Northwest Fishing Reports

I see downrigger topics in this forum so thought this might be the place to post my question for everybody. My cable is frayed about 5 feet up the line, so I'm figuring I will just cut the cable and attach it back to the clip. It is currently has some sort of crimp/solder combo. Does anyone have any good suggestions how to attach the cable back to the clip? Looking for something easy-ish, and not wanting to just tie a knot like I've seen others do.

The steel cable is attached with swages. You can buy them anywhere they have downrigger supplies. They're quite cheap, you could get them from a hardware store too if you know what to look or ask for. The trick is the swaging or crimping pliers. Most are not real cheap, If I remember correctly I paid about $30 for mine. You could always trade out the cable for spectra line, like 200# braid fish line, then it only takes knots.

I replaced my cable with braid about 4 years ago and have not looked back! Love it! but yes, you can clip off above the fray and the reattached you clips.

longer then wire I can tell you that! I have had it since about 2010 and like I said, have not had a single problem with it. If you bought your down rigger at Sportco, Tom Pollack does a service where he will replace your wire with braid you buy there for @ $30 per down rigger plus do a free tune up on it as well!

I purchased downriggers when I first moved to Seattle in 1980. Always used cable but tried braid for the last two years on one downrigger. The braid was put on by Johns in Everett. I hated the stuff, too much blowback, I put cable back on last month. I know, I know, I needed to use brand x instead of brand y. But I'd rather stick with what has worked for me for 34 years.

salmonbarry wrote:longer then wire I can tell you that! I have had it since about 2010 and like I said, have not had a single problem with it. If you bought your down rigger at Sportco, Tom Pollack does a service where he will replace your wire with braid you buy there for @ $30 per down rigger plus do a free tune up on it as well!

I have been to Tom and I chose to have one braid replaced with cable. Cost of cable plus $15. I am having him look into the excessive corrosion inside one and said you might as well do the other one to.

don't need to buy crimps, you can make them very easy, I make up about a dozen at a time by using small copper tubing that is used for oil pressure gages, that you can get a napa, very easy...........

Not to hi-jack your thread, but I replaced my braid last year only because I wanted closer to 300'.
I still have two lines of downrigger braid that are both perfectly fine.
I think one is 175'. And the other about 185'
If you the original poster would like them for cheap, let me know.
I can't say how easy this stuff is to work with, it's great.

So to all you braid guys... how do you feel about losing the electromagnetic field created by the cable? From what I understand the right charge attracts fish... but that humming can get on a guys nerves when the fish aren't cooperating! And to those replies about the crimps... no solder necessary? Count me in. Thanks guys, no worries about hijacking I enjoy the conversation.

Yes, thats the main reason I went to braid, is to get rid of the hum, I just replace my cable with 300 ft of 200 lb braid, the only problem I have encountered is that the red stops for the scotty will still slip a little, so you have to watch them...........other than that would not go back to cable..........

Yep the EM field is one of the main reasons to go to braid. Unless you're using a black box you just don't know if you're putting out the right signal. Other pluses are line diameter, much smaller thus less blowback. I see that was a problem for one person but honestly that's the first time I've ever heard of anyone having more blow back. Again, line diameter, you can put a lot more on the spool. Gauging the depth is different but I can see the balls on the FF so I know right where they are. Lastly, no special tools required, just tie a knot. I'm not sure why you would take the down rigger to anyone to re-spool them. Put them on the boat and start walking. Tie on the new and get someone to hold the spool for a bit of tension and you're done in 10 minutes. You might have to do a little math if you buy a big spool. I got a big spool off EBay for $20. Easy.

They actually make stoppers now for braid. Just picked some up

[quote="Fishman_Kuzan"]So to all you braid guys... how do you feel about losing the electromagnetic field created by the cable? From what I understand the right charge attracts fish... but that humming can get on a guys nerves when the fish aren't cooperating! quote]

I think that you might have your "Controversies" (sp?) confused..
I believe there has always been a lot of controversy regarding some people say that cable transfers an electromagnetic field down the wire and to you gear, and (repels) fish..
They actually make a "Black box" which is designed to remove the EMF. So what I'm saying is, regardless of whether you believe in EMF repelling your fish away, it is a mute point with braid.
I've caught fish as many people have, with no black box, and on wire. Of all the people you know fishing with wire cable, I bet you don't know 2 people who actually have the black box.

I think of it kind of like, Sasquatch. Some believe, and some don't.... but you are going to go to the woods anyways.

If you decide that you want my 2 downrigger braided lines as I mentioned in previously, I'd give them both to you for $10.00 total plus shipping from Seattle. A quick Google search shows them at around $25.00 a piece. That's Scotty 200lb test, 175' and 190'.

The Quadfather wrote:

Fishman_Kuzan wrote:So to all you braid guys... how do you feel about losing the electromagnetic field created by the cable? From what I understand the right charge attracts fish... but that humming can get on a guys nerves when the fish aren't cooperating! quote]

I think that you might have your "Controversies" (sp?) confused..
I believe there has always been a lot of controversy regarding some people say that cable transfers an electromagnetic field down the wire and to you gear, and (repels) fish..
They actually make a "Black box" which is designed to remove the EMF. So what I'm saying is, regardless of whether you believe in EMF repelling your fish away, it is a mute point with braid.
I've caught fish as many people have, with no black box, and on wire. Of all the people you know fishing with wire cable, I bet you don't know 2 people who actually have the black box.

I think of it kind of like, Sasquatch. Some believe, and some don't.... but you are going to go to the woods anyways.

If you decide that you want my 2 downrigger braided lines as I mentioned in previously, I'd give them both to you for $10.00 total plus shipping from Seattle. A quick Google search shows them at around $25.00 a piece. That's Scotty 200lb test, 175' and 190'.

EM field is quite real. it's all that's used by most commercial troller's. They just troll bare hooks. As far as which way the current is going is what the black box is all about. You have control. Do I use one? No. Do I need one? Probably not. There again, the Squach thing..... Now my brother the EE says it's all BS, not enough current at the end of the wire to do anything 20' back from the wire. Is anyone using steel leaders and clips? Didn't think so. Commercial guys, yes.
Bottom line, Braid = no conducting electricity in either direction.
Clear as mud right?

Braid all the way! 900 feet of braid 200lb test at 27 plus free shipping that what it cost me, but the real savings are out in the field.

I do use the stoppers (red) made for braid, they will still slip..............

People, it's called galvanic corrosion and is caused by having different (dissimilar) metals and an electrolyte (conductive liquid like seawater and even lake water) all in contact with one another. It is how batteries operate, ie lead/acid, nickle/cadmium etc. Also, because of the galvanic corrosion taking place between your cable and the other metals in the water with it, your cable's integrity can be compromised. (frayed wire ring a bell?)

I found that it is easier all around to just remove the stainless steel cable from the equation. It helps keep the charge to a minimum, my fingers and hands like braid better and it is easier on the wallet. As was previously mentioned, a 300 yard spool of heavy braid can be had for under $30. That's enough line to spool 450' on two downriggers. I spooled mine with TuffLine XP back in 2006 and it is still going strong.

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I use the top scotty braided line, maybe will have to try the yellow.........