Copper

[Stumpy]

We are going to fish copper for the fist time this spring and fall.  My question is how much backing beyond the copper do you let out in order to achieve the target depth?  If you let more out will it go lower?

[Fat Trout]

11 hours ago, Stumpy said:

We are going to fish copper for the fist time this spring and fall.  My question is how much backing beyond the copper do you let out in order to achieve the target depth?  If you let more out will it go lower?

yes....and taking turns will lower it too.   I found bottom twice this past year in 100-110 ft of water on a 400 copper off of a church Tx44 with copper not far back from the board.   this was enlightening.  

[Stumpy]

Thanks for the input.  Appreciate it

[Sk8man]

Another good reason to increase speed somewhat on turns

[tomb1]

yes....and taking turns will lower it too.   I found bottom twice this past year in 100-110 ft of water on a 400 copper off of a church Tx44 with copper not far back from the board.   this was enlightening.  

A 400 copper is supposed to run about 90 down on a straight troll when clipped just past board. Hitting bottom on an inside turn sounds right.

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[tomb1]

A 300 copper is supposed to be about 70 down when clipped just past board.

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[Hachimo]

Speed is everything when running copper IMO. .5mph could b a difference of 20ft in depth. I clip my coppers on backin right behind the copper to inline boards. I have sets of 250,300,and 400 and each set has its place durring the year. I always try to maintain speed at 2.5 and according to depth of marks or thermocline that decides what coopers go out. 

[Stumpy]

Wow !  There is a significant difference the deeper you go based on speed. Our poles are rigged with the 32lb copper.  At 400 feet there seems to be a possible 40 feet difference in .5 mph.

[Hachimo]

Copper is a great weapon to have in the arsenal but can DEFINITELY b a nightmare! I’m still tryin to figure it out after running it for 4years. 
     I try to keep my speed at the ball at 2.5mph (should have made that clear with last post) BUT with currents I’ve seen speed 1.5 at the boat and 2.5 at my ball down 70ft or 2.5 at the ball and the boat is 3mph.  Whats this difference in current doin with the depth of your copper? Maybe I’m wrong but I decide what copper to use based on what the boat speed is. 

[Stumpy]

Is all your copper off the back during summer or do you continue running off boards regardless?  Do you run a spread of depths?  Sorry to be so inquisitive. 

[tomb1]

Wow !  There is a significant difference the deeper you go based on speed. Our poles are rigged with the 32lb copper.  At 400 feet there seems to be a possible 40 feet difference in .5 mph.

That's the whole point to run it and source of it's effectiveness. It finds fish as it swims around. Leadcore works great on Lake Michigan, but Ontario's fish hold much deeper, so copper is better.

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[Legacy]

On 2/10/2021 at 9:36 AM, Stumpy said:

We are going to fish copper for the fist time this spring and fall.  My question is how much backing beyond the copper do you let out in order to achieve the target depth?  If you let more out will it go lower?

 

read this... it will answer a lot of questions... feel free to contact me 

 

 

 

[Hachimo]

20 minutes ago, Stumpy said:

Is all your copper off the back during summer or do you continue running off boards regardless?  Do you run a spread of depths?  Sorry to be so inquisitive. 

I run inline boards all year. Two on each side. For example. I’ll run 400’ on inside boards then a 300’ on outside.  
“For The Love of Copper” by legacy is a great read. read it a couple years ago. Gonna read it again for a refresher

[Fat Trout]

On 2/11/2021 at 12:59 PM, Hachimo said:

I run inline boards all year. Two on each side. For example. I’ll run 400’ on inside boards then a 300’ on outside.  
“For The Love of Copper” by legacy is a great read. read it a couple years ago. Gonna read it again for a refresher

@HachimoIf your running 2 copper per side, put the 400 on the outside and 300 on the inside as it will tend to avoid tangles as the outside 400' hooked fish drops back and "tends" to head toward center of the pattern and the 400 will go "over" the 300.  

[Rich D]

[mention=164460]Hachimo[/mention]If your running 2 copper per side, put the 400 on the outside and 300 on the inside as it will tend to avoid tangles as the outside 400' hooked fish drops back and "tends" to head toward center of the pattern and the 400 will go "over" the 300.  

Negative on that statement!!! Out your shorter copper on the outside!!!! The longer deeper copper goes on the inside!!! When you hook up on the shorter higher copper, in theory the line should be above the longer deeper Rod. As long as the fish does not dive deeper, and into the longer copper. Also if you want to change the outside rod, if you run the longer copper outside, it will catch the inside, shorter, higher line. You can’t think that copper is the same as flatlines, or short cores!!!! Good Luck!!

Capt Rich.


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[Hachimo]

44 minutes ago, Fat Trout said:

@HachimoIf your running 2 copper per side, put the 400 on the outside and 300 on the inside as it will tend to avoid tangles as the outside 400' hooked fish drops back and "tends" to head toward center of the pattern and the 400 will go "over" the 300.  

This is a battle ive been fighting in my head. I think logics. That 400 copper is deeper then the 300.  Therfore if u have 400 on outside, he strikes he deeper then inside rod. Therfore u bring him to down the chute he will be below ur inside rod.  Had a mess two years ago runnin copper with long rod on outside, short inside.  Never again
 

Spring time with mono lines, yes u want ur longer lines to the outside so they can get around the shorter lines on the inside while u bring them into the chute. 
 

Edited February 20, 2021 by Hachimo

[Hachimo]

1 minute ago, Rich D said:

 

 

Negative on that statement!!! Out your shorter copper on the outside!!!! The longer deeper copper goes on the inside!!! When you hook up on the shorter higher copper, in theory the line should be above the longer deeper Rod. As long as the fish does not dive deeper, and into the longer copper. Also if you want to change the outside rod, if you run the longer copper outside, it will catch the inside, shorter, higher line. You can’t think that copper is the same as flatlines, or short cores!!!! Good Luck!!

Capt Rich.


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Thats pretty funny Rich.  We submitted our comments at the same exact time. Lol

[Fat Trout]

Just now, Hachimo said:

This is a battle ive been fighting in my head. I think logics. That 400 copper is deeper then the 300.  Therfore if u have 400 on outside, he strikes he deeper then inside rod. Therfore u bring him to down the chute he will be below ur inside rod.  Had a mess two years ago runnin copper this way.  
 

Spring time with mono lines, yes u want ur longer lines to the outside so they can get around the shorter lines on the inside while u bring them into the chute. 
 

@Hachimo....I retract my prior statement in light of @Rich Dcomments.   Good info and really I'm too much of a wimp to run two coppers on the same side lol.

[Hachimo]

5 minutes ago, Fat Trout said:

@Hachimo....I retract my prior statement in light of @Rich Dcomments.   Good info and really I'm too much of a wimp to run two coppers on the same side lol.

I had to learn this the hardway Kevin. Lost 400ft and 300ft of copper on the rods. But managed to handline a 24lb king to the boat.  The wife took video of the nonsense

[Fat Trout]

6 minutes ago, Hachimo said:

I had to learn this the hardway Kevin. Lost 400ft and 300ft of copper on the rods. But managed to handline a 24lb king to the boat.  The wife took video of the nonsense

Ouch!  Not sure which hurt worse, the gear loss or hand lining a 24lber.  I have tanglephobia for sure.  I always think about it...too much.  Its right up there with thatdickheadisgonnatrollovermylinephobia....another mind torture lol.   Good info from both of you to set me straight!

[Gill-T]

The other answer is use two 300' coppers but put a musky torpedo at the start of the leader on in inside copper.

[Zinger11]

I run all 300' and add pump handles if I need to go deeper

The other answer is use two 300' coppers but put a musky torpedo at the start of the leader on in inside copper.

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[Stumpy]

Okay I read For the Love of Copper Twice now, but this discussion prompted another question.  Why are many in favor of in line boards rather than conventional pole mounted ones? 

[Legacy]

57 minutes ago, Stumpy said:

Okay I read For the Love of Copper Twice now, but this discussion prompted another question.  Why are many in favor of in line boards rather than conventional pole mounted ones? 

 

The biggest advantage inlines offer is the ability to run multiple lines per side. 3,4,5 boards per side are a possibility and you can be extremely diverse with what you want to run. 

[Sk8man]

As Rob said the inlines are more flexible in the ways they can be used. The big boards excel running in the rough water (more stabile) , and running heavier stuff (e.g. over 300 ft coppers etc.).