Diving Dredges

Fine-tuning a proven and effective fish attractor

October 8, 2008
By By George Poveromo (More articles by this author)

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The hub of the system will be a 500-pound-test, 3-way swivel (in this case, the type with two swivels interlocked). Where the two rings are joined is the top of the system. The available eye at the interlock is the leading eye, where the hand line from the boat connects. After identifying the leading eye, crimp a 30-inch length of cable to the rear ring of that swivel.

At the end of that cable, place a thimble around a 300-pound-test Sampo Ball Bearing Snap Swivel and crimp the connection. This snap swivel will attach to the dredge.

To the rear eye of the second swivel, the one lying 90 degrees to the main swivel, crimp a 20-inch length of cable. At the other end of this cable, connect the swimming plug. Place a thimble around the plug's split ring, snug the cable tightly around the thimble and then crimp the connection. That's all there is to the terminal arrangement.
 
The dredge will be attached to ride about 10 inches behind the swimming plug on its own independent cable. This arrangement gives the plug plenty of latitude to dig, dive and swim without tangling in the dredge and still keeps the system beneath the surface.
 
Sleight of Hand
I use a hand line to deploy and retrieve each dredge. Mine consists of a Sampo 300-pound-test, ball-bearing snap swivel clipped to the leading eye of the 3-way dredge swivel, crimped to 30 feet of 400-pound-test monofilament fastened to 3 feet of nylon rope, which fastens to a transom cleat.

Deploying the subsurface teaser involves attaching the dredge to the ball-bearing snap swivel on its cable leader and then attaching the swivel from the dredge hand line to the leading eye of the three-way swivel. Next, unfurl the dredge hand line and secure its nylon rope to a transom cleat. After making sure the hand line won't tangle feet or tackle, slow the boat to a crawl and drop the dredge over the transom. Let it out until the swimming plug digs in. Continue to pay out line under moderate pressure until the rig lies straight behind the boat and then tie it off and resume trolling speed.

Finally, make sure you place a surface bait just behind each dredge, and keep a pitch bait handy should a fish move in on the dredge and overlook the trolling baits. Chances are you won't have to wait too long.

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