Downrigger getting tired?
- Thread starter Lewy
- Start date
Corey_lax
Crew Member
I’d bet once you take it apart you will find a cracked piece of plastic somewhere. I’ve never had any crunchy sounds but i only use 15 pounders on the non-hp downriggers
searun
Well-Known Member
Anyone using the Njord spools? How are they working out?
trophywife
Crew Member
i have tried 100' of 100lb mono backing and it seemed to fix the warping problem.
littlechucky
Crew Member
interesting. Mono can swell and warp spools on reels…you would think it would make quick work of piece of plastic?
ship happens
Crew Member
I second that.
I think part of the problem is where the line goes through the top of the spool to start the spool. That might have something to do with the fact that you have basically zero stretch in that line and braid winds up so tight that it busts the spool. It always cracks in the same spot for us.
Think maybe run the line through the center of the spool and use a layer of rubber first and then spool up the braid.
Or just spend 200 each on aluminum spools and hope for the best. I don't see how they woulldnt workout. Unless then something else breaks.
I think part of the problem is where the line goes through the top of the spool to start the spool. That might have something to do with the fact that you have basically zero stretch in that line and braid winds up so tight that it busts the spool. It always cracks in the same spot for us.
Think maybe run the line through the center of the spool and use a layer of rubber first and then spool up the braid.
Or just spend 200 each on aluminum spools and hope for the best. I don't see how they woulldnt workout. Unless then something else breaks.
Aquaholic
Crew Member
The stock plastic two piece spool design just don’t seem to last once braid gets hung up on something and cinches down. I have not seen a spool split that runs cable, maybe others have. I have a set of braid spools and a set of cable spools, the braid spools have a couple of layers of duct tape wrapped around the centre by me.
Rain City
Crew Member
I started doing a few wraps of duct tape a couple years back and haven't had a badly warped spool since. I run 450 feet of braid.
ship happens
Crew Member
I run 250 lb braid and at least 400 ft of it if we had it at the time. Usually do. I buy the 3000yard spools of 250 and they will last a few years. Alot of the time were fishing deep. With 20s. Which I'm sure all of those things has something to do with it. If your not loosing balls your breaking spools. Least I figured out how to keep my balls intact lol
Still think the line tie up location on the spool and the no stretch is the real reason.
Still think the line tie up location on the spool and the no stretch is the real reason.
ship happens
Crew Member
Maybe if you fished somewhere other than bowen and the rain city trough then you would start busting spools lol
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ship happens
Crew Member
Just busting your balls
My next downriggers will be gurdy cutoffs custom mounted with straight gangen lol. 50 lb balls. Or maybe I'm hoping the wrap job I want to do will actually solve it. We will see
Wondermur
Crew Member
Hmm
- So when we put braid on a fishing reel we wrap the spool with tape or we leave a few wraps of mono on the spool as mono doesn’t slip. We know braid straight onto a slippery spool often allows the whole spool of braid to slip.
- On a Scotty we tie to the hole on the top of the spool so it makes sense that when the pressure comes on ALL the braid will slip until pressure goes onto that knot. As @ship happens said it usually cracks in the same spot likley near that area where it is tied.
- @Rain City has been wrapping his spool with tape just like you would wrap a fishing reel, that stops the braid from slipping so no undue pressure on one area of the spool where it is tied on.
- these Scotty’s were originally designed for wire that has no stretch and doesn’t slip. We put slippery braid on that does slip and we don’t line the spool with tape and suddenly there is a lot of pressure on that initial knot.
- braid does have a little stretch but I think most of the problem comes back the slipping, not the stretch or the extra 100’ braid loaded.
-So I am going to wrap my 2 new spools 3 times with tape and I think that will be the answer. Thanks Guys
- So when we put braid on a fishing reel we wrap the spool with tape or we leave a few wraps of mono on the spool as mono doesn’t slip. We know braid straight onto a slippery spool often allows the whole spool of braid to slip.
- On a Scotty we tie to the hole on the top of the spool so it makes sense that when the pressure comes on ALL the braid will slip until pressure goes onto that knot. As @ship happens said it usually cracks in the same spot likley near that area where it is tied.
- @Rain City has been wrapping his spool with tape just like you would wrap a fishing reel, that stops the braid from slipping so no undue pressure on one area of the spool where it is tied on.
- these Scotty’s were originally designed for wire that has no stretch and doesn’t slip. We put slippery braid on that does slip and we don’t line the spool with tape and suddenly there is a lot of pressure on that initial knot.
- braid does have a little stretch but I think most of the problem comes back the slipping, not the stretch or the extra 100’ braid loaded.
-So I am going to wrap my 2 new spools 3 times with tape and I think that will be the answer. Thanks Guys
ship happens
Crew Member
I have a busted spool on my desk at the shop. I'll take a picture tomorrow and upload it. It's where is always breaks for us.
