leadcore question

[duckbutter]

From what I've read in other posts here, leadcore will give you about 5 feet of depth for each color at 1 mph. If I put out 4 colors and get 20 feet, can I add sufficient additional mono after the leadcore using the precision trolling book to get to a predictable depth? What I mean is if I add enough mono to get 10 feet according to the book, will I get to 30 feet with 4 colors of lead at 1 mph?

[duckbutter]

From what I've read in other posts here, leadcore will give you about 5 feet of depth for each color at 1 mph. If I put out 4 colors and get 20 feet, can I add sufficient additional mono after the leadcore using the precision trolling book to get to a predictable depth? What I mean is if I add enough mono to get 10 feet according to the book, will I get to 30 feet with 4 colors of lead at 1 mph?

[coreman]

Well,
I would only use dacron for backing not mono. The best way to gain depth with core is to add a snap weight. For 30' I would run your half core then add 1oz snap.

[Eyez]

It may be close, but probably not exactly the same. I would think it'll be slightly shallower. The water resistance of the lead is going to change how the mono behind it acts. I think precision trolling gives depths for segmented (3 color) lead with mono backing, doesn't it? I don't own a current copy so I don't know for sure.

Personally, I use leadcore on full spools only. I put all 10 colors on the spool with fireline/powerpro backing and then use a 15 foot silverthread leader. I can hit any depth from 5 to 55 feet at speeds up to 2.0 mph like that.


Dusty

[duckbutter]

Thanks for the replies guys--good ideas that I hadn't thought of. Maybe I am trying to do too much with the same gear. On our lake in Northern Michigan, when the water heats up, the fish seem to roam flats that are 25 feet deep when its overcast or windy, and when it's bright and sunny and not so windy they move out to 40 feet and often drift down towards the bottom. The water has gotten so clear from the zeebs in the past three or four years that it's seemed to change the pattern of the fish. I was thinking I could put four or five colors of lead on and that would handle the 25 foot flats, and I was thinking about having 250 yards of power pro after the lead to try and get diving cranks down in the 35 or 40 foot range. In the 25 foot water I have to use boards to get things out away from the boat, so putting 10 colors on isn't an option for using boards in 25 feet. On the other hand, when the fish are at 40 feet, they aren't boat shy so eight or ten colors of lead would do the job. This is a great message board, and I have learned so much just reading others' questions and the responses. Much easier than trial and error and hoping you have the creative skills to come up with new ideas yourself. Thanks again to all the posters.

[Sunshine]

Duckbutter,

I have done both. I have gotten 35-40 foot depths using cranks and three colors of segmented leadcore with backing.

I have also used ALL leadcore on reel and then only put 3 colors of leadcore out and attached the planer board to the leadcore. Not real easy to do in rough water but doable.

My point is that you are on the right track and you have received valuable info. With a little experimentation you are ready to go.

[go ranger]

Deep diving cranks increase the diving depth per color. Last weekend we were hitting bottom in 26ft with Deep Little Rippers and 3.5 colors of leadcore at a speed of 2.2 mph. If we slowed to 1.9 mph, we would hit bottom in 30 ft.

[orchard frank]

We use 50' mono leaders for lead core fishing here in LBDN in the fall. Deep Junior T-Sticks, a popular choice, will run about 8' deeper than Bombers, another favorite. The 8' roughly matches what the DJ is supposed to run 50' out. Remember that lead is highly speed dependent, for me repeatability is the key. All 4 rods exactly the same, I use 100' of lead (measured) and use numbers instead of colors. Example--at 1.6 my DJ's will be running about 28' with the counters reading 168, the same depth with bombers requires about 200. Lots of variables, takes time on the water to practice. Other systems work fine for other people, whatever you are comfortable with. We fish at night quite a bit, colors can get hard to watch, numbers are easier for me. Good Luck

[loner]

I only use leadcore for banging bottom. Too many variables involved when targeting suspended fish with leadore.