Downrigger line

[risackila]

Fishing out of point breeze in two weeks. Wondering about what line to use on downriggers. All 20 lb mono or braid with mono leaders?  And is it OK to run spin doctors off downrigger on mono?

[TyeeTanic]

Normally DR for Great Lakes is run off 30 lb mono, mainly because line diameter is big enough that fleas don't hold onto and build up on line.  I definitely wouldn't use braid.

 

You could get away with 20 lb ... as long as you don't get flea build up.

[risackila]

Thank you. Do you suggest running just spoons off DR or is spin doctor also option?

[Sk8man]

You might want to invest in some 30 lb Bloodrun SeaFlee mono for riggers and leader off of it with 20 lb fluoro We even had some spiny fleas on the downrigger wire today

Edited August 5, 2021 by Sk8man

[risackila]

Hey thanks. I tried to get the Blood Run anti flea mono but they have none in stock. None at Fish USA either. So going with a 30 lb mono. Will take your advice on the flouro leaders for the spoons. Thanks. 

[Mike M]

I tried 30 lb blood run sea flea line. Found that 30 lb big game did better job keeping fleas off.

[risackila]

Good to know. Sounds like the anti flea line is a bit slippery and may release too easily. I’m going with a thick 30 lb (Damyl Tectan) which is supposed to be tough. 

[TyeeTanic]

12 hours ago, Mike M said:

I tried 30 lb blood run sea flea line. Found that 30 lb big game did better job keeping fleas off.

Yeah I always used 30 lb big game, no issues, except for knots ... fleas would always grab there.

[TyeeTanic]

On 8/4/2021 at 10:24 AM, risackila said:

Thank you. Do you suggest running just spoons off DR or is spin doctor also option?

 

I'd say majority of time spoons ... which also gives you an option to put on a free sliding cheater line.

 

But for sure some guys put paddles on with meat/MC rocket, or flies.  Start with the spoons, if they not working, then you can switch one up to paddle/bait.

[TyeeTanic]

Just one point though, when you have a paddle on, drop the DR slower .... otherwise the paddle and line to bait get tangled.

[risackila]

Good to know. Sounds like the anti flea line is a bit slippery and may release too easily. I’m going with a thick 30 lb (Damyl Tectan) which is supposed to be tough. 

[risackila]

Thanks guys. Very helpful. Could I ask how far back from DR line you run the bottom spoon as well as the cheater spoon?

[Sk8man]

15 hours ago, risackila said:

Good to know. Sounds like the anti flea line is a bit slippery and may release too easily. I’m going with a thick 30 lb (Damyl Tectan) which is supposed to be tough. 

The Sea Flee line is slippery and it has considerable stretch but I have used it for about 7 or 8 yrs now and it does a good job of shedding flea. The spinys come off just by slapping the line against the water but the fishhook type of flea are a different matter; they accrue like cottonwood on the line and are more difficult to remove when thick.. The Big Game mono 30 lb is also good and I use it for a number of things. Although larger diameter mono and fluoro work better than small diaameter lines with fleas when fleas are very thick or densely distributed they can adhere to anything no matter what the diameter or type of material including 150 and 200 lb test downrigger wire.