Lead core brand

[CaptSpike]

Did some reading on Tuf-Line mirco lead core line and Sufix 832 lead core line. Ended up purchasing both to try out. Has anyone here tried either or both?

Curious if the dive chart is really different from standard LC or if it is just hype. If it is different I'll need to regage my thinking when it comes to trolling lead core. In the spring we run 1 and two color in line set ups and eventually go down to an in line 3 color. After that we run straight core rigs and down riggers to get the extra depth (note this is on local waters not lake O.)

I was hoping to get reviews of these new lead core lines but not a lot out there. So I may be one of the first to review after I get to test them out a while.

 

Spike

[lost a lure]

The biggest difference is the Tuf-line is made in the USA, Suffix is made in Taiwan!

[rolmops]

How about our own locally produced Cortland leadcore?

[Tim Bromund]

Never had a problem with 27 lb Cortland Kerplunk myself.

[CaptSpike]

I get what you guys are saying about local good vs foriegn.

The only reason I am interested in these LC lines over traditional is locally we fish much lighter gear (smaller fish) and the traditional cores are suppose to be heavier than these new ones. If I can reduce core drag on my lighter in line set ups then I'd like to. One my full color core rods it won't matter as those are heavier rods because they are full core rods and I feel require a stouter rod when dragging ten or more colors.

I can clearly see why, maybe locally to you fishing Ontario, it may not be a big diference and you would still choose traditional LC lines.

I was hoping to get feed back from someone who has fished these "other" LC lines if they they had any pro's or cons. I am a little concerned on knot strength with the new sheathing. I'd like to know more about that. I guess an Albright would work fine no matter what they encased the lead in, however sometimes a lower profile knot is prefered. Looking for information on those lines and performance of durability thru the season.

Thanks,

 

Spike

[rolmops]

I use nice light 18 pound test Cortland

[Gill-T]

I would be interested to hear your results as I will be eyeing upgrading my leacore set-ups next year and have been looking at the Tuf-line microlead.  Saltist line counters with microlead and torpedo divers........I might be able to get rid of my copper rigs altogether.  I hear the Willis Knot is impossible with the newer gen. lead due to the thin diameter.  Hmmmmm......maybe I will list my gear in the classified section.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Gill-T

[Outcast189]

i have the 18lb tuf-line, have only used dacron lead core before so that is the only thing i can compare too, it has a good rise and fall action, a rule of thumb for me for the dacron was 5' sink per color, from what i have read, but have not seen yet is the tuf-line will sink 6-6.5' per color so calculations will not be as easy, and not fine tuned as the dacron, but time will tell.

 

chris

[CaptSpike]

I would be interested to hear your results as I will be eyeing upgrading my leacore set-ups next year and have been looking at the Tuf-line microlead.  Saltist line counters with microlead and torpedo divers........I might be able to get rid of my copper rigs altogether.  I hear the Willis Knot is impossible with the newer gen. lead due to the thin diameter.  Hmmmmm......maybe I will list my gear in the classified section.

 

Result from yr one are in. I used a double uni to tie leader to core and backing to core and never had a knot fail. I didn't get to use the full core set ups enough to know if there was a difference in sink rate vs standard cores. I also used one and two color in line setups that worked great. Not sure if they worked better due to more sink rate or that they were just where the fish were, lol. Anyway I was pleased with the performance of both brands on that level. I was able to fish the inlines on much lighter rods (kokanee) with little to no adverse effects. I did experience some line bleed on one brand and unfortunately I didn't mark which brand went on which reel so I'm not sure if it was tuffline or the suffix that bled onto my leader (mono). The bleeding didn't seem to effect the catch rate as my floro leader was kept up on each trip and didn't suffer any line bleed. The only other negative was that the lead would break and push thru the outter sheath easily. And again I don't know which brand that was on (though I believe it was the tuff line).

 

So after the first yr I would definitely reccomend these lines to anyone looking to go lighter.I was also able to fit 12-13 colors on a reel that previously only held 10 (same lb rated core).

If I figure out for sure which was the bleeder and which the core seemed to stick out on I'll update. I should be breaking the rods and reels down in the next few weeks which might help me determine that.

 

Spike

[DreamWeaver]

I put TUFF Microlead 18lb test on my mooching reels last year mounted on 10'6" mooching rods

and it worked for the season.  You need to inspect the last 10 feet for breakage.  During the off season I inspected

the whole length and had to throw it all away.  This was due to breakage of the lead core at different locations throughout the length.  

This year I will probably put the TUFF Microlead 27lb test on my mooching rods.  Hopefully the thicker lead will be more durable.  Must say it is a LOT OF FUN catching fish any where from 5 lbs or more on the mooching rods.  

[vetting]

I run Stealth Core and couldnt be happier with the results.  Never had any issues with breakage and its nice that its only black and red. 

[RD9]

Love Stealth Core. I'm a lead line Lake Erie junky and used almost every lead core brand you could think off. I now only use stealth core and am really happy. 

[hybridlures]

I run all micro lead just because I like smaller gear and I walleye fish a lot I would say about 6 feet per color but that's just around about number. Lead core is really tuff to tell what it's doing some days I get 40 to 45 on a 7 color other days it seems like only 30 current and speed has everything too do with it. I rather be 15ft above the fish then 15ft below them. So I always put less out at first if my fish are at 50ft I will run a 7 color at first. But does micro work better then regular lead no just might sink a little more at times and can use smaller reels.


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[Xxx]

On January 21, 2017 at 10:06 PM, Xcalibur said:

I put TUFF Microlead 18lb test on my mooching reels last year mounted on 10'6" mooching rods

and it worked for the season.  You need to inspect the last 10 feet for breakage.  During the off season I inspected

the whole length and had to throw it all away.  This was due to breakage of the lead core at different locations throughout the length.  

This year I will probably put the TUFF Microlead 27lb test on my mooching rods.  Hopefully the thicker lead will be more durable.  Must say it is a LOT OF FUN catching fish any where from 5 lbs or more on the mooching rods.  

I ran the suffix last year and had one hell of a time getting the sheathing off the lead it was like stuck, and yes it was broken all over, when you finally got the lead core loose in was in inch pieces, not happy after fooling around about an hour to get 6" of lead because it was in inch pieces, I didn't have enough line to make a uniknot, I ended up using the Spro swivel trick. I bought two 10 color spools and the both were a bear to work with, no more suffocate for me no I didn't misspell the word. Pure shyt in my mind the suffix is!!

[Mupere]

Stealth core  for me, too! I've had the same problems with tuff line as far as breakage

Edited January 25, 2017 by Mupere

[minion]

I'm perfectly happy with Cortland and Woodstock 27lb

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[rolmops]

Torpedo 19 strand wire has the exact same sinking character as lead core, but it weighs much less.


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[Reel Overtime]

I switched my rods last yr to stelth core, I fish walleyes and run 6 rods with 5 colors,