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Well after a nasty hang up a while back, I had to cut away 85' of cable, loosing the ball and all.
Looked around a lot to decide what to use as a new setup, decided to try the new "pro line" down rigger braid, 300' spool of 150lb test, 30lb Diam. & a big Scotty snubber to connect to a new green 12lb ball.
Reason I went this route was I hated the drawback & hum I got with the 10lb & cable setup, they say braid will have 1/2 the drawback & zero Hum.
Just looking to see if anyone else is running braid & your thoughts?
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I have been running that braid line on my downriggers and love it. Zero noise, but the biggest ball I run on mine is 8 pound, still trying to trust all that weight on that little line. Plus it tracks through the roller on the end of the rigger better, the steel cable would always come unwrapped.
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I have 150 lb braid on my elect down rigger. I have had two issues with mine. One is
that you have to be really careful when you see the line fray, earlier this year, I noticed the line was frayed near the end, I started to reach out and grab the ball and the line broke, so I lost by ball and terminal connection. The second problem, I'm not sure what is wrong but when I hit the up switch, there are times when the spool is turning but the line isn't coming up. Not sure if the line is tightening on the spool but I decided the next time I use it, I'm going to use an 8 lb ball instead of the 10 lber I have been using. I love the fact that I don't get the line hum any more.
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I also have the braid and love it. I do re-tie my terminal connection every year, and I check it often. I have been running 6 lb cannon balls and love them too. Easier on the arms and I think my hook ups have been better this year. The fish tend to stay in the bounce phase of the hookup longer so it doesn't release right away. I have time to grab the rod, release the line from the clip, and get the slack out by reeling fast, not letting the rod or the boat do those things.
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I'm intrigued! So when you say braided line, are you talking some kind of downrigger specific braid? Or just 150lbs spiderwire type fishing braid?
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[quote wiperhunter2] (big snip - responding to this part) ... I'm not sure what is wrong but when I hit the up switch, there are times when the spool is turning but the line isn't coming up...[/quote]
I had braid slip on my spinning reel. The reel spool held, but all of the windings of braid would turn. Braid needs a braid ready spool or to be spliced onto a thin layer of monofilament that grips onto the spool. Perhaps something similar is happening on your downrigger, but I never spooled one. Check the instructions for braid.
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I always put a small piece of electrical tape on the first wrap when installing braid. Stops the slippage problem.
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Yes, I have heard mono backing as well but I've never heard of a braid ready spool. Do they make one for downriggers or are you just talking about spinning reels?
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I have no experience with starting the braid on a downrigger spool, but I figure the same slippage concepts of spinning reels is causing your braid to slip on your spool. I recommend taking it all off and finding the manufacturer's instructions online and following that.
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I just tape down a spot on the first wrap with about 1/2" of electrical tape, scotch tape or whatever is handy, even that little sticky paper tab that keeps the line in place on a new spool of braid. If that first wrap is held even slightly, the overlying wraps tend to tighten onto the spool and grip like he--.
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I don't think running braided line make much of a difference. there are also many negative effects the main one being that if you run a rigger with Ion control I won't work also the auto stop feature on cannons won't work with it.most experts agree that fish are not bothered by the wire hum. as far as attaching line to the down rigger most have a hole for passing line through the spool to tie or crimp an anchor through the spool. good luck
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