A few years ago Off Shore Tackle introduced a new diver that has subsequently rewritten the way anglers troll spinners, spoons and crankbaits for walleye and other species. The Tadpole Diver, officially known as the OR36 Tadpole Resettable Diving Weight, comes in four sizes including the No. 1, 2, 3 and Magnum.
The Tadpole Diver can be rigged using line releases on the tow arm and the back of the diver. This option allows the Tadpole to be fished in-line using any combination of lure and trolling lead.
TRADITIONAL RIGGING METHOD
What sets these divers apart is the simple design that is easy to use, functionally flawless and adaptable to literally any trolling situation. To fish a Tadpole using traditional methods, add a favorite nightcrawler harness or if using spoons or crankbaits tie a 60 to 72 inch leader of fluorocarbon line to the back of the Tadpole using the supplied heavy duty snap at the Tadpole and a ball bearing snap swivel at the terminal end.
Attach a heavy duty snap (also supplied with the Tadpole) to the terminal end of your fishing line and attach this snap to the tow arm on the Tadpole Diver. Lower the Tadpole into the water watching to make sure the snap slides from the nose of the Tadpole to the elbow position. Play out the desired amount of line. The Precision Trolling Data phone apps have Dive Curve data for all the sizes of the Tadpole Divers.
A Tadpole can be fished as a flat line straight out the back of the boat or married up to an in-line planer board. Tadpoles also fish nicely on a planer board mast system.
The Tadpole dives until a fish is hooked. When a fish is hooked the snap on the tow arm slides to the forward position and the Tadpole is converted from a diving weight to an in-line weight. This unique function allows anglers to enjoy fighting their fish without having to do battle with the diver!
The Off Shore Tackle Tadpole Diver is one of the most versatile divers for trolling walleye and a host of other species.
CREATIVE RIGGING METHODS
The Tadpole Diver can also be rigged in-line similar to a Snap Weight. Using an Off Shore Tackle split ring attach an OR14 or OR19 planer board release to the tow arm on the Tadpole. Using a second split ring attach an OR16 Snap Weight Clip to the back of the Tadpole.
Rigged in this manner any lure and lead length can be deployed. Once the lure is played out, open the release on tow arm of the Tadpole and place the line inside near the back of the rubber pads. Next place the line behind the pin on the Snap Weight Clip and leave a little slack line between the two line releases.
When the Tadpole is lowered into the water it will ride nose down and dive. By playing out various amounts of line the Tadpole can be set to run a multitude of depths. When a fish is hooked, a sharp snap of the rod tip will pop the line free from the tow arm release and leave the Tadpole dangling on the line thanks to the Snap Weight Clip. As the fish is being fought the Tadpole will need to be removed from the line much like removing a Snap Weight.
With this unique rigging option any combination of lure and lead length can be fished with a Tadpole Diver. The Tadpole Diver fishes deeper than in-line weights, allowing anglers to ply the depths more efficiently.
SUMMARY
The Tadpole Diver is easy to use, dives to significant depth and fishes beautifully behind planer boards. Rigged traditionally or in combination with planer board releases, the Tadpole Diver is plain and simple a fish catching machine.