leadcore 101

[alumalunker]

Im looking to get into leadcore troll for this fall for walleye. What do i need to get started. I was thinking rods would either be Gander or Cabelas trolling rods (length)? Reels diawa accudepth plus (size 40)? And 18lbs lead-core. is this a good set up? Feel free to give tips along with the pros and cons of leadcore. I do have limited experiance using leadcore on lake michigan for salmon. Any help would be much appericated.

[Gotfish]

Here's my set up for leadcore. I like the Scheels 14 footers out the side to get the wide spread. Then I use the Scheels 5 footers out the back but you could go longer. Daiwa makes a good reel and I have two of them on the 5 footers but I have the Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 7000i Syncro reels that I bought this year on the 14 footers and they are awesome.


http://www.abugarcia.com/prod.php?k=132513&sk=132487&p=PUR7000i%20SYNC%20(1126899)

I've tried several different types of lead core rods and these are the best I have found. I don't want to knock any retailers but check their return policy on rods. I know of at least one that recently changed the policy and it wasn't to the consumers benefit.

I use the Cabelas 18lb leadcore it holds up longer than others I have tried.

Brian

[chamookman]

I've been using the Cabela's 5' lead core rod, teamed with a 30 series Cabela's linecounter filled full of 18 lb. lead (holds the full core perfectly). GREAT little rod !C-man

[ScottL]

I prefer a rod with a fast tip so that it acts as a shock absorber and also it's easier to detect a strike or if your dragging bottom. I run Daiwa Heartland 8'6" rods on my leadcore setups. I would suggest matching pairs of rods so that your setups are identical and easier to "read".

[alumalunker]

thanks for all the great info im looking to start out with 2 rods. 1 out each side of the boat. Do you usually put a full core on each rod or what. I've about only puting 3 colors on a reel and then letting out additional line(backing) to achieve more depth? Also i have a 16'6 boat with a 76" beam i don't think i can handle a rod much bigger than 9ft. Lastly im going to be trying this out on a pretty stumpy reservoir and not more than 25ft in most spots.Do I need a 50ft leader ahead of the core or how long should i make it and what lbs test?

thanks

[grub]

If you're not planning on anything deeper than 25', 3 colors will work fine. Do not put a full spool (10 colors) on a reel and then only let out 3 colors. You want all of your leadcore in the water, not in the guides of your rod. It will fatigue and break.

Think in terms of 5'-7' of depth per color. You can add a snap weight to the backing if you want your 3 color to run a little deeper. You can buy leadcore in various lengths (2 colors, 3 colors, 4 colors, etc.) so you don't have to buy a full spool.

[Captain Ken]

I can reach 30 fow no problem with just 3 colors of leadcore...and that's not letting out any backing. You can reach much deeper by letting out backing after the lead. Of course that's trolling fairly slow ( 1.0 to 1.2 mph), which is a typical speed in the fall here when fish are in deep water. Even during the summer I rarely troll faster than 1.4 pulling shallow stickbaits. I like to use the Church TX 22 special boards with the "super clip" or "flex clip"...they are awesome. They hold mono, fireline, leadcore, etc. and never come off. Each color of leadcore weights 3/4 of an oz., doesn't matter the weight of the line. The different pound tests for leadcore just refer to the dacron sheath surrounding the lead. If you want to run deeper, you can spool up with the 12 lb. leadcore and it will run deeper because of its smaller diameter (less line resistance going through the water). Leadcore is a very productive method for putting fish in the boat. It's not always the most fun way to catch them...but it works! Good luck fishing...

Captain Ken
Bay de Noc Charters

[aceoky]

I'd also like to thank everyone for the information as I've only started using leadcore this year!

[tracker 1]

So if you are getting down 6' per color of lead ,6 colors at 1.8-2.0 mph should get you down to 36' correct ? Now that is not considering the lure you have on right ? If you have a hot and tot which is running 15' you add that on to the 36', which would give you 51' am I right ?

[alumalunker]

Ok thank you. I still have some questions. Whats the difference between a rod specifical for leadcore and a trolling rod. Basically i want to know what a leadcore rod will do that a trolling rod wont or board rod. Lastly what lbs leader do I want? 20 lbs cause im in stumps? Also do i need a 50 ft leader or should i go with a shorter one. Lastly I need to always let out all the leadcore?

Sorry for all the question just trying to wrap my head around this.

Thanks for all the responses

[rebs]

I've been using the Cabela's 5' lead core rod, teamed with a 30 series Cabela's linecounter filled full of 18 lb. lead (holds the full core perfectly). GREAT little rod !C-man

did you get any backing on the reel as well as about a 50ft leader

[alumalunker]

haven't got anything yet but yes ill be putting backing on the reels.

[chamookman]

Rebs - Didn't put any backing on, I primarily River fish. Leader length is around 10' of 10lb. Smoke Fireline. C-man

[Jim Carroll]

Ok thank you. I still have some questions. Whats the difference between a rod specifical for leadcore and a trolling rod. Basically i want to know what a leadcore rod will do that a trolling rod wont or board rod. Lastly what lbs leader do I want? 20 lbs cause im in stumps? Also do i need a 50 ft leader or should i go with a shorter one. Lastly I need to always let out all the leadcore?

Sorry for all the question just trying to wrap my head around this.

Thanks for all the responses

Here is some basic information from Scheels.com about trolling leadcore. I've cut and pasted the first article here below.

To read the rest, log on to www.scheels.com and search "Jim Carroll" in the search box.

The other leadcore articles are Carroll4 and Carroll2.

Hope this answers some of your questions!

Jim Carroll NPAA #13



Get the Lead Out for Walleye! Part 1 By Jim Carroll

Carroll: Trolling crankbaits using leadcore line has proven to be one of the most effective ways to catch walleye in a variety of conditions and is a technique that every walleye angler should have available in their trolling bag of tricks. Here, I will be taking a look at the basics of using leadcore line and some of the specialized gear needed to troll leadcore effectively.

Scheels: What is leadcore line?

Carroll: Leadcore fishing line is simply a hollow Dacron line with a lead filament running through the center of it. All the strength in leadcore line comes from this outer Dacron sheath. The heavier this outer Dacron sheath is, the stronger the line will be rated. The lead insert itself is very soft and easily broken and adds virtually no strength to the line. Leadcore line is color–coded and changes color every 30.’ You can then count the colors” and know approximately how much line you have let out behind the boat.

Scheels: What rating level of leadcore do you recommend?

Carroll: I use and recommend 18 lb. test leadcore line when trolling for walleyes. It has the thinnest outside diameter given its lead “core”. Salmon fishermen commonly use 27 lb. leadcore line for its extra strength. Note that the lead filament used in 27 lb. line is identical to the lead filament used in 18 lb. line, so while the 27 lb. line is stronger, it does not sink as efficiently because of its larger outside diameter. Some walleye river rats prefer 15 lb. leadcore because it’s thinner yet, and they feel it cuts through river current better than 18 lb. leadcore, even though the lead filament in 15 lb. isn’t as heavy as what is used in 18 lb. leadcore line. Confused? Then stick to 18 lb. line, which is what I do.

Scheels: What are the characteristics of a good leadcore trolling rod?

Carroll: Designing a really good fishing rod for pulling leadcore is a tricky business because of the properties of the line itself. It’s bulky and heavy, so the rod must be strong enough to deal with the extra weight and towing resistance of the line. Yet leadcore line basically has no stretch, so the rod must have a flexible tip for dealing with hard–fighting fish close to the boat. The ideal rod would have medium to medium/heavy power and a moderate taper. Graphite is the preferred rod material because the rod tip must be sensitive enough to telegraph how a crankbait is running.

Scheels: What rods do you recommend for fishing leadcore?

Carroll: A good, all–purpose trolling rod that will do a fine job with leadcore would be the Scheels 8’6” Pro Angler (SPA 861TR). This rod will also work very well for both planer board and flat line trolling. There are two specialty rods–one long and one short–I use when I want to contour troll with four lures and minimal tangles. The long rod in this trolling system is the 10’6” Scheels Pro Classic (PC–1062TMH). The short rod is the 5’ Scheels Pro Classic (PC–501LC). We will examine this system in more detail in Part 2 of this article.

Scheels: What kind of a reel is best for fishing leadcore?

Carroll: Leadcore line is very bulky by nature, and you will need a large–capacity trolling reel to fish it effectively. Although any large–capacity level wind reel can work in a pinch, I really prefer a good, large–capacity linecounter reel because it lets me be far more precise with the amount of line I’m actually letting out behind the boat. By using a linecounter reel, I can let out the leadcore in one–foot increments, rather than just counting the colors which change every 30 feet.

Scheels: What reels do you recommend?

Carroll: I highly recommend Daiwa linecounters like the Sealine SG47LCA and the Accudepth ADP47LC. First, I spool mine with 100’ of 20 lb. Berkley Fireline for backing. Next, I add nine colors of 18 lb. leadcore line, and then I finish with a leader and small snap to attach the crankbait.

Scheels: Why do I need a leader between the leadcore line and my crankbait?

Carroll: Leadcore line is so bulky and heavy that if you tried to tie it directly to a crankbait, it would effectively kill any fish catching the lure’s wobble. So you need to incorporate a leader between the end of the leadcore line and your lure.

Scheels: How do you pick your leader material and length?

Carroll: If I’m fishing near the bottom, my first choice is 10’ of 10 lb. Berkley Crystal FireLine. It’s tough, translucent in water, and transmits lure vibrations really well so I can visually see if my lure is running free from debris by checking my rod tip. When I’m fishing up off the bottom, especially in the ultra clear Great Lakes, my first choice is a longer, stealthy leader made from 40’of 15 lb. Berkley Vanish Leader Material. I use this 100% fluorocarbon line because it’s tough and nearly invisible to fish even in clear water.

Scheels: How do you attach your leader material to the leadcore line?

Carroll: Strip a couple of inches of the actual lead filament out of the end of the leadcore line and tie an overhand knot in this “empty” Dacron sheath. Then tie a simple nail knot or Trilene Knot with the leader material around the leadcore and slide it down tight against the overhand knot. By stripping out the actual lead first, the finished knot is less bulky and will slide through your rod guides easier. An alternate method is to tie the lead and the leader material to a tiny barrel swivel, like a size 14, which is also small enough to also pass through your rod guides.

In Part 2 of this article, I will explain why we use leadcore line when fishing for walleyes and highlight some situations where its use is highly effective.

[aceoky]

Mr.Carroll, thanks for the links!

[alumalunker]

Thank you thats exactly what i was looking for great info Jim. that covered everything! Now all i need is to get an eye or 2.:D