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 Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Mendenhall Outdoors team. We highlight products and services that you might find interesting. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. If you click a link on this page, then go on to make a purchase, we might receive a commission – at no extra cost to you, and does not impact the purchase price of any products that you may purchase.