lead core

[bottomdweller]

Hi, thinking about doing some trolling using lead core this fall. My question is, is lead core used for just deep water or can I also use this for shallow water trolling and also using bottom bouncers? Thought I might try for some eyes this fall and take a lil time out from bowhunting. Also what size line should I get for eyes and do you use like a two foot leader with a snap swivel?

Thanks

[Borch]

Leadcore has a couple applications. The most common is to get lures/baits deeper. But leadcore also follows the boats track very closely so guys also use it for contour trolling were there are tight turns ans/or sharp drop offs. I won't use bottom bouncers in combination with leadcore but thats me. As far as a leader length I use 50-70 feet of leader material. Some guys run shorter leader especially for contour trolling but I haven't heard of leaders much shorter than 10 feet. Most of the guys fishing leadcore just for eyes use 18 lb leadcore.

I'm fairly new to leadcore use so more season guys will likely have more good info.

[cvanderweyst]

just wondering why it would be necessary to run a 50-70ft leader

i would think 8-10 ft would be enough to keep the fish from seeing it an it would be enough to give the lure its proper action.

[Mike Walerak]

I only run about 5 feet of 20 pound powerpro leader on my leadlines. I had too may tangles with longer leaders.

mw

[Borch]

I troll leadcore in clear lakes and have then set up so I can also use then salmon fishing in the great lakes so that why I run longer leaders. Lots of different opinions on how long it needs to be. Also with a longer leader I don't fret about needing to cut off 5 feet due to nicks. I guess I've never had issues with tangles with the longer leader as it reels up smoothly through the guides and onto the reel.

[tunrevir]

You can use the leadcore for shallow water fishing. I know some guys will use three to five colors to get the bait down to a certain depth rather then putting a full spool of core on a reel. When used in this manner you can still put snap weights on the mono backing to reach even deeper. Never ran bouncers with leadcore.

Tunrevir~

[S.D. Ice Angular]

I am new to this also,

So you spool up a reel with "Lead Core" then make leaders out of mono or flouro??

Is this the correct assumption?

Do you just tie the two lines together or is there a swivel of something like that used?

Thanks

SD

[Borch]

You'll also have some backing that is either mono or braid. The knot I use you break off 2-3" of the lead from the leadcore line. Feed the mono leader material through the leadcore through the now hollow leadcore line until it bumps up against the lead still in the leadcore line. Tie 2-3 half hitch s and tighten upwhere the leadcore sheath and mono are. The knot is good to go.

[Esox_Magnum]

I run 30' Power Pro leaders tied together with a knot on the leadcore, tie the PP above the knot, cinch tight and no problems. I even run it shallow like 10' or less at night instead of switching rods to mono for shallow spring trolling and do well.

[PerchJerker]

I also use longer leaders on my leadcore, especially when fishing in clear water. Usually at least 20 but not more than 50 feet of leader between my lead and my bait.

Leadcore is speed dependent, meaning the slower you go the deeper it gets, and the faster you go the shallower it runs. With the proper combination of speed and how much lead you have out you can fish it relatively shallow or deep.

I tie my lead directly to my backing and my leaders, no swivel.

[jigginjim]

I also tie direct to backing and leader, a swivel could break out the eye liner in the tip. My leaders are normally 15-20 ft long. Lead core can also work for trolling over weed beds with spinner rigs. I have used almost 90yds to get floating minnows down, But since gone to snap weights for trolling crankbaits and some spinner rigs. Lead core works very well for slow trolling.