10+ trips without a single fish on leadcore?

[zackblain]

I started trolling this year and one of the purchases I made was one of the okuma pre set up leadcore rigs. Full ten colors of 17lb core 50lb pp backing and about a 30ft seaguar fluoro leader 15#. I have caught numerous fish on my downrigger at various depths but still have yet to hook into a fish on my leacore rig. I've been running anywhere from 5 to ten colors and even using snap weights to increase depth with less line out and still not had a single fish. I know I'm getting close enough to the bottom for lakers because I often pull up debris while retreiving my line. I'm moving anywhere from 1.5-2.3 mph and using mainly spoons(nk, stinger, sutton) as well some thinfins, husky jerks, raps, and acme spinners with zero luck. My only ideas are maybe shorten the leader to around 15'? run the clicker/drag a bit tighter maybe? The rods an 8'6'' okuma "downrigger" series medium action rod btw.

You guys have been great with answering all my questions so far so any help is greatly appreciated!

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Hey Zack, You are probably a few adjustments away from some success. There are some days where the fish are very aggressive and they won't make past your early presentations. My guess is you are under the fish due to too slow speed or bait selection. It is much less common to bury leadcore into the bottom than copper, and encountering derbris often is a tell tale sign you are probably too slow for the water you are fishing. If you must troll the speeds you are stating, the only blade that is optimal that you listed is the sutton. Try a very good low end speed spoon, a DW, which runs well at the upper end of your listed range. Your leader length is fine.

[711skwerlz]

10 colors should put you 40-50ft @ 2.5mph. Speed it up a little and you'll be in the thermocline that's just setting up. IMHO leadcore is more for targeting silvers this time of year. They happen to prefer a little more speed. Pull an SS spoon @2.5-3.0 for silvers or 3.0-3.8 for rainbows that sit just above temp 35-40ft deep

[ Post made via Android ]

[zackblain]

Just an update from this weekends trips, on canadice I was running 8 colors with a 2oz snap weight just up from where the lead starts and I was pickin up lakers like crazy. All of em on a thinfin at around 2 mph or a bit less in 78 to 86fow. Sure takes a long time to reel in 8 colors lol, can't imagine what its like on a copper/diver rod lol

[ Post made via Android ]