Does Braid really have less blowback than (good) cable?
- Thread starter Tesoro
- Start date
fish brain
Crew Member
I'm gonna start blaming her too.
nicnat
Well-Known Member
I would say the opposite, lol especially for the bottom bouncers, I tried braid for a couple of years and have 1 rigger switched back to cable and will do the other next year. I've lost 3 balls in 20 yrs or so, 2 balls lost on braid and only used braid for 3 of those yrs.
spring time
Well-Known Member
Oh I loved the hum of the cable every time I heard the hum we you catch fish. Reminds me fishing with my grandpa an dad with the old blue Scotty’s, every time my grandpa heard that he would say get ready. Man I miss those days an$ my grandpa
advTHXance
Well-Known Member
As with most things in fishing, use whatever works for you. Braid is clearly better though 
I think if you're fishing a couple times a year braid is better, because stainless cable doesn't like to sit with moisture on it for long periods. It can weaken. I got 65 days In fishing in 2020 and we used braided. I just switched to cable, because I like it for stacking better. I also think you get more pin pops on stainless. It also sounds cooler when cutting through water. However the reason I originally switched to braid was because of electric current running down the cable. So now when we're not catching I can place blame.
bcbassfishing
Well-Known Member
I switched to braid a few years ago and havn't looked back... My new power riggers showed up and stripped the cable off before ever seeing the water. We stack for on it all the time and have no issues. I use Reaction tackle braid 250# and can't seem to find anything to complain about including the price.
You can buy bulk spools of 150# braid at www.tackledirect.com; I got some that is color-metered so I can tell how much I have out
Many like the hum of SS; I have heard that heavier SS like 250# hums better.
Braid is electrically inert.
With a broke-off ball, you will be back in the water quicker with Braid.
That covers the catching differences
I can put-on way more than 400ft of braid so if I loose some I am still fishing
Doesn't rust
Doesn't kink
I fished many years with 90# SS used the Goldstar plastic snubbers & never lost a ball
Spend all that money on boat/gear/gas & too cheap to by a snubber?
Many like the hum of SS; I have heard that heavier SS like 250# hums better.
Braid is electrically inert.
With a broke-off ball, you will be back in the water quicker with Braid.
That covers the catching differences
I can put-on way more than 400ft of braid so if I loose some I am still fishing
Doesn't rust
Doesn't kink
I fished many years with 90# SS used the Goldstar plastic snubbers & never lost a ball
Spend all that money on boat/gear/gas & too cheap to by a snubber?
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Braid has more drag. Wire when run right has an advantage over braid especially slower days when you need to draw fish into your gear via electric field.
The drag on braid though is mostly for 150+ feet down. So inshore guys won't notice it much as they fish shallow. If you fish deep you will notice it.
BUT.... It doesn't mean if you have ****** presentation that cable will help you. I would concentrate more on presentation, speed etc.
The drag on braid though is mostly for 150+ feet down. So inshore guys won't notice it much as they fish shallow. If you fish deep you will notice it.
BUT.... It doesn't mean if you have ****** presentation that cable will help you. I would concentrate more on presentation, speed etc.
sir-vivor
Well-Known Member
Never tried braid so I've been on the wire for over 30 yrs and dont know about more or less blow back , because I dont think fish are affected or worry about it . Since I do fine and dont plan on changing, more attention should be spent on electrolysis, I'm a black box believer so it wire for me ! Just my 25cents worth
Tesoro
Member
I have two older fishing friends who have 50 yrs plus each of salmon fishing experience. Many in my port use their catch success as a gauge for how many fish they should have caught that day. They also both fished commercially. A few years back they both tried braid on their riggers and got a noticeable decrease in catch so they switched back to cable. They use small crab pot zincs at the bottom end by the ball instead of black boxes.
Interesting; but if you want to muck around with this you might wanna read this stuff from Black Box maker Pro Troll:
Look in other chapters to see other stuff like what Voltage Salmon like.
The above technique with zinc anodes might actually increase voltage higher than Salmon prefer; probably depends on how the lead/zinc interacts with the SS wire, or if you are lucky the combined nobility of the lead/zinc will be perfect; lead being more noble (less voltage) than zinc.
Fixit
Well-Known Member
I started with cable, went to braid, then back to cable.
I lost more balls with braid in the year I used it then I’ve lost my whole life with cable
Some were due to pulling the lead to the block, some were hang ups, one was someone else’s fish running around the braid, cut it off...
I lost more balls with braid in the year I used it then I’ve lost my whole life with cable
Some were due to pulling the lead to the block, some were hang ups, one was someone else’s fish running around the braid, cut it off...
Tesoro
Member
Well for those who are cable guys you should look at committing sacrilege and take a peek at the cannon mag 5/10 over the old die diehard 1106. For the same money they are as powerful/fast as the 2106 and emit .6 v down the cable. No messing with beads and flying small cannon balls as the autostop will leave the ball a foot deep using a bungee. The spool is exposed and vertical so easy to rinse wire and no water pooling like in the bottom side of the scotty spool. The other bonus is you can carry a spare loaded spool and swap out at sea in the case of a major snafu. Plus you can power down for a controlled descent or go down fast by using the clutch. They will fish an 18-20 lb ball easy.