Cable or Braid for down riggers?

[fishaholic59]

This may have been covered before but I could not find any topics so here goes. Does anyone use braid on their riggers? I was thinking of switching to braid mainly to get rid of the hum and reduce the blowback. I can only use up to 10# weights so I figured this could help. Any comments?

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[tuffishooker]

My concern would be that " braid " could break ! Never thought of the question ?

[Gill-T]

With a 10 lb weight you could scale down to 150 lb braid or cable.  

[Yankee Troller]

With a 10 lb weight you could scale down to 150 lb braid or cable.  

 

150lb cable is what comes with most riggers to my knowledge. I'd think he could go much lighter with 10lb weights. We run 150lb braid and pull 20lb weights regularly. If you check your gear often it's all you need. Just be prepared to clean the braid of fleas during those few weeks they are bad. You'll start to see the rigger blow back more than usualy. Bring it up and let it clean itself and re-set. Two ways to accomplish this is to pull your retro ease in and bring the rigger up. It will cause tension on the braid and skin the fleas off. Another method is to put your fingers on the braid as it comes up and the fleas pile up at your finger tips. They fall off easily after this.

[fishaholic59]

Does anyone notice a difference in your catch rate using the braid ?

[Gill-T]

Rick is correct.  Typical cable is 150 lb.  Cabelas sells 135 lb test braid.  My experience has been I catch less fish with braid but more big ones.

[tuffishooker]

Part of " Fishaholics 59 's " ? was the "hum " ; does it make a difference ? or smoke and mirrors again !

 

Once saw lightning sparks coming up my cable ; the storm had to be at least 5 to 10 miles away . May not have happened on a " glass" boat !

[WmPaul]

Here's a link to an old topic I remembered reading. Enter downrigger cable in the search box and you may find more topics as well. I put 150 lb power pro on one of my semi manual riggers and haven't experienced the cable hum.

http://www.lakeontariounited.com/fishing-hunting/topic/49978-anyone-using-powerpro/?hl=%2Bdownrigger+%2Bcable

[fishaholic59]

Thanks for the input I think I am going to give it a try as I also troll for walleyes and I think it might help. I will take all the help I can get.

Sent from my iPad using Lake Ontario United

[sammygee]

Fleas will absolutely devour the braid. IMO  I'd stick with wire

[Gill-T]

I have no problem with fleas and Braid.

[Yankee Troller]

Part of " Fishaholics 59 's " ? was the "hum " ; does it make a difference ? or smoke and mirrors again !

 

Once saw lightning sparks coming up my cable ; the storm had to be at least 5 to 10 miles away . May not have happened on a " glass" boat !

 

The only hummmm i hear is from my coated cable on my center rigger. 

[FLXTrolling]

My 14' Boat is run on battery, so to reduce drag, and extend battery life, I swapped out my cable for 100# braid - on that boat I run 4# balls, so its a real light set-up...

 

I use 8# balls on my 20' boat, and the 100# braid holds it's own- haven't had a break-off all season....  I will say this though, fleas can be bad, but for most outtings they are OK....  Labor Day on Canandaigua was pretty bad...

 

I use Scotty 1050 Manuals, and I swap them back and fourth between the 2 boats...

[Thun]

One of my riggers needs cable but I can only find 200' and 400' replacement spools. I read somewhere that if you put more or less than the 150' that came with the rigger, that it would effect the rigger cable counter. Will braid effect the counter?

[FLXTrolling]

One of my riggers needs cable but I can only find 200' and 400' replacement spools. I read somewhere that if you put more or less than the 150' that came with the rigger, that it would effect the rigger cable counter. Will braid effect the counter?

I assumed that would happen when I made the switch, however, the downrigger line seems to be perfectly in sync with my line counter reels.

In other words, When I clip my actual line at the ball and send it down say 40 feet, the line counter on my reel will count off exactly 40 feet as well

[Thun]

Thank you FLXTrolling, I may just give it a shot.

[Gill-T]

One of my riggers needs cable but I can only find 200' and 400' replacement spools. I read somewhere that if you put more or less than the 150' that came with the rigger, that it would effect the rigger cable counter. Will braid effect the counter?

 

Yes, you may have to recalibrate your line counter to the depth you are reading on your fishfinder if you are fishing along the bottom.  I think mine was off 10' at 80' out, meaning my ball tapped bottom at 70' of braid out.  Different downriggers will have different spool diameters so it will vary as will using different diameter braid cable vs steel cable.

[Thun]

Thank you Gill-T, I'll keep that in mind.