Lead core or riggers?

[MackPrince]

I'm curious to know how many people are fishing with lead core vs. down riggers. Locally some anglers even use lead ball weights on mono line measuring depth in "pulls".

I've always used lead core mainly due to expenses and experience and look forward to learning downrigging techniques once I get a sonar installed.

 

[twisted lines]

I use the riggers, but have a friend that occasionaly hooks more with a long line, I get more in the boat, and so does his wife. I know a lot of it is because he will skip them over the top of the water when they surface!

 

[SilverBullets]

Downriggers are a real benefit when you can see fish on the finder and see your ball drop down right above them every time. If there's crud floating on the surface, there's no way it can go down your line and foul up your set-up. The downrigger allows you the flexibility for the use of ball trolls, you can then enjoy the fight with only the fish and lure on your line. It also allows for the use of the black box for attracting kokanee to your presentation, and you can make tight turns with short set backs to go back through for multiple hook-ups. They are extremely effective for targeting specific depths. I sometimes attach a gauge to the ball to get temperature readings in 5' increments.

 

[SuperD]

I think real early in the season an argument could be made for other methods than downriggers as the fish are high enough in the water column. However, I'm of the belief that lead core has its limits to how far you can sink it, no matter how many colors you have out.

 

[FishHunter]

I think real early in the season an argument could be made for other methods than downriggers as the fish are high enough in the water column. However, I'm of the belief that lead core has its limits to how far you can sink it, no matter how many colors you have out.

I like using lead core early in the season, especially here in Colorado. Blue Mesa kokes are only 15 to 20 feet deep going into June and it seems like a waste to use the downriggers at such shallow depths.

Sometimes I will run one lead core rod straight out of the back of the boat even in mid-summer just for fun, but catch mostly rainbows and brook trout with it.

The drawback to lead core is that the more colors you have out, the longer it takes to get the fish to the boat. My loss ratio is much higher than it is using the downriggers.

 

[MackPrince]

Great discussion guys.
I agree lead core has several limitations. 1- Without banana weights the line will bow under water past 6-7 colors making the maximum depth around 45 feet. (thermoclines effect sink rate) 2-You do need to reel in more line when fighting a fish increasing the chance of a hook shaking out or reeling too fast and skipping the fish on the surface. (I even see some people pump when reeling kokes.. not good) 3- With more line out s-turning and fishing with partners takes practice to keep from snags and maintaining lure presentation.

Some benefits are that when fish are shallow (15-30ft.) the action can be fast due to no voltage or boat noise concerns. By using a slow action rod, drag set right and snubbers lost hooksets can be minimized. Best of all by holding the rod you can feel and see strikes. Even a missed hit is a jolt to my heart rate.
-Keep it comin'

 

[SuperD]

The drawback to lead core is that the more colors you have out, the longer it takes to get the fish to the boat. My loss ratio is much higher than it is using the downriggers.

Not to mention the lost "sport" aspect of feeling the fight.

 

[GVF]

Deep or shallow I like downriggers I have used them to hold my lures down 5 ' and I still only have 6# or 8# line on the fish. The other big advantage I didnt see was putting multiple lines in on one rigger. I run 4 lines with two of us in the boat stacking them at different depths to locate the fish.

 

[Kokaholic]

What GVF just said

 

[Petty4life]

I use downriggers 99% of the time. but alway have a leadline set up and dipsys just in case.

 

[Digi-Troller]

Hey, another vote for downriggers. The better we've become at using downriggers, the less our lead core setups got used. For the last couple years they have just sat on the garage shelf. I can't imagine they'll be coming off that shelf this year either. Early in the season we do use mono flatlines, and side planers, in addition to our downriggers. Set the 3 riggers at 10 feet down, with the lines set 100 feet back... then run one or two flatlines off the back of the boat, and two out the sides on the planer boards. But, once the fish get down past about 20 feet, we use the riggers exclusively the rest of the year.

 

[AFDan52]

I started out using lead Core line and after being introduced to Downrigging, I guess I just never looked back

 

[oldguysrule]

I am a controlled depth fisherman, riggers all the way.thumbsup

 

[Propnut69]

Another vote for downriggers. I have never fished for kokes using leadcore,but used to drag it around when I was chasing macks. For me using a downrigger is so much simpler,especially when the action is hot.I can get my line out and my rigger set,alot easier and faster then using leadcore.

 

[Fish Junky]

I vote downrigger as well. I do have a couple leadcore set-up though. I figure I might need them if I go with someone that don't have downriggers or they would be good to have if there is an electrical problem.

 

[vvBob]

I have always used downriggers, never tried lead core.
I had a friend that used lead core, & his set up was not very light action. Maybe there are lighter setups, but having one or two pounds of lead on a reel never appealed to me. Just my 02 cents

 

[HiTechKoke]

Unless you have the lake to yourself you won't be too popular using lead core... for better or worse as the Kokanee fishing guys run around cutting back and forth like drunk sailors tongue2. Yes.. I'm guilty of that.

In reality we are narrowing down on the schools and with our relatively short setbacks we can turn the boat and criss-cross with too much fear of running over the longer lines of those using lead core. The majority of the Koke fishing in California dictates going deeper beyond the lead core range except maybe in spring or the high mountain lakes where the waters stay cooler.

 

[MackPrince]

This poll seems to mirror the trend I see on the lake. Thanks for voting!

 

[Kokehead83]

Down Riggers for reasons previously mentioned downriggers are the way to go.

Ben

 

[Bduck]

Lead core is OK but only when fish are not deep. The further out you let you colors, the more of a loop you get. The loop actually get deeper than you lure presentation. I prefer downriggers. No guess work at the depths. A descent depth finder also helps. Great for monitoring your DR.