Downrigger cable

looking for suggestions on everyone’s preference for downrigger cable. What brand? Is there some better than others? Please post pics on how you have the end of your rigger setup. Thanks
 
400’ of Scotty 250 lbs braid on my riggers. Less maintenance and I’m likely not going back to SS cable again.
 
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Old school here. I use Scotty premium 180 lb. cable. Not likely to switch anytime soon.

Same for me. Love the Scotty stainless stuff. Never lets me down.
It’s a Chevy, ford thing though. Both work well, I just haven’t found the need to switch to braid but both work fine.
 
I was a cable guy up island but as the fish got deeper and deeper the drag from cable at 300ft was too much, and even running 15 lb cannonballs it was hard to get deep enough so everyone I knew, which was quite a few, all switched to braid. The other fishermen’s tale was that cable threw an electric charge into the water and could spook fish. I did run a black box with some success early on, but after going to braid I never used the black box any longer and fishing was great so I figured if it’s working don’t fix it !!! Anyone on here using one or the other and doing well, would be a little foolish to switch. My main reason again was the extreme depths we had to fish for several seasons up island and I did notice the braid getting deeper with less drag making it easier to get down
 
Went to PowerPro 250#, 100 yards of downrigger braid.
Changed over a few years ago and should have done it sooner. Don’t have to worry about crimp in steel and breaking, no line vibration/hum and less blowback. In my opinion braid is much better to handle.
 
Scotty Premium here too. Strong, durable and abrasion resistent. Scotty had a few years ago a few batches of crappy cable that started rusting after only 1-2 seasons. They must have found a better manufacturer again as I am on my 4th season with the current set.
 
Went to PowerPro 250#, 100 yards of downrigger braid.
Changed over a few years ago and should have done it sooner. Don’t have to worry about crimp in steel and breaking, no line vibration/hum and less blowback. In my opinion braid is much better to handle.
As a x commercial fisherman the vibration and hum bring fish in do you have any science saying it repels fish? Fish can sense vibration way farther than they can see
 
As a x commercial fisherman the vibration and hum bring fish in do you have any science saying it repels fish? Fish can sense vibration way farther than they can see
The big problem with cable is now scotty brings it from China pnt has amazing cable they bring in from Japan the biggest problem with cable is the scotty and others have gone to china
 
The big problem with cable is now scotty brings it from China pnt has amazing cable they bring in from Japan the biggest problem with cable is the scotty and others have gone to china
Another option is Mason cable out of USA again the biggest problem with cable is China
 
I been running ss cable for 25 plus years,on downriggers that are 16 year old , both have never let me down, a few repairs here and there but thats about it, the boat i bought 3 years ago came with a set of 1 year old scottys spooled up woth braid and tuna cord set up,been prepping my gear for the season and decided to make the switch to the ones set up with braid see how that goes, just the fact that i dont have to deal with crimps anymore was my biggest factor, time will tell if i go back to ss or stay with the braid
 
You have different grades, usually 302 and 316 . Get the 7-strand, 316-grade stainless steel it lasts a lot longer!
 
I have been experimenting last season and still have cable on one downrigger, braid on the other. Both fished very well, neither out fished the other. However, there was a huge phytoplankton bloom around Texada recently. That stuff stuck to the cable like crap to a blanket. However, it didn't stick to the braid at all. Because we get these blooms several times during my season, I'm going with braid on both downriggers.
 
Do a search on these forums and youll find a bunch of threads on the subject.

I use 200lb scotty braid and 2mm paracord as a snubber. No terminal tackle and very little drag through the water. I lose about 50x less lead than when I used steel cable on my riggers, but Im also a better fisherman with better electronics than I was back then.

Braid gets my vote.
 
As a x commercial fisherman the vibration and hum bring fish in do you have any science saying it repels fish? Fish can sense vibration way farther than they can see

Lol... I am well aware that vibration in the water travels for a long way, I never said it didn’t or that it repels fish or for that matter brings them in. I’m the one that has to listen to it and I don’t like to listen to it. Whether vibration is actually an attractant or not I’m not to concerned about, I catch my share of salmon small, large and in between.
 
Maybe somebody should spool up a Scotty with 300' of guitar string and see if it makes a difference.
 
Lol... I am well aware that vibration in the water travels for a long way, I never said it didn’t or that it repels fish or for that matter brings them in. I’m the one that has to listen to it and I don’t like to listen to it. Whether vibration is actually an attractant or not I’m not to concerned about, I catch my share of salmon small, large and in between.

Hahaha I like that whining noise that cable makes at times.
 
I have been experimenting last season and still have cable on one downrigger, braid on the other. Both fished very well, neither out fished the other. However, there was a huge phytoplankton bloom around Texada recently. That stuff stuck to the cable like crap to a blanket. However, it didn't stick to the braid at all. Because we get these blooms several times during my season, I'm going with braid on both downriggers.
I also have braid on one and cable on the other. No meaningful difference between them in terms of fishing performance that I can notice.

I haven’t changed either in about three years. Is it time or should I just wait until I lose a cannon ball? A 15 pound ball is a lot less ($25) than replacing either braid or cable every year, I think. This is why I keep going with what I have.

I do like the fact that braid requires no crimping so I may go with braid exclusively at some point.
 
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