My blog readers know that I spend a LOT of time trolling in the winter, spring, summer, and fall. This technique can be a bit boring but is a great way to target salmonids (click here and here for examples) and non-salmonids (click here and here for examples) by probing large areas of their habitat using multiple lures. I deploy two distinct sets of “tools” to support my trolling habits: lead core line and a portable downrigger. This blog discusses the former, and more specifically the setup that I have used for years, and which has worked well for me. For the record, I also troll for smallmouth bass using floating Rapalas, but that approach is fundamentally different from placing lures at depth and is therefore not discussed further.
What is lead core line? It consists of a two-layered fishing line with a center made of a thin lead strand sheathed by a layer of a synthetic cloth material. This line is spooled on a fly-fishing reel and fished using a fly-fishing rod but is not cast out due it its weight. Instead, it is spooled out by hand. Every 10 yards of line has a different color to allow the angler to keep track of how deep the lures are running. For example, “three colors down” indicates that three colors (30 yards or 90 feet) of lead core line is in the water.
Whenever possible, I like trolling with both a downrigger and lead core line at the same time for one simple reason: placing more lures in the water means a higher probability of catching fish! When doing so, it is a good idea to place the lures on the downrigger deeper than those on the lead core line to minimize entanglements. However, after years of trial and error, I have noticed that trolling with lead core line yields about twice as many fish as a downrigger. Why is that? A downrigger is a “passive” method, meaning that the fishing line is clipped to the downrigger weight and the lures at the end of the line are wriggling on their own without angler’s input. Fishing with lead core line is a more “active” method because, as explained below, the angler is in full control of the lures at the end of the line. As a result, I typically use spoons (or sown bait) on the downrigger because they move erratically by themselves when pulled through the water. However, I prefer using streamer flies with lead core line, but only if I can hold the rod to make the lures come alive!
The trick with lead core line is to constantly work the lures. Unless I am trolling from my canoe, in which case I need both arms to paddle and must place the rod in between my legs, I always hold the fly-fishing rod in my hands and constantly “rip” the line as the motorboat slowly moves forward. The streamer flies down below will move erratically and “pulsate” as they jerk forward, stop, and then leap ahead again. These crazy movements are more likely to catch the eye of a hungry predator down below. That explains the different catch rates between lead core line and downrigger. It takes effort to hold the fly rod and constantly rip the line, but the rewards will be obvious.
Fishing with lead core line has certain limitations that need to be appreciated. I do all my trolling on Maine ponds and lakes in the top 40 feet of the water column. Hence, I never release more than six, maybe seven colors max. Believe me when I tell you that 7 colors, or 210 feet, of lead core line in the water generates a serious resistance, particularly when holding and ripping the rod! It is of course possible to use lead core line to go deeper still but not while holding the rod in your hand. Also, bringing in (say) 10 colors, or 300 feet, of line using a fly-fishing reel with a gear ratio of 1:1 is slow, hard, and unpleasant work. Hence, the descriptions provided in this blog reflect my own style of fishing and may not work if one plans to troll with lead core line much deeper than 40 feet.
The major components of a lead core line system are discussed below and are quite basic. In fact, this fishing technique has been around for well over 100 years and has essentially remained unchanged.
Fly-fishing rod: A fly-fishing rod is the classic way to troll with lead core line. I purchased a 9-foot long, 8-weight rod years ago to support my trolling obsession. That rod has worked perfect for me. I use it exclusively for trolling (i.e., no fly casting) and therefore did not get anything too fancy or costly. Keep in mind that high-performance fly-fishing rods can get stupid expensive really fast. That is not the rod you need for trolling! Also, I would not go any lighter than 8-weight because lighter rods have less backbone and would have a hard time handling the heavy lead core line.
Fly-fishing reel: A fly-fishing reel is used for trolling with lead core line. Nothing fancy or expensive is required here as the reel is not used for fly casting. The two key requirements are that it must be able to hold 100+ yards of lead core line and should be equipped with a decent drag system.
Lead core line: Lead core line comes in various lengths, densities, and diameters. The line can be used for several years but beware that small kinks will create weak spots that will eventually snap the line (lead is a soft metal…). Carefully remove those kinks as soon as you become aware of their presence. Unlike fly-fishing with a floating or sinking line, one does not need to add backing to lead core line. The reason is two-fold: a) when I catch a large fish 3, 4, 5 colors down and that fish runs, I still have several hundred ft. of line to work with, and b) the lead core line itself creates resistance when pulled by the fish in the water which will tire it down and limit the distance it will run.
Monofilament: The lures are not fastened directly to the lead core line. Instead, they are tied to 20-30 feet of monofilament fishing line (10-pound test works for my needs) attached to the lead core line using a small barrel swivel.
Congratulations! You purchased a new fly-fishing rod, fly-fishing reel, and lead core line and are excited to start catching fish! Follow the steps outlined below to properly deploy your lures.
- Bring the boat to trolling speed. Hold the rod in one hand, place the lures in the water, grab the lead core line with the fingers from your other hand, and slowly pull the line off the reel. The idea is not to jerk the line out too fast as that could create a “bird’s nest”. Wiggle the rod to let the monofilament and lead core line work their way through the rod rings.
- Keep track of the colors as the lead core line comes off the reel (note: the length of monofilament does not count since it has no weight). How deep the lures run will depend on how many colors of lead core line are in the water (not just off the reel). Typically, every additional color adds about 5-6 feet to the fishing depth but that will depend somewhat on the density and diameter of the lead core line (both vary by manufacturer), and your trolling speed. One quickly gets a feel for how deep lures are running when they get stuck on the bottom and the depth is checked using an electronic depth finder. While this is not an exact science, with experience an angler will become adept at placing their offerings within a foot or two of the desired depth.
- Hold the rod in your hand and constantly “rip” the line as the boat moves forward. I am not talking about 5-feet wide sweeps here, but small tugs that will cause the lures at the other end to move erratically and attract attention below. As I mentioned earlier, I typically use streamer flies when I troll with lead core line in a motorized craft where I can hold the rod. Because of the inherent action of spoons when pulled through the water, I will deploy these lures on my lead core line when I paddle in a canoe and cannot hold the rod. However, I never use streamer flies with lead core line if I cannot hold the rod to make them come alive…
- And now comes the most thrilling part of fishing with lead core line and working the lures: this system provides a direct connection between you and the fish. The hit is ALWAYS hard and vicious! A hungry predator is trying to grab a little prey fish which it knows instinctively has incredible reflexes. Hence, the hunter pounces on its prey/your lure from behind and at great speed. And that action gets instantly translated into your hand through the inflexible lead core line. I just LOVE the feeling when the rod is almost ripped out of my hands after it is hit by a truck down below! That feeling is like a freakin’ drug: I just cannot get enough of it! This is the fundamental reason that trolling with lead core line has such a hold on me.
Unlike trolling with a down rigger where it is essential to use a depth finder to avoid getting the weight stuck in boulders on the bottom, trolling with lead core does not explicitly require a depth finder. The worst that can happen is that your lures get stuck on the bottom and you lose them when the monofilament line snaps… Nonetheless, I use a depth finder whenever possible to limit the loss of lures and provide situational depth awareness.
I will end this blog with a note of caution when fishing from the front of a motorized craft with lead core. The line descends into the water column at a shallow angle (i.e., 10 yards ̴ 5 feet down). That means that it is only just below the surface next to the boat. If, for example, your buddy up front is fishing with lead core line on the left side and you make a sharp turn to the right, that line can easily wrap itself around the propeller in the back! If that happens (and it will, I speak from experience…), immediately place the engine on idle, and then on “backwards”. If done carefully, the odds are good that the lead core line will simply unspool itself off the propeller without damage. If not, then it may be necessary to cut the line with a wire cutter and manually remove it from the propeller to retrieve the lures.
Was the information in this blog useful? I invite you to share your thoughts and opinions.
Tight lines, y’all.
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