Is Leadcore Right For Me?

Is Leadcore Right For Me?
By Captain Jim Hirt
I received this e-mail recently and thought it was a good question that more anglers would be interested in. Should you have a question please e-mail me from my Website contact us page http://www.bluemaxcharters.com I will be pleased to answer. My charter season is under way and it may take a while to back to you.
Hello Capt. Jim Hirt:
I really liked your informative article on using leadcore line on the http://www.badgertackle.com web site!!! I am asking for some additional info on using lead core.
I am an avid fisherman on the north shore of lake Erie central basin in Ontario waters. My girl friend and I are always fishing for walleye and trout in the warm weather with great success. Besides my 3 downriggers on my 17 foot boat, Last season I started running the offshore inline planers (yellow ones)…one on each side. I was using a 3 way swivel with one too two ounces of lead and a 4 foot lead pulling a body bait lure. We caught walleye on this setup and a few lunkers (biggest ever). I used line counter reels, one reeled with Power Pro and the other with mono. We are fishing 55 to 75 feet of water. Usually the fish are suspended 40 to 60 feet down. My million dollar question is can we reach these fish at these depths with a leadcore setup off the inline planers. I was reading an article on a Website saying the inline planers would sink if you spool with more than three colors (each color is 10 yds). He was using crankbaits, I use minnow type baits like Ripplin Redfins, Husky Jerks and AC Shiners (floating baits) I would like to here your opinion.
How much lead core (yardage and pound test) can you run from inline planers? What kind of inline planers would you recommend? I really like the idea of purchasing two leadcore outfits to run off my inline planers to target these fish at these depths. Can you recommend a set-up for leadcore to run off inline planers to get down to these fish? Thank you so much for reading this far and could you please reply by email. Have a great fishing season!!!
Thank you for reading my articles. I hope they contribute to you success. I fish leadcore down to 80 feet with no problems. Use one color of 27 pound for every 4-5 feet of depth that you are making your presentation. The variables in depth are boat speed, leader length and type of lure. A slow boat speed with a short leader of fluorocarbon will run about 5 feet per color. A faster boat speed and longer leader will run higher in the water column. Diving lures vs. spoons will also run a little deeper. Back your reel with Power Pro 30 pound. Run as many colors as needed to reach the depth you would like. Finish with a Seaguar fluorocarbon leader of 10 feet and a 30 pound cross lock ball bearing swivel snap. The board I run is determined by the number of colors of lead. For one to seven colors I use Church walleye boards this is their biggest board. Above seven colors I like Yellow Bird Big boards. They make two sizes this is their biggest one. I have run up to 20 colors with no problems on Big Birds. To keep it simple you could run all Big Birds.
I do not like the ready made leadcore combos. They use a Dacron backing it wears easily and breaks and there goes your set up. Power Pro costs more but it will last many seasons. Buy a reel with a retrieve rate of 4.2 to 1 or higher with a capacity of at least 350/30 pound for up to 10 colors. Eight foot medium heavy fiberglass rod will do the trick. Go inexpensive on the rod no more than $25 you don’t need an expensive rod. The total for rod and reel should be about $75. full core lead $12, Power Pro $13, Seaguar fluorocarbon leaders $12 and great fishing action on difficult fishing days PRICELESS. The best of luck to you this season!! Jim charters out of Milwaukee, WI. with Blue Max Charters. He can be reached at 414-828-1094 or visit his web site at http://www.bluemaxcharters.com Copyright© 2007, James J. Hirt, All Rights Reserved.