Lead Line

[MrGadget]

MzG and I are taking off tomorrow for a trip to Harlan County Reservoir in South Central, NE. This will include a stop at Cabela's Kearney store on the way down. It is my intent to spool up a pair of Okuma 30 SDLC's that I bought last year for lead core trolling. Well, never got them spooled an now I need to "git 'er done"!

These reels each hold about 330/20. What are your recommendation for line? I'm thinking 100-200yards of dacron or 25lb mono backing + 10 colors (100yds) of 18lb lead-core, with a 25' leader of 12lbs Trilene XT. Yes? No? Maybe?

Thanks in advance for timely responses. Gadget

[Toolman]

I don't think your Okuma 30's will quite hold all 10 colors of leadcore-maybe 8 or 9. Unless you are running it off of in-line boards, I'd just spool the lead (as many colors will fit) and put on a 10' leader of your chioce for contour trolling with boat rods. 8 colors is enough to fish 40' to 50' at typical trolling speeds. Leader length depends on water clarity. Shorter leaders are more responsive to depth change pulling contours (using speed of the boat to control the depth the lure is running). Segmented or full core depends on if you are running in-line boards or boat rods.

Tim Joseph
NPAA # 740

[MrGadget]

>I don't think your Okuma 30's will quite hold all 10 colors
>of leadcore-maybe 8 or 9. Tim

Interesting... So if I understand you correctly: a spool that will hold 330 yds of 20lb mono will only hold 80-90 yards of lead core? WOW! I didn't think 18lb Lead-core woul take up that much room on a spool... G

[saugers2]

just the lead will be twice the diameter of the 20 lb mono, add the sheath and the line is similar to a fine diameter fly line.

I can just barely fit 7 colors on the Okuma 20's, but I use it on rivers and never troll deeper than 20 feet.

saugers2

[Toolman]

I'm sure someone here has experience with the Okuma 30 and 18# lead. I run segmented lead on my 30's. I have 10 colors on Diawa 47's. That was a guess that they would hold 8 or so colors...you said you needed a quick answer ;-)

Tim

[MrGadget]

So... all lead, no backing, and I get MAYBE 100 yds at most. OK, I'll buy that, I don't expect I'll be running out more than 4-5 colors in 10-20' of water anyway.

How do you start the lead on the spool? Do you run on a thin layer of mono first and tie to that? Thanks, G

[MrGadget]

"Segemented" lead? Please explain... Also, how do you start it on the spool? I don't imagine it's going to tie on very well... G

[Toolman]

That's how I do it. If you don't get an answer before you spool, the only way to find out what they will hold is to spool up until it's full. You only need to segment if you are running it with in-lines, otherwise, just filler' up.

Tim

[MrGadget]

Don't own any inlines. I haven't done much trolling as MzG likes to anchor over a spot and jig or drop. Will be using a pair of 8'6" Depthmasters that I picked up at a garage sale about the same time I bought the Okumas...one off each side, straight out, perpendicular to the keel line.

Hope that method will work for a first time try. Also hope to catch a bunch of 'eyes to that MzG develops a liking for puttin' around the lake at 2.8.

[Far Beyond Driven]

A Penn 209 is of similar capacity and will hold exactly 100 yards of 27# lead core and a leader, no backing.

So with 18# lead core, you should be able to get 100 yards on with a little backing.

I know this as I salmon fished with a guy who put 100 yards of 27# lead core on a 209. He put 8 colors out and stuck it in a holder. One good king and it was gone.

FBD, Holland, MI

[MrGadget]

I'll bet he's STILL cussing! :-) G

[saugers2]

You can just remove some of the lead from the sheath (about 8 inches) and tie the sheath right on the spool.

Do a search on how to connect the lead line to the mono or superline leader, lots of ways to do this.

It's a great way to contour troll, you'll enjoy it.

saugers2

[TRIPLE J]

YOU SHOULD USE SOME KIND OF LINE AS BACKING. ARE YOU ONLY GOING TO USE THESE FOR WALLEYE, OR DO YOU INTEND TO DO SOME SALMON FISHING WITH THEM ALSO? IF YOU'RE MAINLY GOING TO USE THEM FOR WALLEYE YOU CAN PROBABLY GET AWAY WITH 2-5 COLORS OF LEADCORE SEGMENTED ONTO YOUR REEL. THIS WILL TAKE UP ALOT LESS CAPACITY ON YOUR REEL ALLOWING YOU TO USE MORE BACKING. I USUALLY ATTACH THE LEADCORE TO THE BACKING WITH A DOUBLE UNI KNOT, AND THEN ATTACH MY LEADER WITH A WILLIS KNOT.

[schaaed1]

If you want to go with segmented core (less than 10 color), use Fireline or PowerPro for backing and use a Willis Knot to connect both your leader and the backing to the core. The Willis knot is much smaller than a uniknot in core.

Since you have two reels that are the same, here is an easy way to spool them up for part cores:

On the first reel, run your leader on FIRST. Then spool up how ever many colors of core you want. Then fill the reel up with backer until full. Next take the end of the backer and tie it into the empty reel and wind it up ... transferring it to the empty reel. Now you will know how much backing,core and leader you can put on the now emptied reel.