Test braid instead of wire on downriggers?

[maisie]

I was reading the new Outdoor Life magazine and they said to put 80 to 150 pound test braid on your downrigger to repace the wire cable to carry the weights down.  This will get ride of the hum and is much less visible to spooky fish.  I'm not sure if this would be a good idea?  what do you guys thinK? 

[Sk8man]

I know people use it but after 40 years of downrigging with the wire I'm a firm believer in it. I once tried some 50 pound braid on one of my thermocline rigs as a rig line and first time out it caught on the roller tip (slid to the side of the roller) and snapped off (with about $50 of stuff on it) so it made me leery of braid. I've never had a problem with 150 lb wire on my Cannons. There are numerous ways to get rid of the hum if it happens. I use a wine cork with a slit up the side and put it on the wire right at the top near the end of the boom and it deadens it. A piece of hard rubber could probably achieve the same result....its only at certain speed and isn't all that frequent on my rig anyway.

[steelydan]

the braid for downriggers is 200lb test. i got some a while back and use it on my big jons. no blow back, no hum. works great and i will never go back to S.S.

[fathobbit0074]

Fish like the hum.

It attracts them I take it you don't run a black box Wire is def the way to go

[fathobbit0074]

Fish like the hum.

It attracts them I take it you don't run a black box Wire is def the way to go

[fathobbit0074]

Fish like the hum.

It attracts them I take it you don't run a black box Wire is def the way to go

[fish-on]

Do fleas stick to it?

[Tim Bromund]

You can take my humming wire when you pry it from my cold dead hands

 

 

[steelydan]

i get plenty of hum from my wire rods. i see no difference in the amount of fish caught on my riggers with braid, no less and no more. the braid is much nicer to use. fleas are not a big problem with it. if you flick the line occasionally on the way up, they fall right off. IMHO

Edited March 19, 2013 by steelydan

[Sk8man]

Tim

[maisie]

thanks for the replies guys.  I like the one with the wine cork especially .  A good reason for a glass of wine.  LOL