Braid and fleas??

[Tluc]

Anyone use braid on dipsey rods during the flea season? 

[HB2]

Yes  been doing it for years . 

 

Not as good as wire but its not bad . 

Outweighs the other problems with wire by far IMO . 

 

65 # power pro minimum . 

[whaler1]

I run 100lb

same diameter as 30lb mono

zero issues

[Tluc]

Thank you guys, going to try it. Growing a little tired of wire.

[FLXTrolling]

Have you ever FishHawk TD’d a Mag diver on 100# braid?  Just curious how deep it gets. Obviously it’s catching fish (I see your reports) and that’s all that matters

[whaler1]

I never have

[HB2]

I know I hit bottom in 80 ft with 65# braid , a mag diver , and my counter at 260 this weekend r

[MGK]

65lbs braid seemed to shed them pretty easy. Not as easy as 30lbs moon but certainly not bad

[thork9]

Fleas are real bad east end a lot on wire.

[Pair of Jacks]

So is the best practice to go with 30lbs mono to avoid fleas while trolling?  What about my cannon downriggers with 200lbs wire?

[Frogger]

You can use 30lb, I do. You can use 40 some guys even use the rope of 50lb big game. I put a 12-20 lb flouro leader depending on what lake I fish maybe 30 feet, then blood knot the 30lb for about a 100ft, then blood knot that to my main 14lb XT. Don’t worry about the downrigger let it chew it up as it’s coming up if they happen to be on it.  

[Pair of Jacks]

Frogger—Gotcha I just respooled all my reels with brand new 20lbs mono and 100’ leader of floor so I like the idea of splicing in a 100’ section of 30 or 40 lbs mono vice respooling again.  Many thanks and tight lines.!!

 

PoJ

Edited July 6, 2022 by Pair of Jacks

[HB2]

A long long time ago  the fleas first showed up and nobody knew what they were .  

Common practice was to use straight 15 # mono back then .  Well we all know that is a flea catching mess. There was much discussion on a previous to this board about how to combat them . 

As I recall some nice  guy , I don't remember who , spliced  a 150 ft section of 40# on his reels . He went on  that same board and revealed his findings. He got all kinds of crap . Was told he wasn't a sportsman , how it wouldn't work , etc. He even told a charter captain ,who arrogantly said he was crazy . 

 

Fast forward to today . He was the first to solve  everyones problem . 

 

Some guys are just forward thinking problem solving geniuses . 

 

Wish I could remember who it was .  

[paprman]

I'm just speculating about braid as I haven't used it in years bought I did just buy some new braid for my bass equipment and found a difference in the number of strains which I would think would make a difference with the fleas. Eight strain is smoother and might help with the fleas. A little more expensive but if it helps with fleas well worth it I think. 

[Pair of Jacks]

5 hours ago, HB2 said:

A long long time ago  the fleas first showed up and nobody knew what they were .  

Common practice was to use straight 15 # mono back then .  Well we all know that is a flea catching mess. There was much discussion on a previous to this board about how to combat them . 

As I recall some nice  guy , I don't remember who , spliced  a 150 ft section of 40# on his reels . He went on  that same board and revealed his findings. He got all kinds of crap . Was told he wasn't a sportsman , how it wouldn't work , etc. He even told a charter captain ,who arrogantly said he was crazy . 

 

Fast forward to today . He was the first to solve  everyones problem . 

 

Some guys are just forward thinking problem solving geniuses . 

 

Wish I could remember who it was .  

HB2–I never like to diss anyone who is trying to help the rest of us solve a real nasty issue. When I was growing up in the 1950-60s and learning how to fish the Finger Lakes and their tributaries for trout.  There were no zebra mussels or water fleas and to think someone might have figured out a life hack to mitigate the fleas catches BS is just wrong.  Keep on keeping on!!

 

PoJ

[Sk8man]

Line diameter is one aspect and the slickness of the coating on the line is another component. I have used Sea Flee 30 lb test for years and it works pretty well but like everything else it is not foolproof. I noticed that one one rigger rod that I left the line on for about 5 years that the slipperiness of the outer coating of the line was reduced and the fleas starting adhering a little more on it. Another thing to consider is the type of water flea. The spiny fleas will usually come off the line fairly easily and sometimes just a vigorous flick of the tip of a wire rod or rigger rod. The fishhook type water flea adheres to just about anything and is much like cottonwood but smells a lot worse. Flea concentrations vary greatly throughout the water column which explains why some folks report they aren't bad in an area of the lake while others say they are terrible. The length of time they stay around varies too as it seems to relate to water temperature and perhaps even wind direction and velocity dispersing them throughout the column as well as the lake areas. I think line diameter may not be as important with the fishhooks type as they can totally clog up downrigger wire at 150-200 lb test when they are thick and I think it is the fact that the wire is stranded maybe not as tightly as some braid which can have a smoother surface and maybe at larger diameters won't allow them to cling as easily. Just my take on it.....

[Pair of Jacks]

Sk8man…great insights and many thanks.

 

PoJ