Lead core

Why?
When?
Where?
How?

And lastly: What pound test do you recommend? Do you put on a mono backing on the spool? Do you run a mono leader? If you run a mono leader, what length?

Getting small cranks down deep or to run them at precise depths. #5 and #7 Shap raps are common or any other type of lipped baits. 18# test is a good all-around line. Mono backing is optional. Mono leader is a must. 8-10 feet of 10#. My new set up this year will be a Cabelas Depthmaster reel on a St.Croix 10 foot glass rod.

I run many differnent set ups for lead core. 18# and 27# are most common. However when I get into areas that are a little more snaggy I bring out the 36# leadcore. You will save big money on cranks this way. I run all my leadcore with braided lines unless I am in a clear lake. River doesn’t seem to matter for me. Most of my braided are in the excess of 30# but 8# diameter. I use St.Croix glass rods so that when a fish hits the rods absorb most of the needed stretch. I also back the drag off so that no matter what size fish hit the drag will go off.

As far as cranks. Some of my favorite are regular stick baits. With lead core any cranks will work. Just let the lead sink.

Just my two cents.

So;

you are not running big lipped baits with this, say the Storm deep Thunderstick or the Suspended Deep Husky Jerk? These lures will run 20 to 25 feet long lining, so I assume you don’t need lead core on these types of baits.

You say Rapalas, are you talking shallow divers or deep divers?

The lead core is what pulls the lure down? Or does it just assist with pulling the lure down and you are still relying on the bill to run deep?

Do you ever use floating rapalas and say, with 100 feet of line, how deep will it run? do you run 100 feet of lead core, or is it not necessary? Does that mean you only run 50 or 75 feet?

Sorry if I’m being a pain, but I want to try this on the Mud Flats this year and I want to get plugs deeps…….

Now, lastly. Do you use this, instead of a 3-way? If so, why in muddy water? I can understand in clear water, where the big sinker could spook fish. Does the 3-way still spook fish at times, even in muddy water? So you want to lead core?

Early in the season I use stick type baits(floating raps) on three-ways. As the water gets warmer and the water gets dirtier, I go with lipped baits like Shad Raps or baits with rattles like a Rapala Taildancer on leadcore. I run the bigger lipped baits for suspended fish on superline longlinging. I rarely run those big lipped baits to the bottom. When the bottom can vary, I think leadcore is easier to use then long-lining those big baits. The lead assists the baits to get down.

I switched to Fireline, 10ft leaders on my leadcore this year. There is hardly any stretch in the set up so a rod with a lot of give is a must. I rarely pull leadcore on lakes, so visibility is not an issue for me.

Usually, the lead is used to assist the dive curve of the bait but it is very speed dependent.

Gary,

You may have missed a similar post a couple days ago on the General Discussion forum:

Lead Core

I’ll add to my comments there. I’m useing 65 pound power pro as a leader. My leader is 7 feet long. I use a barrel swivel to connect to leader to the lead core.

I use both stick baits and diving baits. I have never used a “Deep Diver” however.

The lead core will sink any crank to a predicable depth. One color will take a crank down 5 feet at 2 mph, 2 colors 10 feet, ect. Speed up and the crank will rise, slow down, the crank will sink. Stop, and everythink goes right down to the bottom.

You mention Mud? Are you talking Mille Lacs? I don’t run LC on Mille, but if I did it would have at least a 50 foot leader and I would use a nail knot to attach the leader to the lead.

Jon;

If I may ask, you say you won’t run lead core on Mille Lacs unless you have a 50foot leader? Is that because of the water clarity?

I’m getting more confused on this……….If I understand correctly, you guys are running leadcore on the river more than the lakes. Why?

The reason I ask why is because people are running traditional 3-ways with spinner rigs on Mille with a bell sinker and catch oodles of eyes and the water is clear. Yet, you are Lead coring on muddy/dirty water to get the bait away from the boat?

I hear that you guys lead core for contour trolling, but isn’t a 3-way better for depth target range/control?

Theoretically, wouldn’t LC be better in clearwater for both cranks and spinners, because you are keeping the bait away from the boat in comparison to a big bell sinker plowing through?

Huh???

The only reason I run LC on Mille lacs is to get smaller lipped baits down to the bottom without having to run 200 feet of superline out. Just a perference for me..

I think the main reason a guy would go to lead core over a 3-way rig if the fish are spooky under the boat you can get your bait just as deep but farther away from the boat.

I use lead core to get smaller, shallow diving baits like the #4 RS Shad Raps or #5 Shad Raps down into the twenty foot plus range.

Big lipped, deep diving baits have too much action.

I always use a 30-50ft mono leader on Mille Lacs… and I only use the ‘core mainly on really windy, wave filled days. Sometimes, they only want leadcore… other days a superline with a long mono leader. I have started to pull boards more often now… and leadcore doesn’t work well in that situation… unless its segmented.

I have used leadcore on Mille Lacs a few times and it has always been segemented, as Travis mentioned. I usually run at 30ft vanish leader/2 color setup.

30ft seems to be pretty effective, I personally wouldn’t go any shorter if you plan on pulling Lead on Mille Lacs.

Guys;

Thanks for all of your replies. It is starting to come together now.

Scott,
When you use the segmented lead core with 30 ft of vanish in front of the lead, what do you run behind the lead? How do you figure out what kind of a dive curve that approach gives you? How much line do you let out after the lead?
Sorry about all the questions.

Thanks,
Mike

Crossin, I run Vanish on each side of my set ups. 30ft/2 colors of lead/ then 14 lb Vanish to the rod. I only run this set up on boards. To be honest, it is trial and error and I never really know how deep it is running. Leadcore is very speed dependent, the faster you troll, the shallower it runs, slow down, it sinks.

Running segemented lead is like using inline weights. You really don’t now exactly where you are running, you just try a bunch of set-ups until you get it dialed in. Over the years I have come up with several set-ups that I like to run, but again, each of those are speed dependent.

I can say this, I rarely fish the bottom when trolling cranks so I don’t have a need for more than 2 colors.

Not sure if that is what you are looking for but it is one of those things that has a lot of variables to it.

Thanks Scott!

That’s the info I was looking for. I know most guys are trolling suspended fish on Mille Lacs, and the segmented 2 color system makes sense and you don’t have to worry about a snap weight.

Thanks again.

Mike

I personally don’t use snap weights anymore. I gave that up two years ago. I just didn’t feel comfortable that my baits were running even close to where I was trying to run them.

I am really new to lead core trolling, but have found on the river, it is very effective for trolling the deeper channel edge with varying depths. I can keep my bait near bottom in varying depths by increasing or decreasing speed slightly. There is a definate trial and error period, but then you get a “feel” for it and it becomes much easier, and very productive!
John