Diverology 101
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Adapted from Capt. John King's article "Diverology 101," written January 15, 2000 on MichiganSportsman.com, before he started making tackle. Read the original.
John called divers "the poor man's downrigger." Because they run out to the side, they widen your trolling path by 100' or more and reach spooky fish away from the boat. "A 4 bottom plow is more efficient than a 2 bottom plow."
A little history
John's first diver, in 1969, was the "Pink Lady," whose trip mechanism rarely worked. "Everybody had Salmon Fever back then, so we didn't seem to mind the extra work."
Depth guidelines (Dipsy with a ring, 30# braid)
- Setting 1: roughly 2 feet of line per foot of depth until past 50'. 100' out ≈ 50' down at medium-slow speed.
- Setting 2: about 2.5 to 1.
- Setting 3: about 3.5–4 to 1. 120' out ≈ 30' down with spoons.
- Setting 3, no ring: about 4 to 1. 80' out ≈ 20–25' down.
- Big-drag lures like dodgers need more line. Divers can rise and fall 10' on turns, and warm water is less dense, so divers run shallower.
- When fishing is slow, ease into shallow water, touch bottom, and record your settings and line out.
Pro tips
- Mono for high fish. When fish are in the top 40', 20# mono runs farther from the boat. "Steelhead love mono divers."
- Black diver for mid-day. Spray-paint an old diver flat black for choosy mid-day fish.
- Snubbers are a must with no-stretch braid. Optional with mono.
- Set releases in tiny turns, or fish can't trip the diver.
- Color-code rods: red for port, green for starboard, and mark high and low divers.
- Four divers: a high and low diver per side, plus a "tail gunner" on setting 0 straight back when divers are hot.
- Deep Sixes on wire were John's secret for fish below 100', diving almost 2 to 1 on size 2. They track straight back only.
- Slide Divers let you run 10–100' leads for spooky spring Salmon and June Steelhead.
Rods and reels
Use dedicated 9–10' diver rods with backbone, and the best line counter reels your budget allows.
How John's advice changed
In 2000, John recommended 6–10' leaders behind divers. After switching to meat with his own flashers in 2003–2004, he ran 5–6' leaders from the diver to the flasher, with the meat rig adding about 5' more. He later added his own Super Snubber. See Super Snubbers, Wire and Braid.