Downrigger Cable Humming/Improvements

[LCRMAN89]

Has anyone had bad experiences or reviews with switching out their steel cable with braided or some other line to get rid of the humming? What brand did you switch too and how long has it lasted you? What are the down sides to changing out your steel cable? i already know this doesn't affect the bite because i have caught tons of fish with steel cables, i just want the trip to be a little more enjoyable not listening to those vibrations.

[Hunter757]

So I run Cannon's and love the auto stop feature. If I were to go braid I loose the auto stop, something to think about if your running Cannon's if your running Scotty's then I see no reason not to switch. Another is if you run a black box then it also will not work without wire, I really have not heard anything bad about braid but YMMV. Good luck with the choice, I like the hmm it lets me know I am the correct speed but that is a personal choice.


WELCOME to NWFR by the way!!

[G-Man]

This is a common question and there have been several good replies in the past regarding cable hum and the use of braid on downriggers. Here are a few links:

http://www.northwestfishingreports.com/ ... id#p182785
http://www.northwestfishingreports.com/ ... id#p205926

If you want to stick with wire/cable, you'll have to put up with the hum.

[hlindsay]

I went to braid on one of my Scotty downriggers a few years ago. I don't recall what brand. I like that it is easy to tie up. No wire crimps. I have had to take off a few feet of wire from a downrigger and re-rig it and braid is much easier. I did have a problem with the line counter being off when I first started using it. I wasn't sure why but now that it has been used a few years It runs true to the counter now, (as seen on the depth sounder). I think it just needed to tighten up on the spool. Using a stacking release you may need to do something to keep it in place. Mine slid up the line. I put a little rubber tubing on the clip where it met the line and that fixed it. I don't think there is as much blowback on the braid. When my other rigger needs new wire it will be replaced with braid.

[stryker17]

If you run the red line stops, you will have no problem with the auto stop working, changed to braid 3 years ago, was using the the old yellow stops, and they slipped all the time,swapped over to the red.problem gone, would not go back to wire..............

[Larry3215]

Braid vrs cable is kind of like Ford vrs Chevy - everyone has an opinion - and none of them are wrong

I'm a cable guy like Hunter757. I run Cannon's and I love the auto stop and the built in Black Box, so I stick with cable. According to some people, the hum is a plus feature and it actually attracts fish! Not sure I buy that, but we are talking fishing here so....

[hewesfisher]

I replaced my cable with braid in July, like it so much I'd never go back to cable. I use Chamberlain releases (love 'em) and connect direct to the ball. Chamberlain also has stacking releases for braid, but you have to ask for them as they're not listed on the website. I added the Scotty Sure Stop #374 fir positive stops every time without buttons or beads on the line.

[Larry3215]

Phil - do you use your Chamberlain releases in salt? I loved my Chamberlain release for the short time it lasted - one summer in the salt. It corroded internally so badly it exploded the plastic housing. The instructions dont say it needs to be rinsed in fresh water, but the owner implied that that was what was needed for safe salt water use after I complained about my unit committing suicide.

As near as I could tell, the nickle plating on the magnet failed or was defective allowing the magnet to corrode. No warranty was offered.

I was really disappointed. Until it died, I thought it was the best release I had ever used. I have at least one of every kind ever made I think!

[hewesfisher]

No, and that's a very good question. I fish fresh water only, so my release recommendation is probably not a good one for salt water use. I've tried many releases, and IMO, in fresh water, the Chamberlain is very hard to beat.

[LCRMAN89]

If you run the red line stops, you will have no problem with the auto stop working, changed to braid 3 years ago, was using the the old yellow stops, and they slipped all the time,swapped over to the red.problem gone, would not go back to wire..............

Did you notice a reduction in fish take downs?