Changing from cable to braid on my riggers. Thoughts & Suggestions?

[DJ 17]

The cables on my riggers are old and I am thinking of replacing them this off season.  I am looking for suggestions in terms of what braided lines you have had good luck or bad luck with. I fish the finger lakes a lot so fleas are definitely a concern too.  Or just stay with wire?

[TyeeTanic]

Haven't used braid.  Don't know if fleas will stick to that large of a diameter, but they might, and if they do, you might end up with a pretty big ball at the head of the pully. Not sure if the rigger would cut through them.

 

Why are you looking at braid instead of cable?

 

My other concern with braid would be if you bottom out your rigger, it can likely be sliced by mussels at the bottom of the lake.

[DJ 17]

There are some schools of thought that say braid outfishes cable over 50% of the time, due to the reduction in vibration and noise in the water.

[Skidplate]

I got a used rigger for my small boat and it had braid on it and fleas would stick on it REALLY bad

[Sk8man]

A few things to consider:

 

1.    I'd be leery of anecdotal reports of increased catches because it can be a function of many unrelated factors even if true so it probably shouldn't be a main factor for switching.

 

2.    When the fleas are really bad or heavily clustered in spots both wire and braid will; collect them and when it happens on either you will probably be thinking 'I wish I had gone with the other"

.

3.    With the frequency of lost probes that have been reported with cable I wouldn't be thinking that braid would be better.

 

4.     My hunch is that braid might cut through the water a little better with the same type and size of weight for similar pound test because it has a smaller diameter (yielding less "blow back".

 

5.     Braid is quieter in the water given that all other things are the same in the comparison but the opinion about whether the noise from wire either repels or attracts fish or certain fish for that matter is still open to question. This issue is a bit like the depth finder/transducer signal noise in the water as some view it to repel fish while others(myself included) believe that it isn't always the case because in ice fishing where the signal is constantly used in shallow water the fish do not appear bothered by it and it may depend on something like frequency). As in other aspects of fishing sometimes it is best to try your own experiment and make your own experience based conclusions.

Edited December 14, 2016 by Sk8man

[on the lam]

Everything about braid is better, except fleas.

[RD9]

How does your a depth raider probe work with braid?

[Gill-T]

I would direct you to previous discussions on this thread topic as you may find the info you seek. Some thoughts...

Yes fleas will stick to it but braid is soft on hands so during flea outbreaks you run the braid thru your fingers while raising the weight and as it wads up you pause the rigger and give it a twang to flick them off the cable. Not too much of a hassle IMO. You need to use a fishhawk probe system if you are going entirely to braid otherwise you will hybridize your rigger spread with coated cable on speed and temp and braid on everything else. There is zero point to only putting braid on one rigger and normal steel cable on everything else as the main reason for going to braid is stealth noise reduction. Coated cable does not seem to hum like straight steel cable. Worry about lost probes with braid cable is unfounded. IMO probes are lost mainly because people weaken their systems with crimps and due to the lack of stretch in steel cable will precipitate momentum accidents. You have more give with braid cable and the knots tied in termination.

[DJ 17]

I have a fish hawk so there will be no issue there. The stealth factor is what interests me the most. Like most everyone, I'd much rather catch fish off the riggers than longlines if given the choice. Especially on the finger lakes.

 

For anyone that has run braid which brand did you have good luck with? Which brand was not as good?

[Gill-T]

AFW green. Shaped like flea flicker line so it doesn't collect as many spiny critters

[jimski2]

Adding the braid to the wire already on the rigger changed the depth counter reading. I have to add five foot to the reading to avoid dragging the ball on the bottom.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[Gill-T]

Mine is off 10' with 100' out

[Last One]

Tried Braid, thought it would be perfect for the stealth factor.

One day, Flees where so bad I could not retrieve the balls. DO NOT TRY BRAID IF YOU FISH WATER WITH FLEES. AKA Lake Ontario

[MeanMachine]

I made the switch last year and have been happy so far. I haven't noticed a big difference with the fleas and fished some days they were loading up the wire divers. My rigger bite did improve....tough to say if it was what I was running, presentation or the braid?? I'm sticking with the braid especially since I've been running more meat rigs deep and the blow back is minimal.

[DJ 17]

I made the switch last year and have been happy so far. I haven't noticed a big difference with the fleas and fished some days they were loading up the wire divers. My rigger bite did improve....tough to say if it was what I was running, presentation or the braid?? I'm sticking with the braid especially since I've been running more meat rigs deep and the blow back is minimal.

What brand of braid are you running?

[MeanMachine]

Power pro - 150lb 450ft

[Gill-T]

Dennis, the fleas on Lake O are never bad where I fish in Niagara County waters because the water coming down the Niagara from Erie is relatively flea-poor, however, I have fished Oswego area during the height of flea-season and I can understand fleas may be a concern.  There are plenty of charter captains using braid out of Oswego.  

[DJ 17]

Thanks Gill,

My main issue as far as the fleas are concerned is actually on the Finger Lakes, especially Cayuga. At times, they can be much worse than anything I have ever seen on Lake O out of Fairhaven.

[Spoon Fed]

I'm assuming braid will disable the "short stop" feature as found on Cannon downriggers.

 

[Yankee Troller]

Tried Braid, thought it would be perfect for the stealth factor.

One day, Flees where so bad I could not retrieve the balls. DO NOT TRY BRAID IF YOU FISH WATER WITH FLEES. AKA Lake Ontario

 

Depends on where you fish. East end is worse for fleas. A few tricks we use are: 1) pull your retro-ease so it puts tension on the braid. That will cut off a bunch of fleas. 2) exactly what Gill-T said with your finger. 

 

I made the switch last year and have been happy so far. I haven't noticed a big difference with the fleas and fished some days they were loading up the wire divers. My rigger bite did improve....tough to say if it was what I was running, presentation or the braid?? I'm sticking with the braid especially since I've been running more meat rigs deep and the blow back is minimal.

 

 

Kyle - we get fleas bad for a week maybe two on the West end. East end loads up bad as does the Finger Lakes. However, I'm glad you're running the braid. You mentioned some great reasons why it's effective.

 

I'm assuming braid will disable the "short stop" feature as found on Cannon downriggers.

 

Yes, unless you have DT 5 or 10's 

[DocWet]

Installed 200# Hi-Seas braid and much less cable singing...Also added 3' of 400#  mono at the bitter end to cushion weight. See pix.

[doublett]

don't do it

[Yankee Troller]

On 12/24/2016 at 1:47 PM, DocWet said:

Installed 200# Hi-Seas braid and much less cable singing...Also added 3' of 400#  mono at the bitter end to cushion weight. See pix.

 

Your only gain is less cable humm with 200lb braid. I'm pretty sure you gained nothing for blow back. 200 or 250lb braid is the same diameter as 150 cable, which most riggers come with.

[phil2]

How do you tie on the swivel? Palimar knot? 

[Gill-T]

I have been going twice thru eye then improved cinch. I make an overhand knot in tag end and singe the end