Lead core questions

[troutman10]

I have some lead core line questions. I have a pole and reel setup that is perfect for it and have never set it up with lead core before. It's just been set up with mono and sitting in the corner of my garage. Bear with me as I have a bunch of questions...

1.) Is there any certain brand of lead core line that anyone would recommend over others?

2.) Should I look for a certain lb. test over another? My pole says it can take 8-17 lb. test and reel 12-20.

3.) Should I get a specific number of colors?

4) Given a consistant trolling speed what's the approximate sink rate of lead core?

5.) Should I add some sort of "backing" on the reel before I put the lead core on?

6.) What knot do I use to connect lead core and leader?

Any help is appreciated!

[Pete Collin]

The most prevalent brands are Cortland and Mason. Both are fine.

Most people get either 18 lb or 27 lb. Supposedly the lead core is the same weight in either. Which would mean the lighter line, in theory would get just a little deeper due to lesser water resistance. I have caught fish on either.

10 colors is a good amount to go by. Depends if it will fit on your reel.

The slower you go, the deeper it will be presented. As a guide, I have slow trolled 10 colors in 60 feet of water and scraped bottom.

Rule of thumb is one color gives 5 feet of depth. This will vary greatly with speed and how often you make turns. In practice you are likely presenting at a range of 5 feet up and down from your target depth.

Put backing on if it will fit on the reel.

Loop-to-loop connections work fine.

Bear this in mind: ANY amount of weeds will mess you up. If you put a snap weight well ahead of the lure, it may catch the few strands of weeds that work their way down the line. But midsummer, you may become frustrated with lead core.

[troutman10]

Thanks for the help Pete! I do have a couple more questions though. Can I use inline planer boards with lead core or do I strictly run lead core out the back of the boat? And what type of line should I use for backing if my reel will fit more line? Again, Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I'm excited about the additional options that lead core will offer me!

[Hookedup]

We run five or six core riggs pers side off church boards. Put on 40 to 50lb power pro backing I use a 300 yards spool on each reel. then we run 10ft of 30 to 40lb mono between the power pro backing and the core. That way you have a good section of mono to hook your board to. I use the albright knot for all the conections. I have gone to the cabellas core 27lb you can get 20 colors for what 10 of the other cost and it holds up just as good or better. This time of year 4, 5, and 6 color cores are hot, come summer it will be 8, 10 and 12 color.

[troutman10]

Another question...Not sure if I have to upgrade my reels or not, but I have a Daiwa Accudepth 27LC that I bought a while ago and two Daiwa Sealine 27H's that were given to me. Does anyone know if 100 foot of lead core with backing will fit on the reels mentioned?

[chuck527]

You will need reels with higher line capacities. I use some lc 47s and even those would struggle to hold a ten color.

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[chowder]

27s will not hold more than 6 colors w/ backing and that's pretty tight. I put my 10 & 12 on Okuma 45D reels which are a lot easier to reel than 47s. If I was to start from scratch I'd get the high speed version (might convert mine if I get ambitious enough).

2-3 colors, especially in shallow water, work better off big boards for me after that Church Walleye inlines work just as well though they don't pull 12 colors w/ a mag spoon out that far. If you run mutiple cores off inlines just remember to have the deepest lines next to the boat.

[troutman10]

Great things to keep in mind guys. Thanks again for the help....looks like a reel is in the works. Guess I'll have to break down and get a few new toys

[Hookedup]

Great things to keep in mind guys. Thanks again for the help....looks like a reel is in the works. Guess I'll have to break down and get a few new toys

Okuma Clarion CLR-553LS will hold what ever you need it to, and is FAST!

[Iron Duke]

The Okuma Clarion 553 LS are awesome reels have to agree with Sean on that... I run my copper and cores on them and its so much nicer having them on high speed reels, they are definitely worth the money... Hills Valleys and Streams has them in stock...

Mike

[Gill-T]

Before you go and invest in large reels and 10-12 color set-ups go aboard a boat that runs these rigs and find out if that is how you want to fish. Personally, I would find dragging fingerlakes-sized fish in on a 10 color as boring. You could achieve the same depths with shorter cores and pinch on weights. I stop at seven colors then go to copper or pinch-on weights if I need to go deeper.

[jason]

sorry gill-t but 1/2 of our big fish 8 to 12 lbs come on 10 and 12 core in the fingerlakes. with the new okuma clarions high speeds it doesn't take as long to crank in the 10 and 12 cores.

[Gill-T]

Exactly Jason, big fish on the fingers are 10-12 lb lakers..........like dragging in a wet boot

[adam2000]

Exactly Jason, big fish on the fingers are 10-12 lb lakers..........like dragging in a wet boot

Lol

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[jason]

is that what a boot fights like. i never caught a boot before.

[lakebound88]

Thats why I use ice fishing rods for trolling on the fingerlakes.. Makes every fish a big one, even the lures..

[kchamp]

we run lead on oneida for eyes all the time, that is all we use, put just a little backing on your reel depending on how big of a reel you got, nothing special for backing line. For lead core line buy only cabela`s, the rest r junk, trust me on that, try them all. we run 18lbs test it sinks the best, 12lbs doesn`t sink worth a crap, 27lb sinks but not as good. with them reels just use three colors of lead and depending on the lake will depend on the leader to use, we use 10ft on Oneida. 1.8-2.0 should get you 5-6ft down. I tie a regular knot at the end of the lead, just pull some lead out of the end 3-5inches and tie a knot then take your leader and tie a treline knot to the lead line and snug it the the knot on the lead

[OldTex]

I have 200 yard...( 20 colors ) on both of my lead core rods....Only place I can find 200 yard spools is Cabelas....18 lb. test has the same weight lead as 27;;;36;;;or even 45 lb. test....But the 18 lb. is smaller circumference and will fit on smaller reel....I have one Penn and a Big Cabelas reel ....They will hold 200 yd....I use 27 lb. because of Lake Ontario trips...25 lb. test flouro leader of about 25 feet ...tied on with an Albright knot...Seven colors on Lake Ontario will catch the Steelheads in July