WU-208: Gearing Up with Divers for Next Season - Part 1

by Captain Ronnie Rhodes & Dave Truett

During the off season when  cabin fever may be starting to set in, it’s probably time to start getting ready for next season’s walleye adventures.  Start out by placing those necessary items into your walleye boat, such as: life vests; fire extinguishers; radio equipment; GPS/sonar electronics; first aid/safety equipment; and all of those fancy lures that you purchased at fishing shows.  Make sure you also have a book in your boat entitled Precision Trolling.  We call it “The Troller’s  Bible”.  This book is jam-packed with information that you will need in order to run your lures at a specific depth, going at a specific speed.  It is imperative that you have this book when fishing the Great Lakes.  For instance, if you’re fishing Lake Erie and will be using Dipsy Divers or Jets to get the lure down to where you’re marking fish on your electronics, then this book will help with that information.

Luhr-Jensen & Sons, Inc., from Hood River, Oregon, is the primary manufacturer of the Dipsy Diver and the Jet Diver.  When purchasing either of these divers, a diver depth chart is included.   For example, a Dipsy, from its base plate setting from zero to three, can dive to desired depths of ten to forty feet.  Whereas Jet types #10 to #40 and the new Jumbo Jet can dive to depths of ten to fifty feet.  So, by all means retain copies of these depth charts when purchasing these diving devices.  Keep the charts stored in a plastic container to keep them dry, and make them easily accessible for future reference.

Questions and Answers

1. What is often referred to as “The Troller’s Bible” and is a must for every boat owner when trolling the Great Lakes?  The book, Precision Trolling, is often referred to as “The Troller’s Bible”.
2. How can the information in the book Precision Trolling help when using divers?  The information in this book will help to run your lures at a specific depth, going at a specific speed. 
3. What company is the prime manufacturer of divers?   The primary manufacturer of divers is Luhr-Jensen & Sons, Inc.
4. What are the two types of divers?   The two divers are the Dipsy Diver and the Jet Diver.
5. What is the maximum depth that a Jumbo Jet can dive?   The Jumbo Jet can dive to a maximum depth of fifty feet.