What fishing line do you use on Lakers ?

[-JR-]

Its interesting to here what every one uses for fishing line when clipped into a down rigger at cold lake ...Mono or braid or other .
Lets here your replies

[Poppa]

Unless you're talking about giant catfish or like saltwater fish, 10lb Power Pro will do EVERYTHING for you.

[Talking moose]

Braid. Especially lakers where you may need a mile of line out. Mono stretches too much. Jigging at 120 feet down you wanna feel everything. Mono hook sets suck when you have lots of line out. Go braid.

[EZM]

I run braid to a swivel then add 4'-8' feet of fluorocarbon. Same reasons as Talking Moose said there, with lots of line out you need to feel what's going on and be able to deliver a hard hook set sometimes. Mono is inferior in that regard.

I do tend to use a longer rod (even for jigging) to give me a little more flex and to allow for a longer leader but that's more of a personal preference thing. You can shorten it up and shorten the leader too.

[AlpineFlyFisher]

Braid

[Osky]

Both.
In the bush I run a lot of dipsy diver set ups with long rods and for those a heavy braid. The thinner diameter cuts the water well and the long rods help the line set the hook and stay tight.
For jigging my clients generally have 6-7’ rods, which do not have the long bend and over time I’ve found they keep more on the line when using mono. The stretch in the mono takes the place of the long rod to some extent I think.
Not scientific, just something I’ve learned over the years watching from the back of the boat.

Osky

[Smoky buck]

Braid and a 4-6 ft floro leader

[Weavster]

On my jigging rods 30lb braid with a 6ft 20lb flouro leader for the same reason above no stretch when setting the hook. My downrigging rods 30lb mono.

[Osky]

Originally Posted by Weavster

On my jigging rods 30lb braid with a 6ft 20lb flouro leader for the same reason above no stretch when setting the hook. My downrigging rods 30lb mono.

Matt have you run both leader types for comparison? I run 6’ or so as well trolling but I’m not caring if it’s mono or Fluoro. For jigging a 16” piece of heavier mono or fluoro doesn’t seem to matter either.

Osky

[338Bluff]

Originally Posted by Weavster

On my jigging rods 30lb braid with a 6ft 20lb flouro leader for the same reason above no stretch when setting the hook. My downrigging rods 30lb mono.

This. I dont like braid with down riggerd. Jigging or a 3 way swivel rig is better with braid.

[Weavster]

Originally Posted by Osky

Matt have you run both leader types for comparison? I run 6’ or so as well trolling but I’m not caring if it’s mono or Fluoro. For jigging a 16” piece of heavier mono or fluoro doesn’t seem to matter either.

Osky

Nope sorry my previous statement read wrong. I run just strait 30lb mono on my downrigging rods. I swtiched over this season and seem to like it a little more. Just a personal preference thing but I like the little bit of stretch to assist the rod during some of those violent trolling strikes.

[Buckhead]

Originally Posted by 338Bluff

This. I dont like braid with down riggerd. Jigging or a 3 way swivel rig is better with braid.

Yes, that's the way I like it as well. An 8'6" medium heavy rod with mono and a lot of stretch for down rigging. I have run braid for down rigging and didn't like it as much - you need a 10' rod like a wet noodle to compensate for the lack of stretch.

Jigging is a whole different story. That's where braid shines.

[jkbloom]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Its interesting to here what every one uses for fishing line when clipped into a down rigger at cold lake ...Mono or braid or other .
Lets here your replies

I only use Mono berkley trilene XL in 14 pound test, I have used the same brand of line for 35 years and seems to work great, I know exactly the tension before it breaks, I like to feel the stretch in the line. I know I am an odd ball but that's how I like it.

[Teamprotz]

14lb fireline crystal with flouro leader for jigging. For really big trout , Athapap, I always used 17lb Silverthread mono. The stretch was an added cushion on the big fish , hook set was never a problem with good hooks

[EZM]

Originally Posted by 338Bluff

This. I dont like braid with down riggerd. Jigging or a 3 way swivel rig is better with braid.

That's an important topic actually.

I was frustrated with lighter braid in the down rigger release clips - until I went to a heavier braid. Even if you do the overhand pinch/twist method before setting your braid in the release you would still get inconsistent results.

So ..... went to 30lb braid and got the Scotty releases made for braid (they are ever so slightly different) and have not had an issue since.

Keep in mind 30lb braid is the same thickness of 10lb-12lb mono kind of thing, so it's not overkill and you get zero stretch.

If I'm in clear water and need to be 30ft behind the ball and 120' down mono sucks. I load up the rod heavy and if the trip doesn't stick him at least I am able to set the hook hard and have a hope of sticking him.

Obviously if you are only 10 back and 30 down the total stretch in mono isn't a big deal but you still don't get the loading up you would from braid as you get a "bounce" with mono when it trips or you try sticking him.

[Buckhead]

Originally Posted by EZM

That's an important topic actually.

I was frustrated with lighter braid in the down rigger release clips - until I went to a heavier braid. Even if you do the overhand pinch/twist method before setting your braid in the release you would still get inconsistent results.

So ..... went to 30lb braid and got the Scotty releases made for braid (they are ever so slightly different) and have not had an issue since.

Keep in mind 30lb braid is the same thickness of 10lb-12lb mono kind of thing, so it's not overkill and you get zero stretch.

If I'm in clear water and need to be 30ft behind the ball and 120' down mono sucks. I load up the rod heavy and if the trip doesn't stick him at least I am able to set the hook hard and have a hope of sticking him.

Obviously if you are only 10 back and 30 down the total stretch in mono isn't a big deal but you still don't get the loading up you would from braid as you get a "bounce" with mono when it trips or you try sticking him.

Those are all valid points. You have to use what works best for you in a given situation.

The same with fluorocarbon leaders. In certain situations I use them, in others I do not. I have experimented a lot and have seen hookup ratio actually decrease (by around 30%) in some situations.

So what I use could change on any given day, but generally I will be running mono with a down rigger.

[Coiloil37]

Typically mono with the downrigger. All of my trolling applications have mono involved. In freshwater it might be all mono, in the salt I’ll run a 50-100m topshot over braid because I need the line capacity of braid but I still want the stretch from the mono.
Assuming the your using the correct line rating to your strike drag and actually getting the hook set, the stretch mono provides during the fight is an advantage.

[cube]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Its interesting to here what every one uses for fishing line when clipped into a down rigger at cold lake ...Mono or braid or other .
Lets here your replies

As your question specifically asks about line use in a downrigger, I use 30 lb. mono.
I had heard about inconsistent release and release pad damage with braid so just went with mono. Though I would trust what EZM says that with heavier braid and braid specific releases it might work fine. Perhaps he could chime in again and let us know how long his release pads are lasting. He also uses a long flouro leader which would give a fair amount of stretch and act as a chock leader of sorts.

[alpineguy]

My main trolling set up involves lead core line tipped with about 10' of fluorcarbon. Works pretty good.
The lead core line isn't always the most fun but it's nice not to have to deal with a downrigging device when only trolling at 20 to 30'.

[-JR-]

I had some old sufix braid that would slip out easy from my clip , just switched to power pro .
IF that slips I will attach a 20 ft mono leader, or cut a grove in my clip pad on one side so the line will sit in it ,might work ?

one would thing scotty would build a clip for braided line.

[Willowtrail]

I run 30lb braid on my downrigging rods and tie direct to a 30’ 25lb Fluoro leader and put the release on the fluoro.

Don’t forget with the power grip plus there is an adjustable or end on it to tighten up the hold for braided line. Just pull the black click on the back side backwards