I am a FNG wanting to learn how to troll with Lead Core. I have done a lot of research but I still haven’t found the answer to this questions. When you talk about ‘x’ colors out are you talking in the water, from the rod tip, or from reel? Can I put all 10 colors on the reel without backing?
Welcome to IDO! 
We’re glad you joined us! 
I’ve been trolling with lead core line for over 14 years and I like you, had many questions when I first started.
Here’s a few things you should know..
– A full core of lead core line is usually 10 colors (they also make 20 color spools now)
– Each color is 30 feet long so a full core of lead core line is 300 feet
– When someone says “put out 3 colors” – what they mean from your rod tip to your leader.
– You must attach a leader to your lead core. Here’s another thread that tells you how to do that: Best Lead Core Knot to Use
– You add and calculate your depth curve for your crankbait in regard to your leader length and then add the correct amount of lead core to achieve your desired trolling depth.
– Regular Leadcore line has a thick diameter due to the lead inside of the nylon sheath so you need to have a bigger reel to accommodate the lead core. How much you will want to put on your reel depends on how deep you plan to fish.
– Regular lead core (most guys use 18 lb) sinks 5 feet per color when trolling at 2 mph. The faster you troll – the higher your lead core line will raise up in the water column and the slower you troll – your lead core line will sink. A .2 mph difference in speed can raise our lower your leadcore line approximately a foot when fishing with 3 or 4 colors. Simply put – leadcore line is speed sensitive.
– The new Sufix 832 lead core line had a thinner diameter than the regular lead core line and therefore sinks faster – 7 feet per color when trolling 2 mph. Most guys like me are using 12 lb test.
– So…. if you’re only going to be trolling in water up to 25 feet deep – you only have to put 5 colors of regular lead core on your spool. If you plan on fishing deeper water – you will need to add one color per 5 feet of depth. If you’re going to be using the new Sufix 832 lead core line – the you can achieve 35 feet of depth using 5 colors.
– I recommend that you use some cheap mono backing on your spool before you apply your lead core.
– You do not need a line counter reel when using leadcore. You can simply count the colors. However, I use line counter reels for all my lead core set ups because it’s easier to put out 100 feet of leadcore line versus counting 3 and 1/3 colors to acheive a depth of 17.5 feet of depth (regular lead core). It also allows you to be more consistent and a line counter reel is not that much more money.
– When using a line counter reel – you must make sure that it is reading accurately. It does not count feet. It actually counts revolution of your spool and line is going in or out. So… if your spool is not full – it may be reading 14 -18 inches versus 12 inches. The way you can check it is you measure for example 150 feet in your yard and then pull off your line on your line counter reel and see what it says. If it says more than 150 feet – you need to add more line to increase the diameter of your spool so one revolution is 12 inches. Usually on most reels if your spool is full – you’re close.
Which lead core line you use (regular lead core versus Sufix 832 lead core) and what leader line you use (fluorocarbon, mono or braid) depends on your trolling scenario. Are you going to be trolling structure? Are you going to be trolling for suspended walleyes out in the open water? Lake or river?
Colors under the water is what I go by.
You could put 100 colors on a reel if the reel is big enough… Always run mono backer with any type of hard line. You need something to synch to the spool to keep the line from spinning on the spool itself.
Quote:
I am a FNG wanting to learn how to troll with Lead Core. I have done a lot of research but I still haven’t found the answer to this questions. When you talk about ‘x’ colors out are you talking in the water, from the rod tip, or from reel? Can I put all 10 colors on the reel without backing?
I would recommend using some mono backing just to make sure your lead ore doesn’t spin on the spool. If you ever expect to put all 10 colors out at once (probably only applies for Salmon around here) I’d also recommend adding some superline such as Suffix 832 between the mono and the lead.
When counting colors you are talking to where your line enters the water. A general rule of thumb that I use to determine less than a full color are as follows – 1/2 color is right when your line leaves spool and 1/3 color is when the line is at the tip of your rod.
If using boards, it is ok, and an accepted norm to clip right on to the lead as well ????? Any issues with the line getting damaged?
Safe to assume flags on the board don’t work with lead core do to the added weight?
Quote:
If using boards, it is ok, and an accepted norm to clip right on to the lead as well ????? Any issues with the line getting damaged?
I’d use segmented leadcore with boards.
Quote:
If using boards, it is ok, and an accepted norm to clip right on to the lead as well ????? Any issues with the line getting damaged?
Safe to assume flags on the board don’t work with lead core do to the added weight?
Over time, attaching your leadcore line to your planer board will damage the line (especially when using Sufix 832 lead core). Regular lead core is a little better but you’re limited on how far you can put it away from the boat because the line sags due to the weight between the planer board and your rod tip. When I want troll with lead core on a board, I will use a segmented lead core application. Basically it’s your leader, then so many numbers of lead core depending on how deep you want to place your lure, then mono or braid back to your spool. You then simply attach your planer board to your backing right after your leadcore ends. The downfall is that you are now locked into that depth because you only have that many colors out. So…. what I do now is splice in a 3 foot section of mono or braid in between the colors. For example, working from my lure to my reel, I have a leader, 3 colors of lead core, a 3 foot splice of heavy braided line, another color of leadcore and then mono or braid back to my reel. That way I can fish with either 3 or 4 colors.
I also like to use the Offshore OR-18 Adjustable Tension Release on my planer boards. You can tighten or loosen the tension by simply turning a screw and it helps secure your line better.
Quote:
Safe to assume flags on the board don’t work with lead core do to the added weight?
If you are talking about tattle tail flags you are correct. When running boards with deep diving cranks I always use the clicker and loosen the drag on my reel so that any additional tension will set off your clicker. Especially helpful in waves where you may not notice a strike from smaller fish.
I always learn somthing new on this site! Thanks fellas
If I have a lure that runs 5′ deep and I have 2 colors out will that put me at about 15′ when trolling with lead core?
Only from what I have read here…. take the dive curve of the lure based on the length of the leader. Short leader, the lure will still effect the depth, but not by much.
Any luck with different types of knots for the suffix 832?? the willis knot has been a tough one for me. seems to just unravel the sheath just seems to unravel when I try to feed the mono back through it!
This is all great information about how to correctly fish and spool up lead core line. As far as the question on how to connect leader line to lead core line this has been a very effective and simple line to line connection that has always been fail free to me. You simply tie an overhand knot in your leadcore line creating a bumb in the line trim off your excess line then with your leader line weather it is flourocarbon line or a braided line which I would recommend Sufix braid tie it on to the line above the knot in the lead with a clinch knot and cinch it down to the knot in the lead and cinch it tight and trim off your excess and you have a very strong line to line connection that you can safely reel through your line guides on your pole with out any problems. Hope this will help out.
Paul Delaney
http://www.lateeyessportfishing.com
Quote:
Any luck with different types of knots for the suffix 832?? the willis knot has been a tough one for me. seems to just unravel the sheath just seems to unravel when I try to feed the mono back through it!
I use a cool little knot tying tool called Tie-Fast
I’ve been fishing Lead core for at least 15 years and fine it fun and very relaxing. I call it easy fishing which is what I like. I’m able to fish and take in everything around me at the same time.
I fish Sufix Performance I find it to be a good quality at a reasonable price. The 832 is too pricey for me, but I do hear good and bad things about it and may try it someday . That’s not to say other brands aren’t just as good. I fish a lake with a depth of 90 feet or less and haven’t needed more than 7.5 colors to reach may targets. I do put about 50 feet of backing on just in case I need to have a little more running distance, but never have yet. Leader never exceeds 25′ so it’s a very small factor in depth. Unless you exceed an ounce in lure weight that’s not a big factor either. Speed and colors out make a big difference. So I do adjust colors out especially for the change in speed when going with and against the wind, or trying to determine the best hits speed. Like most lead core user I’ve read many posts on discussion of lead core and still do. I’ve been returning and re-reading a lot then and adding my 2 cents here and there
Some may fine this as useful as I do.
Lead Core Depth Calculator
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=fishing%20lead%20core&c=apps
Have a Great Day Fishing
It’s sure nice of you to dig up ask these old leadcore threads, trying to promote your app…what else would we read on a slow Sunday.
Hi riverrat56
Actually I have read this, and many other posting on lead core over the years, as I’m sure others have. I stated that 15 years I’ve been using lead core, but it’s actually over 30. I can’t speak for others, but when I did search forums for lead core information it’s was almost always to get a better handle on how to determine what depth my lure was at. So now I’m retired and years later I found myself still looking for a better way to determine the depth of my lure using lead core, and it was obvious others were too.
Anyway a year ago I decided to do something about it because I love to fish, and I fish with lead core almost always. I wasn’t always a programmer, but I developed the skill working for a high precision company. So a year ago after retiring I put my skill to work for myself. This is my first Android App, I pick android only because my phone is android. I did it for me, with no intention at the time to post it. I’m pretty proud of how it turned out, the same way most of us are when we catch that monster. So yea guess I’m showing it off, and yes I think it’s a good accomplishment. So why not share it and maybe recover a little bit of what it cost to develop too. Also it’s pretty rewarding when someone is willing to purchase something you created even at $.99, and even more so if they use it often.
Do I expect to get rich, make a lot of money, I think not, it costs $25 dollars to post Apps on Google Play, and they get 30% of what you charge. When you Include the development cost it’s a lot like fishing . If I were to determine what each fish I caught cost me I’m sure it would be interesting.
I can see where my post might be received as a self serving , and it is , but certainly not in a bad way.
Had someone else made the same post several years ago, for me that would have been good reading. It’s actually the type of info I look for on forums. Sorry if I offended anyone, but I actually figured it might be of interest.
In any case Nice Catch – Have A Great Day
Hi Mark, I. I am another FNG to this site and to lead core. It looks like a good tool but I fish mostly big river resovoirs out west with variable current. I am curious if current speed is a factor in the apps. equasion for speed/depth calculation?
Remember this is a thread from 2015. He hasn’t been active for almost a year.
DT
Thanks. I’m new to this stuff and the learning curve is still steep.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
