Singing Downrigger

[PapaD]

[font "Calibri"][frown]Just started using my new downrigger and it seems to make a high singing noise. It is a Cannon EZ troll and I am using a 6# weight. I have been using it a 30 to 75 feet and usually troll at about 2.5 to 3 mph for trout. I guess I need to know if that is normal or not and if not what do I do to fix it so it won’t "sing".[/font]
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[CROSSINEYES]

I GET THAT AS WELL. IT DONT SEEM TO BOTHER THE KOKES OR TROUT. ???
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[MMDon]

It is normal. It bothers some people but if you will listen to the singing of the wire you will start to see a pattern. Different sounds mean that the wire and lure are clear and trolling correctly or the lure is fouled with moss or you have a fish on. It's a really great tool once you get used to it!
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[prvrt]

That is normal. Also the faster you go, the more it sings. I usually troll at 1.7 - 2.1 mph for Kokes or trout and the singing is much better. Also trolling faster will make your cannon ball/lures rise higher in the water. The deeper you go, the worse it gets. If you have 65' of line out and trolling at 3 mph with a 6lb ball, I bet you are really only about 50' deep.
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[MMDon]

Wow, that is really a top end speed for Idaho Kokes. I troll at .95 to 1.2 mph for Idaho Kokes.

Flaming Gorge Kokes I up the speed to 1.3 to 1.5 mph.
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[prvrt]

I do what works. I have had 70+ fish days on Ririe at those speeds in June and July. I do slow down around 1.2 when the water is cooler.
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[StacyR]

If you replace the wire cable with cord, the noise will go away. Cabela's sells it for $15-$30 depending on the length. Just do a search on their site for downrigger line.
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[MMDon]

Some food for thought. Kokes have one of the lowest C&R survival rates in warm water of almost any fresh water fish we catch. You very rarely catch a Koke that has healed up hook wounds from being caught as an adult. 60 to 70 Koke days could have a mortality rate of over 50% even though the fish appears to swim off after release.
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[MMDon]

With Braid you get less blow back and noise. The negative is it cuts very easy if you hit the bottom so it's not very good for bottom bouncing for Macs and such. If Chrome Shark Weights or expensive large Pancake Weights are in your future you may want to stick with steel cable.

You can dampen the noise with a tennis or foam ball if it bothers you.
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[prvrt]

[quote MMDon]Some food for thought. Kokes have one of the lowest C&R survival rates in warm water of almost any fresh water fish we catch. You very rarely catch a Koke that has healed up hook wounds from being caught as an adult. 60 to 70 Koke days could have a mortality rate of over 50% even though the fish appears to swim off after release.[/quote]

Some how I knew you would respond this way. [:|]
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[Kodiak1]

The two captains who have the Salmon University web site and who teach fishing techniques year-round in the western Washington area feel that the singing cable attracts salmon. I have had salmon in the ocean hit my gear literally 1-2 feet away from the cable. I have had incredible fishing days when the cable is going crazy. I can't imagine swapping good cable out to try and eliminate the noise. Mike
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[StacyR]

Depends on how irritating you find the noise, I guess.
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