Lead Core Fishing.

[Terry Beeson]

I just received some new samples from Hendrix Outdoors including a couple of Sierra Rod Lead Core series rods. I admit that I'm not familiar with lead core fishing. Anyone here familiar and use the method in this area?

[flytyer57]

I just received some new samples from Hendrix Outdoors including a couple of Sierra Rod Lead Core series rods. I admit that I'm not familiar with lead core fishing. Anyone here familiar and use the method in this area?

I've used lead core a few times fishing for walleye back in WI. I'd add about 30' to my mono line to help get the lures down while trolling. I would imagine those rods would target the walleye guys. Can't think of much else use for them except for maybe stripers, but will the rods hold up them?

[Chief Grey Bear]

Lead core rods????? Or is this lead core line???? I have heard but never used the lead core line. But rods???? Did I misunderstand this????

[flytyer57]

Lead core rods????? Or is this lead core line???? I have heard but never used the lead core line. But rods???? Did I misunderstand this????

Oh come on Chief. Even I can figure out that these are rods designed for lead core line fishing.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Well, that is why I asked. Fly rods are not my area of expertise.

[flytyer57]

Well, that is why I asked. Fly rods are not my area of expertise.

Not fly rods either.

Rods for fishing with lead core line.

[Chief Grey Bear]

They make lead core fly line don't they???

The Sierra Rod Lead Core series rods sounds more like a fly rod than a rod for trolling the Great Lakes. I would assume that most people would associate Sierra with mountains, thus trout fishing. Not so much so with trolling the Great Lakes. But I could be wrong. And most likely I am.

[flytyer57]

They make lead core fly line don't they???

The Sierra Rod Lead Core series rods sounds more like a fly rod than a rod for trolling the Great Lakes. I would assume that most people would associate Sierra with mountains, thus trout fishing. Not so much so with trolling the Great Lakes. But I could be wrong. And most likely I am.

Lead core line is mainly used for long-line trolling. All it really does is add weight in the line to help drag the line and lure down deeper.

I guess if one was fishing a full sink fly line, it could actually have a lead core. But most sinking lines use tungsten powder to add weight to the plastic lines these days.

[Martin]

As far as I know, leadcore line trolling is used around here (ozarks) mainly for catching walleyes, but believe me, you can catch all kinds of nice fish trolling leadcore line. It is mainly used to get a lure, specifically a small lure, (crankbait) way down beyond what it would run with regular line. Leadcore trolling is very speed dependent. The slower you go, the deeper the line will sink. In some ways, it IS like fly fishing in that you are working with the weight of the line, instead of the weight of the lure. I can put a #5 Shad Rap down 30, 35, 40 feet on leadcore line. It's all in the "length of line out VS> the speed of the boat. In very basic terms, you can expect a lure to go down about 5 feet per color (one color is 10 yds or 30 feet), at 2 mph.....So, if you wanted your #5 Shad Rap to run at 25 feet deep, you should let out 5 colors (150 feet) and go 2 mph......That will get you in the ballpark. We normally troll the really big deep divers, like the big Reef Runners on superline and run some smaller lures on the inside on laedcore. It can be a deadly tactic at times. We normally put a whole 100 yard spool of leadcore on the reel, so you need a BIG reel, since leadcore is fat line. A Daiwa Sealine 47 LC is about right. I've just touched the surface here......lol. Try looking at the archives on the Mid-South Walleyes website for more info......(Hope that's OK Phil).....The leadcore rods are really nothing fancy. Need some backbone down by the handle and some give starting about mid-rod. Some of my walleyes fishing buddies use leadcore specific rods and some just use cheapo's....I have some of both, and they all work. Hope this isn't too confusing.

[Terry Beeson]

The rods are designed around fishing/trolling for Kokanee in the lakes out west, especially around the Sierra Madre mountain range... thus, Sierra.

I'm thinking these rods would handle most Walleye and Stripers. I'd like to put one of the samples in the hands of someone who does that around here, but may not be a market for them. Then again, I can take them to WI, MI, IL, etc. and try to sell some...