Lead core line

[kickingfrog]

What do you use for lead core? For my trolling I haven’t really needed it but bought some to put on an old linecounter reel. This was sufix performance in 12lb test. I’ll likely try it for walleye to get some shallow stickbaits to run 12-17 feet. 

[porkpie]

I use 5, 6 and 7 colour the most all in 15lb test.  But my 10 colour is 27lb and goes out on every Lake O trip.  Do you want to use planer boards?  If so I’d split the cores and the run a 3 colour and a 7.  3 for your target depth and 7 for everywhere else deeper.  My 5 and 7’s have beat the Lake Erie pickerel population pretty badly.  If your just looking for clean off the back then spool the works on top of some 30 or 40lb braid and your backing will last forever.  Hold tight, I catch a ton of fish on lead!

[Rizzo]

my buddy loves the stuff. Personally I don't understand why people don't just hang a few ounces of weight ahead of a 10 foot leader (coming from the guy who doesn't have leadcore)

[John Bacon]

8 minutes ago, Rizzo said:

my buddy loves the stuff. Personally I don't understand why people don't just hang a few ounces of weight ahead of a 10 foot leader (coming from the guy who doesn't have leadcore)

Lead core will snake through the water and add some action to the presentation.  You won't get the same effect with a heavy weight at the end of the line.

 

[Freshtrax]

I have a 10 , a 5 and a segmented 3-7 colour .   .mostly they get run off  planer boards on lake Ontario  as junk lines as my 7th and 8th lines in the water.   There killer for bows on the big water sometimes they save your day when kings won't cooperate.  

 

Worked good for  on Erie too putting fish in the box late summer but not verry much fun your just winching the meat in.

 

Edited May 12, 2020 by Freshtrax

[Headhunter]

My lead core set up is similar to my other trolling setups. TDR 8ft, heavy action rod combined with a large capacity reel. You don't need a line counter with lead core as you count your colours in the water to repeat you lure's tracking depth.

You will need to put mono backing on the reel before you put the lead core on, how much is determined by the capacity of the reel.... this is where the fun starts! Lead Core takes up a lot of real estate on a reel.

It is important to remember that the actual lead in the lead core only provides sinking qualities, it does not provide line strength, the sheath does that. So, how do I connect the lead core to backing and leader material? A buddy of mine, former PWT Pro showed me a trick....

 

Pull back the sheath and cut back 2-3 inches of the lead core. Insert your backing /leader material into the sheath, until it butts up to the internal core. Tack the end of the sheath/leader material with a drop of super glue. Let it dry completely. (This holds the LC in place as it is want to move around) Once dry, soak the section of the sheath and leader, all 2-3 inches with super glue, allow to dry (a couple of minutes).

You now have a seamless connection that will not only hold forever, but can easily be reeled through the rod and onto the reel. 

For most walleye applications, you can get away with 5 colours on the reel as any more starts to get you into the kill zone for pickereye.

I use a heavy action rod because I usually run lead core off of boards and need the backbone as both the boards and the lead core have a fair amount of drag in the water.

Also, remember that when using lead core, your reel drag will become almost useless. They just don't work well with LC, so yet another reason to use a heavier rod.

Once you have figured out how LC works and how easy it is to repeat success, it will always be in your boat!

HH

 

[Woodsman]

12 hours ago, Freshtrax said:

Worked good for  on Erie too putting fish in the box late summer but not verry much fun your just winching the meat in.

 

Especially if you have 10 colours out and a big sheephead on.

[Fang]

Look for Suffix 832, it's denser and  gets down faster than regular. Lead core excels in long trolling runs kind of like a planer board works out to the side, it get's deep (like wire) and gets your bait away from the back of the boat. In Temagami if I'm not running riggers I go with the heavy drop weight as there's way more turning to our trolling runs