Best Downrigger Line
Downrigger Line for Trolling
Product Spotlight:
Downrigger Cable and
Downrigger Braided Line
Which would you rather use for your
downrigger, steel cable or braided
line? Steel Cable has been around for decades, and ever since braided line was
introduced to replace the steel cable, it has been up for debate as to which one is
better.
Steel Downrigger Cable
Steel downrigger cable is available in strengths of 150lb and 180lb. and comes in
packages of 200 ft to 400 ft rolls for recreational anglers.
Pros
If properly maintained it will typically last longer than braid
Cost is lower than some of the higher end braided lines
Has more abrasion resistance than braided lines
Can provide a fish attracting electric charge if you have a black box or if your
downrigger has this feature built in
Cons
Needs to be maintained, treated, and rinsed after each use so that the steel won’t
fray, get brittle, and rust
Makes a whining noise as you troll
The downrigger can send electrical charge down the wire, which can scare fish
away
When the wire gets brittle and frays it can cut you if you let it get too bad before
changing out the wire
Harder to spool, and is prone to kinks, unlike braid
Braided Downrigger Line
Braided downrigger line comes in popular strengths of 150 lb to 250lb test and in
rolls of 200 ft to 400 ft.
Pros
Braided line is quiet when you troll
Stronger breaking strength than steel wire with the latest advancements in
braided line strength available
It is a smaller diameter than wire, which provides less line bowing than steel wire
Give a more true actual depth of your downrigger weight compared to the
counter on the downrigger
A downrigger can be loaded with much more line with much less weight and bulk
than heavy steel wire
No electrical current transfers down the line
Cons
Prone to line nicks, it’s important to cut the bad parts of the braid off for each use
so you don’t lost the downrigger weight from a break in the line
Knots in the line become a weak point in the line
It’s really a matter of preference. If you are used to the steel wire, and feel the
electrical currents and whining of the wire are attracting the fish, then I would
recommend not switching. Or try switching to braid on one of your downriggers
and run a side by side comparison for a season as you keep a log of which one
catches more fish, along with some of your own pros and cons, for a true
comparison. If you do switch a downrigger that was using steel cable to braided
line, make sure you check for any nicks in the downrigger spool and the end of
the boom on the pulleys to make sure there are no areas that can cause fraying
of the braided line, or even cutting off your braided line when it’s under a
weighted load.
Scotty Premium Power Braid Downrigger Line
300FT OF 200LB TEST
Scotty Premium Stainless Steel Downrigger Cable
200 ft to 400 ft
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