Downrigger cable to 250lb braid?

[Jeremy Goodison]

I've had allot of issues with cable on my cannons pigtailing near the release, getting slack in the cable, doesn't stack clean, etc. These were brand new factory spooled and One 1 I spooled. All then have same issue Finally yesterday list a probe, release, and torpedo when the cable snapped. Thinking of replacing the cable with 250lb power pro. Anyone run braid? Pros cons? Knots for fastening? Thanx for the help

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[Sk8man]

Jeremy  it sounds as tough you have a twisting problem with the cable for some reason. I've had the same standard 150 ss cable on one of my downriggers for over 30 years without a problem and the others for many years  too. I don't think it is the SS cable itself unless you happened to get a defective one or something.  I wonder if your terminal swivel is messed up or if your weight is spinning for some reason? I can understand your frustration however especially in light of a probe loss. One of the things I have wondered about though is whether these probes somehow twist the wire back and forth over time and weaken it as I have friends who have lost their probes as well and never had problems with the wire before putting the probe on there...

Edited July 25, 2016 by Sk8man

[bottom-feeder]

adding a ball snubber will releive alot of the bounce with the newer faster cannons

 

word is the power pro cable is less noisy in the water

 

last couple years MANY guys have reported trouble with the cable snapping

[mr 580]

After losing a weight a few years ago, I started using Amish Outfitter ball snubbers on my high speed Cannons. Haven't had an issue since. I do check my probe rigger terminal frequently and change it when I see any issue on cable.

[Jeremy Goodison]

I use the Amish snubbers. My mag 10stx were brutal on jerking. This happened on my new Digi Troll 10TS on medium speed. I'll take the blame for "missing" a week spot, but so my riggers have slack in the cable which makes me crazy. I was thinking of just changing the probe rigger to 250lb power pro to see if I like it hate it. I use 16 lb torpedoes. Luckily I had a spare probe in the boat but it sure sucked last night ordering another spare.

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[Jeremy Goodison]

"all my riggers have slack"

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[mudflat]

When I had 200LB Power Pro on my riggers it got pretty ugly when the fleas were bad, other than that I liked it.

I did miss the cable hummmmmmm

Used a Palomar knot on the swivel and it worked fine.

[Sheepdog264]

I donated 2 torpedo weights and an x4d probe this month both riggers are mag 10 stx, less then a year old, have had the same issue with stacking and pig tailing, I also noticed freys 3 different times just above the terminator which I had to cut and re terminate the second time I went back out after doing so I lost another torpedo weight. So now in replaced the cable with scotty heavy duty cable 180lb test and it works nice but I think the jerking of the mag 10 stx puts alot of stress on the cable over a season. Needless to say I'm looking to get new riggers

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[TileMan Dan]

I had same issues with my mag 10 stx I think they put a low quality cable on them. Replaced with Scotty cable and I haven't had a problem since.

[Sk8man]

You know it strikes me that the higher speed on the newer riggers and along with it the jerking on the weights etc. may be at fault rather than the cable itself and I'm wondering if when probes and especially heavier weights are added to the mix that twisting occurs as well weakening the cable at termination points. Just a thought but I have never had any problems whatsoever with the slower old mag 10A's which have seen heavy use over a very long time span.  Could be that the terminal connections on these newer riggers need to be closely inspected and changed more frequently as a result.

Edited July 29, 2016 by Sk8man

[Jeremy Goodison]

I agree with the speed issue. I just replaced my mag 10 stx with digitroll 10TS. I run them at half speed on the decent. SO much nicer than the mag STX

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[TileMan Dan]

Les, I hear you about the wire at the terminal connections becoming weak and subject to fraying. That is a given with any rigger you use.  Ive had breakoffs when trolling and lose about half my cable along with the ball.  Once I change wire I haven't had a problem since. Terminal ends always need periodic maintenance. If one sees a fray and opts to delay repair then shame on them.

[on the lam]

I have used PP in the past, and as stated it's great until the fleas get bad. It's especially good for shallow water trout fishing as it's extremely quiet. I would deal with the fleas. Then I would put PP over the top of the cable until the fleas showed up, then took it off. Now with high speed Scott's I just stay with the standard cable. Lazy more than anything.

As for cable termination, Scotty's are as fast as any high speed rigger, and I use 17# sharks. I've had no issues with breakoffs. No snubbers. In fact on one non probe rigger the termination is a overhand loop knot in the cable, with the loop hitched on a heavy snap swivel. Cheap and effective.

Edited July 29, 2016 by on the lam

[Jeremy Goodison]

Thanx on the lam. When my cable broke the other day (dumping the probe) it was my fault in hindsight. The cable pigtailed above the termination. I unwind it and because I didn't see a kink I kept going. My fault. It just led me down the path of looking into braid. Although it was my first cable break I have had allot of issues with cable just not laying well in the drum. Maybe that's more normal than I think. At this point I'm going to switch over to 250lb Power pro on one rigger and see if I like it. Thanx for the replies

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[skipper19]

Here is something I just noticed last Wednesday. Also noticed you are using torpedoes as I am. I was in clear water for 30 feet down I could see the torpedo going down. I never really watched it go down in detail like this before, but what it did was alarming! Normally it runs straight and true at fixed depth and speed, 12 lb one. When I let it down high speed, like free fall on a scotty, the torpedo turned and spun around. Stopped it would track straight, but falling quick it turned. I use ball swivels for terminal attachment to the weight, but if one of those gets sticky I would get it off there. Not sure this an issue with your weight decent speed, but I have just seen this happen over and over last Wednesday on high speed drops with mine.

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[Sheepdog264]

On mine one cable broke an out 70 feet ou the line the other broke about 3 inches above the terminal end... very frusturing

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[joe g]

crimps for terminations can cause fraying at the connection. i use the wire knot that alot of us use for our dipsy terminations and have never had a problem plus never have to buy a connector again. tie right to the blacks release and small heat shrink over the tag end

[Jeremy Goodison]

I use the cannon termination set up which has never failed me. But pricey when you change often. I'm going to start tying like stated above in one of the suggestions

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[BAZOOKAJOE]

I've had the same cannon cable on my manual uni-trolls for 7 years. Same cannon terminators. And I free fall the weights faster than I should. Using 13 lbs torpedo's. Something else is wrong or your cable is bad. My cable does jump around from not laying flat all the time. Never had an issue with breakage. And I'm hard on them. They say you shouldn't run braid unless you have the stainless spools that come on the salt water editions.

[Jeremy Goodison]

I got the stainless spools, my our the TS model. I'm going to order a spare spool and put the braid on it. If i don't like it I'll have a back up.

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[Gill-T]

I used to use cannon termination parts in the past but agree they are pricey. I have been using the "wire line knot" as my termination for three years on my coated cable without issue. My other riggers have AFW braid which you can terminate with normal braid knots. I like the braid but mostly troll in the Niagara flow where fleas aren't a problem. If fleas are around I just run the braid thru my fingers when bringing up the weight and give it a flick periodically. The AFW is elliptical in shape like flea flicker line so they don't accumulate like on round power pro

[Jeremy Goodison]

Thanx Gill

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