Steel cable vs braided line on downrigger

[Steve Foss]

Of course for several years I've read now and then that steel downrigger cable can allow a slight positive or negative charge to build on the lure/cable/assembly. If memory serves, you can even spend a bunch of hundos and buy a box that emits a slight positive charge.

The theory being that salmonoids are turned off by a negative charge and attracted to a positive charge.

Never figured out whether I quite believed that, but I'm probably going to covert my riggers to braided line and see if I see any difference in catch rates. Clearly, that's going to take a fair amount of time on the water to figure out. Things have been going just fine, but maybe it can get better. You never know.

What are everyone's thoughts on this?

[redhooks]

I had some heavy powerpro on one of my downriggers, can't say it did much for me cuz I'm using wire now, less losing balls when I got too shallow. I think there was less wire singing but I don't think the fish care. I think there were some lures/dodgers that had an echip in the for charge but they seemed kinda spendy.

[Northlander]

dont waste your $ Steve unless your cable is shot. We changed out 2 of 4 riggers and it made no difference. Besides I like that good old rigger hummmmmm.

[JONOV]

If memory serves, you can even spend a bunch of hundos and buy a box that emits a slight positive charge.

The theory being that salmonoids are turned off by a negative charge and attracted to a positive charge.

What are everyone's thoughts on this?

Sounds like something that catches lots of fishermen...

[dfeste]

Not sure if it's an issue for you or not but I believe that some manufacturers will refuse to do warranty work on riggers that have run braid. I would imagine that the heavy braid would pick up fleas and other critters just like the line does. The biggest positive I've heard about running braid is that it is thinner and therefore pulls through the water with less drag causing less blowback. I think there's probably pluses and minuses to both, I stick with the wire.

[Steve Foss]

I ended up getting a spool of Scotty's 175# downrigger braid. I'll swap them out today. Got a guide gig tomorrow. One additional factor is that the singing of the cables irritates some clients. Personally, I like the sound.

We'll see how it goes. We do now have spiny waterflea in Burntside and they are going pretty thick, so that probably will be a negative factor with the braid.

Don't worry, not going to throw away my cable just yet. Always good to change things up now and then. More experience, more knowledge, more head in the game.

Thanks for the feedback, fellas!

[Northdrifter]

The singing of the cable is heaven to my ears....