Downrigger braid

[scott craven]

For those using braid on your riggers, how often do you change it ?
I've been running mine for over 3 years now.
I occasionally re-tie the knots, other than that it's still going strong.

 

[Seafever]

This year is third year for me.......

 

[burnsy22]

Year 3 for me too...I suppose I should re-tie the knots too.

 

[Fish Assassin]

I cut about 20 feet off a year then with any mishaps and if the lines length begins to concerns me I ad another spool. I have never replaced my braid. I do a double uni knot and ad another 400ft.

 

[Birdsnest]

I turn my lines around on the spools every 2 years. Pull one line into a large pail. Then pull the other spool onto the mt spool. The tricky part is getting the line in the bucket reversed onto the last mt spool. There is two ways of doing it. 1. Carefully flip the pile upside down on the floor and spool it up from the other end or. 2. Take the pail of line and run the line out down a road where there is no traffic and then spool it up from the other end onto the rigger or pull it into the bucket and then spool it onto the rigger. It's like having brand new lines. I do this with my salmon reels too. Saves me hundreds of dollars.

Of course you can only turn the lines around once but between re tying knots and cutting off the end 20 feet once and a while turning the lines around it makes the lines go the extra EXTRA mile.

 

[Dogbreath]

I turn my lines around on the spools every 2 years.

A good idea and much easier if you have a park nearby-just tie one end to a tree/post/picnic table run it out to the end, return to the tree, tie that end on, spool it up and you're good to go.

Be Careful if there's a dog around though dogs love to tangle themselves in things especially mono.

 

[Birdsnest]

I should add that pilling line into a large pail ( garbage pail) is a bit risky. I have not had a problem but some basic precautions MUST be followed.
1. Do not disturb the pile.
2. Do not allow vertical loops to form. Do this by patting the stack flat as you go Or just lay the line in flat.

Dogs right. His suggestion is safest. you I'll have to get power to your rigger some how to spool it back but really make sure no one is around.

 

[Dave S]

Flipping the line around sounds like a great idea.

 

[AlK]

3 Years on mine, I take about 15 feet off each year and retie.

 

[tykkyt e blue]

I've been flipping mine too every 2 years - A cordless drill and an empty line spool w a 3/8 bolt spin off the first downrigger. Then I attach the braid from the second rigger to the first (mt one ) and hold the clutch open w a bungee. Hit the momentary button on the empty rigger and the line reverses off the the second rigger across the cockpit.
Reversing the line on the spool to another line spool flips the first spool of braid and then load the second rigger off the spool.

 

[spring fever]

Good thinking TB! An extra rigger would sure come in handy to do that as well. Might be a good excuse for a spare.LOL

 

[staying alive]

Never used braid and my wire is needing to be replaced, so my question is do the standard Scotty clips still work? And what about the stoppers, is the line counter still accurate???

 

[GDW]

Never used braid and my wire is needing to be replaced, so my question is do the standard Scotty clips still work? And what about the stoppers, is the line counter still accurate???

Yes the clips work some people add a stopper bead above the clip if you find they slide on the braid. There are different red stopper beads for braid I haven't tried using the wire ones on my braid side. As far as I know the counter is fine.

Many many many ways to rig your riggers using braid for example instead of a stopper bead I tied a length of cord on the end of the braid and the knot is my stopper.

When stacking I use the red stoppers to stop the rigger for the stacking clip.

If you switch use good power pro I've heard only good about it and i like mine but have heard some negative reviews about some other brands of braid. I use 200# power pro season and a half on it haven't even re tied once but I've had to re do my wire side due to fraying once ready. Also my riggers are old and the pulleys are old some people say that could chop the braid but I've had no issues up to 15 pound balls.

 

[Fishtank]

They have new clips for the braid now to stop the sliding problem it. The new one use two pressure clips and a small metal clip

 

[uclueletcharters]

The trick is to add 4 - 6 feet of thin green fishing twine/rope to the cannon ball end of your braided line for a few reasons. First reason is your clips won't slide, second reason it's nice to grab when lifting your down rigger ball into the boat and the third reason is if your not thinking and your sucking your line into the downrigger at the end of the day it won't snap your ball off. One thing to keep in mind is to make sure the length of the rope is proper as where the braided and rope meet will trigger the auto stop so make your ideal stop point where your cannon ball will be in the water where the two connect. This method works great and solves many problems. You can even run it with cable line to make a break between the cannon ball and the steel conductive line for electrolysis issues again great to grab when lifting the cannon ball in. Drag doesn't seem to be an issue when I'm trolling at 180 feet at 2.5 knots with 15 pound lead no issues at all.

 

[Gong Show]

That sounds like an innovative solution uc.
What know do you use to tie the braid and the twine together?
What sort of twine are you using? I have a bunch of different nylon leftover in my gillnet mending kit.

GS

 

[Big Green Machine]

The trick is to add 4 - 6 feet of thin green fishing twine/rope to the cannon ball end of your braided line for a few reasons. First reason is your clips won't slide, second reason it's nice to grab when lifting your down rigger ball into the boat and the third reason is if your not thinking and your sucking your line into the downrigger at the end of the day it won't snap your ball off. One thing to keep in mind is to make sure the length of the rope is proper as where the braided and rope meet will trigger the auto stop so make your ideal stop point where your cannon ball will be in the water where the two connect. This method works great and solves many problems. You can even run it with cable line to make a break between the cannon ball and the steel conductive line for electrolysis issues again great to grab when lifting the cannon ball in. Drag doesn't seem to be an issue when I'm trolling at 180 feet at 2.5 knots with 15 pound lead no issues at all.

As mentioned on the other Downrigger tips threads, you can also tie in the release clips to the gangion so you don't lose them. Can't remember how to do it though but lots of great info
in those threads including how to do this.

 

[JAC]

Ya I use tuna cord for the last 6 feet. I actual use to tuna cords for leaders that way if one breaks I have a backup. I tie these to a large barrel swivel that also works for the stopper no need to miss with beads.

 

[TheRock]

Use a small crane swivel to connect the braid/ganion to the twine or wire line together. The crane swivel needs to be the correct size to go through the front pully and then it acts as your stopper to trip the stop switch. Just replace the swivel after when they start to show sings of corrosion. Or buy a pack of stainless steel Crane style swivels and you don't have to worry about changing them out after.. one brand is called Mighty Mini swivel, its all stainless. Just do a search on e-bay "stainless crane swivels"
Here is the one I use.. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/AFW-Mighty-M...314?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415463074a
If your connecting the crane swivel to wire line... use this simple wire line knot.. http://www.lotsa.org/Wire Line Knot.htm Never need to use crimp beads every again either..

That sounds like an innovative solution uc.
What know do you use to tie the braid and the twine together?
What sort of twine are you using? I have a bunch of different nylon leftover in my gillnet mending kit.

GS

 

[fish stalker]

is tuna cord and para cord the same thing?

I have a box of power pro im putting on my downrigger in the morning before going out (ran out of energy tonight) and all I have is a scotty rubber snubber can I use that at the end of my braid? (threw a metal tear drop thing of course) or just tie ball directly on for now? new to braid