downrigger line

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Tracker
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downrigger line

Post by Tracker »

I am thinking about trying braided 200lb downrigger line instead of steel cable good or bad? Anybody tryed it and liked it or is it a waste of time and money? please give your opinion. Thanks in advance.
Kevin :?:
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Sea Hare
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Re: downrigger line

Post by Sea Hare »

I tried the Cabelas braided kevlar downrigger cable. I switched primarily to avoid the kinks in the steel and to eliminate the " singing " that you get with steel cable. It is smaller in diameter than steel and the issue I had was that my Rhoemer releases would not lock down on the smaller diameter cable and I had to pinch on a split shot above the release to prevent it from crawling up the cable when I loaded the downrigger rod. I had Big Ben order two sets of new steel cable for my Big Jons and I'm back in business. I have the singing back on the cables, but I can deal with it. Hope this helps ..

BB ( Jon )
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Sugarpie
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Re: downrigger line

Post by Sugarpie »

We tried it last year. First outing lost ball, release, etc and we never hit bottom or went through areas we were familiar with. I don't know if the cable hit a log submerged or what, but there was a "release". When we started pulling the rigger up everything was gone :o we switched back to wire that night.
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Reelax
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Re: downrigger line

Post by Reelax »

Stuff is strong, but will cut with a knife edge pretty quickly... I'll stick with Cable.
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Reel Delight (Walt)
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Re: downrigger line

Post by Reel Delight (Walt) »

Many people swear by thr braid; but I never have built up the confidence in it and I have stuck with stainless steel cable. After reading Sugarpie's reply and some others, I think I will not be switching anytime soon.

I also use a rubber snubber between my cable and ball and it helps me to avoid getting hung up when bouncing the bottom. I also believe the snubber reduces singing of my cables, especially when I am 90 to 125 ft. down. I personally like the snubbers sold by Big Jon over the Scotty snubbers too.
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WildFisherWoman
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Re: downrigger line

Post by WildFisherWoman »

I had braid on one of my riggers once and it SUCKED! The releases didnt catch on it and the quality didnt really keep up prompting a need to replace quickly. Cable all the way.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived"
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Tracker
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Re: downrigger line

Post by Tracker »

Thanks everyone I will stick with cable :)
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