On my old downriggers I ran 150 lb braided line,that I had brought from Cabela's.When using braided line there is no worry about having stray voltage running through your downriggers. Like anything else ,there are advantages,and disadvantages when using braided line or SS wire.
About the only real advantages that i seen when using braid was.
1. There is no annoying hum,this was the primary reason I was using braid.
2. Braided line is cheaper to replace then SS wire.
3. When using braid compared to SS wire,I always felt that there was less"blowback" on the weight's. All through there was no hard and fast evidence to this,it was just my personal theory.
Some of the disadvantages that I found were.
1. Some downriggers that have auto-stop won't work with braided line.My new Cannon's use a in line isolator,that makes a electrical loop,but it has to have SS wire to work.
2. With the braided line I found that I had to refresh the spools every couple of years. This meant taking all the line off the spool,and putting the older line on the bottom of the spool.Keeping the fresher line on top. It was a real P.I.T.A to do.
3. Braided line for the most part is weaker then SS wire. IF you hang up your weights with braid,it will take less to break the line compared to SS wire.
4. The new coated SS wire has very little "hum" so that by it's self is no longer a problem for me.
I think most of it is just a personal preference as weather to use braid or SS wire. As for catching fish,I never noticed any difference when either using the braided line ,or the SS wire.
PS I never liked draggin my balls on the bottom of the lake either..................laugh hyst
