was teling you how to setup #3 dipsy when rest rods are set.
if that is on right side,
drop the dipsy #3 on left side in water,if you siting him to 80' back,reles from left side 60' and now the #3 dipsy is clearing #1 dipsy,you can walk to rod holde holding the thum on spool,put that in rod holder and when it hit 80' lock the reel.
this way everything is clear and run good.

 

We run boards and dipseys together all the time.But I wouldn not recommend running two different dipseys at the same time.I would buy two more #1dipsyes and run two dipsey on each side of boat with one board.You have to run the board on side,right or left, that is indicating in board as happy snag indicated.I run my dipseys on a 3 and I setting.Then run a 6-7ft leader to a spoon or harness to the dipsey with a swivel.
On the board,you can run a crank with or without a 2oz sinker or a spoon or harness with a weight It's nice to have a flag on your board
that goes down when a fish hits too to indicate if fish on.
Couple rules to prevent tangling dipseys.I have a screwdriver in my pocket and I am initially adjusting the tension on that dipsey release frequently based on speed and waves.I set the dipsey at multiples of 5 so I will have them running like at 80 and 85 on a 3 setting and 60 and 65 on a 1.When initially trying to find depth fish catching,look at marks on sonar and find depth that 5 ft shallower and find that on dipsey chart and set one out at that depth and the other 5 ft shallower.Then if nothing hits after 15 min move one up 5 ft and other down 5 ft till you find depth fish catching at.
The 1 setting has to have a shorter lead than the 3 setting on the same side of boat.You can bring a fish in on the 3 setting over the 1 setting as long as there is no fish on the #1 or can tangle.When putting out dipsey try and put out 3 setting first.It is running farther out away from boat and forward of #1 setting .You can put out the #3 dipsey over the #1 as long as there is no fish on the #1 and you have to put out that #3 on opposite side of boat it is running to allow it to get behind that #1 line.
Also make sure have clicker on when putting out dipsey to slow it down.If putting out too fast the dipsey can rotate and lock mechanism closed.Also buy four 8" snubbers that you put on between dipsey and leader.Keep checking those dipseys too.Many times fish is on or your worm gone

 

We run boards and dipseys together all the time.But I wouldn not recommend running two different dipseys at the same time.I would buy two more #1dipsyes and run two dipsey on each side of boat with one board.You have to run the board on side,right or left, that is indicating in board as happy snag indicated.I run my dipseys on a 3 and I setting.Then run a 6-7ft leader to a spoon or harness to the dipsey with a swivel.
On the board,you can run a crank with or without a 2oz sinker or a spoon or harness with a weight It's nice to have a flag on your board
that goes down when a fish hits too to indicate if fish on.
Couple rules to prevent tangling dipseys.I have a screwdriver in my pocket and I am initially adjusting the tension on that dipsey release frequently based on speed and waves.I set the dipsey at multiples of 5 so I will have them running like at 80 and 85 on a 3 setting and 60 and 65 on a 1.When initially trying to find depth fish catching,look at marks on sonar and find depth that 5 ft shallower and find that on dipsey chart and set one out at that depth and the other 5 ft shallower.Then if nothing hits after 15 min move one up 5 ft and other down 5 ft till you find depth fish catching at.
The 1 setting has to have a shorter lead than the 3 setting on the same side of boat.You can bring a fish in on the 3 setting over the 1 setting as long as there is no fish on the #1 or can tangle.When putting out dipsey try and put out 3 setting first.It is running farther out away from boat and forward of #1 setting .You can put out the #3 dipsey over the #1 as long as there is no fish on the #1 and you have to put out that #3 on opposite side of boat it is running to allow it to get behind that #1 line.
Also make sure have clicker on when putting out dipsey to slow it down.If putting out too fast the dipsey can rotate and lock mechanism closed.Also buy four 8" snubbers that you put on between dipsey and leader.Keep checking those dipseys too.Many times fish is on or your worm gone

Lots of great info in that post, and I appreciate it. Do you use the same length leaders on all your dipsys, or do you vary the lenght in any way between those set at 1 and 3? Another question, when running boards and dipsys - to set out a board, you have to let the bait, sinker and line run out straight back until you can attach your board. How do you keep from fouling your line if you have dipsys out and running. Won't the board drag your lure & weight back toward the outside of your set (and foul the other dipsy lines? I'm going to go out on my local reservoir this week annd try running the dipsys and boards to try to figure this all out. You know, some of us get dumber as we age

 

One thing about trolling is the school of hard knocks is a good teacher. By the sounds of things the best advice I can give you is try one thing at a time until you figure it out. If you try mixing it up I can almost guarantee you will have problems. Don’t worry after a few world class tangles you will figure it out.

 

longer lead and and smaler weight keep you from tangling.
close to the boat set rod deeper dept,otside longer lead and higher.

Thank you, Fishkiller and HappySnag, I'll have fun learning this, but I do think I'll try it a few times on my local reservoir before I come up to Eie in September.

 

As those guys posted,yeah there is a learning curve when trolling.And the more lines and different divers and boards ....create more issues/tangles. That being said,I make my leaders out of seaguar flourocarbon at 20# at 7ft long with snap on one end and swivel on other.I make my own harnesses with that same line and leader length is incorporated into the harness.
If running dipseys,they dive pretty steep and I usually have no problem with board tangling with the dipseys.....except watch out when bring board in that it does not get behind the dipsey line.You can see that dipsey line angling into water.Also possible a long dipsey lead can come up with small fish on and get into board on that side if board close to boat.I would run a single board around 50ft away from boat.
As for harness blades,we are almost always using willow blades because we are usually running from 2.3-2.7mph. Favorite color blade last 2 seasons is purple with pink back.We also prefer spoon harness too since the worms seam to catch better.

 

Most of the worm harnesses that i've made we trolled at slower speeds down here in southern Ohio, so mine are all made with Wolverine Silver Streak #3 Colorado blades in Purple Bubblegum, Pink Panties, and BBQ Chicken. I'll have to get some willlow blades and make me up a few new harnesses What size willow blades to you use on Lake Erie? Dipsys jerk/twitch a lot, any problem keeping the crawlers on the hook behind a dipsy?

 

I make my leaders on my dipsy no longer than the rods I’m using , it makes it easier for netting especially if I’m fishing alone. I also use 20# Florourocarbon.

 

I would say those willow blades are around 2" long.Hi Way bait in Marblehead had a good selection.When we trolled Colorado blades we used mostly #5 and an occasional #6.We had no problem with worms coming off on dipsey with the bouncing But dragging on bottom and junk fish will take a worm off

 

Thanks again Newman, I've got a lot of playing around to do before September; change my rods out for heavier trolling rods; make up some new harnesses; practice with my boards and dipsys. Its good to keep busy at my age

 

What everyone said above but 2 additional points to consider:

Rig your boards to release. Makes things a whole lot simpler. Here is video on how to do it:

Then if you get your Dipsys tangled (yes it happens) be sure to bring them both in at the same time. You will know because the other Dipsy line will go slack. And hold the dipsy rod tips apart. This will stop the braid from twisting up and creating a monster tangle.

With a lot of practice you can run 3 Dipsys a side and multiple boards on the same side without tangles. But go slow - it takes practice.

PS: Brand new Dipsys need some work to break them in. On the trip mechanism use a fishing scale to adjust so that it will trip at about 5 pounds. And check that the trip lever swings freely once tripped.


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