Using leadcore line

[Jay]

I was wondering what poundage most guys use when fishing leadcore(long-lining); if anyone uses it. Do most guys use a 50' flurocarbon leader? Also, I know from fishing salmon in Michigan(I moved to Idaho Falls 5 yrs. ago) that it was suggested that you do not stop the leadcore on your rod tip(unless using a roller tip), or you will abraid the line and lose everything. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[MMDON]

Leadcore is plastic coated so it won't hurt your rod tip. Generally when fishing for kokanee they aren't line shy so 30' of mono or fluoro works fine. The most important thing about fishing lead core is to know your depth at speed. Leadcore eventually flatlines due to water pressure on the diameter of the line vs. weight. Depending on speed you can expect to to troll between 30 and 40 feet when long lining. The best way to test this is to find a sandy gradual sloping bank and troll closer and closer to shore until your lure begins to hit the ground. Note your setback, speed and the amount of colors out and the depth on your fishfinder. This will arm you with the info you need to know about your placement in the water column.

With all this said, it's much easier to fish with banana trolling weights and accomplish the same depths without the line drag.101idea101

 

[skookum9]

I agree with MMM, both about the guides not wearing heavy on the line and also about the banana weights being better, generally. However, this is just my opinion and is likely not to be agreed with by all, just like I prefer the use of the superbraid lines for the very reason of the reduced diameter but most others here wouldn't consider them.

You both confuse me though with the idea of either 30 or 50 feet of leader. I've never heard of anyone needing any such lengths to fish with. Maybe 30 inches but that should be about enough of that. As a fly fisher who has heard many times about the whole line shy fish thing, I have resisted the urge to conform to this concept and have tried, with good success, using only very short leaders. I have even witness many times, decent size fish that are widely known for being exceptionally spooky, come right up to my fly line to take a bite of a piece of thread that I had tied onto it to secure a connection. Fish are not as line shy as everybody seems to say they are. With a fly line, it can be important to have a longer leader so as not to spook the fish with the impact of the line as it strikes the surface but that is all. Since I don't use dry flies I do not find this something I have to worry a lot about. When trolling, it is important to have the right length leader so as to keep the distance/action of the leading flasher correct, but this is all I know of for a reason for leader length. I have seen leaders too short that cause line breaking strikes and I have seen leaders too long that cause "mellow" bites so gentle that you can't get a good hookset. Please tell me when, in your opinion, that it could ever become necessary to ever use a 30 foot leader. I am curious. Or perhaps you really meant to say 30" and I'm am just misreading your post.

 

[Flyguy55]

I use 35 to 50 feet of mono , I have never had to use dodgers or flashers, I use some home made lures that resemble wedding rings on pretty lite rods. The fight is more fun when the leaded line is on the reel, thats why the long leader .
The only time I use leadcore is if there's three on the boat . But often the leaded line out fishes the downriggers

 

[twisted lines]

After a few years of shallow water; early watching others catch fish I have two leadcore rods ready, with about 6'-8' leaders. but if I retie them this year I will tie to a swivel So I don't have to tie the double knot unless its for backing and use the leader only, works in my neck of the woods, and yes it does out produce the downriggers lots of early spring days. TL

 

[SilverBullets]

I've used leaded line in the past and always ran around 30 feet of leader. Like Flyguy55 said, once the leaded line is back on the reel you can feel the fight more, and in case the fish takes a run the mono has some stretch to it to help take up the shock so the hook doesn't get ripped out. I don't use leaded line for kokanee but do for bows and macks and from what I've read those species are line shy. As far as leaded line breaking on the rod tip, I've never had an issue. I went by the largest fish I'd be targeting when I decided on what pound test leaded line to get.

 

[MMDON]

The reason for the long leaders besides fighting the fish on mono is that fish that run sideways tend to out run the leadcore due to the drag creating a belly in the line that allows them to jump off the hook. This can be reduced by long leaders or simply using a trolling weight instead of lead core. I fished lead core for a lot of years out of small boats before getting downriggers some 10 years ago. There really isn't any way to catch a fish that isn't fun and a challenge! 101chromefish101

 

[MMDON]

A simple nail knot can be used to attach the leader to lead core. It works like a Chinese Finger Knot that tightens onto the lead core coating. The harder the pull the more it holds. I have seen nonbelievers use a dab of super glue but it isn't necessary. No double knot required.

 

[MackPrince]

I run leadcore all year. 30ft of mono helps calm any line weary fish and is easily tied to the leadcore with a blood knot. When tying the lines together I recommend threading out a few inches of the leadcore and tie directly to the nylon line. This helps keep the knot thin enough to fit through the reel guide without snagging and causing a birds nest.

There are different sink rates based on line strength. Up to 15lb test I normally have a sink rate of 6ft per color at slow idle up to 6 colors out and then the line bows and about 36'-40' is my max depth. The 18lb test and stronger use a thicker leadcore and I consistently get 7ft depth per color with a 30' leader out to 6-7 colors with a max depth of about 42-45'.

Like MMM said, experiment on a sandy area, or find out the depth the fish are running, start at 2 colors and work your way out until you get strikes.

Good luck! -Mack

 

[skookum9]

MMM, you're right about the nail knot. That's the right choice, and it's the same thing used for fly lines. You don't need the super glue but it does add strength to most knots. I would be more inclined to use a woman's clear nail polish because it will smooth out the knot even more than it already is and make it an even better joint when passing through the guides. I still can't see the need for the long leaders though, but I suppose that's because years of using fly line have taught me how to fight fish that way. I think I'm with Twisted Lines on this one, just tie directly to a swivel and then hook up the hardware to that. But I still like banana weights on superbraid better.

 

[trollmonkey]

I've used leadcore on and off for trout ,tying directly to a barrel swivel and using a 6' to 8' fluorocarbon leader. Haven't tried lead for kokes yet but saw something I might try this spring.In-Fisherman has an article in the April/May issue on trolling for pike using leadcore on planer boards.They made 1 to 3 color leadcore shooting heads with braided fly-fishing loops for connecting. Looks like it might work on shallow kokes and trout.101chromefish101

 

[ctkid]

with trolling weights, how do you know how deep you are?? the leadcore is easier.