LEAD CORE LINE: CUTTING THROUGH THE CRAP – Mark Romanack

LEAD CORE LINE: CUTTING THROUGH THE CRAP – Mark Romanack

Author: Great Lakes Angler Magazine
Published: March 10, 2023

“Technically speaking, just about any artificial lure or live bait rig can be used at the terminal end of a lead core set up.

I find it ironic that a fishing line that  has been widely available to anglers since the late 1940s continues to be surrounded by misinformation and half-truths. Lead core fishing line was designed with trolling in mind. In my eyes as an avid troller, lead core is a fish catching machine. Despite how effective lead core is at catching all kinds of fish, it absolutely amazes me how many anglers do not fully understand even the fundamentals of fish-ing lead core.

 

ALL LEAD CORE IS NOT CREATED EQUAL

All the lead core lines on the market are not created equal. For decades the only lead core line option were various brands of lines that featured Nylon/Dacron as the outer coating over a soft lead wire that makes the line sink. Nylon coated lead core is available in 12/15-, 18/27- and 36/45-pound test options. The 12- and 15-pound test share the same diameter lead wire as do the 18- and 27- and the 36-and 45-pound test versions.

So there are three different lead wire diameters that are adapted to six differ-ent pound test offerings. As a result the “sink rate” or depth that these lines will achieve is similar for 12/15, 18/28 and 36/45 which brings up the question why do so few anglers use 36-pound test lead core which is the heaviest stuff widely available to the fishing consumer?

The very reason anglers use lead core line is to achieve greater depths with their trolling gear. Ironically, the deeper running 36-pound test lead core is rarely used in the Great Lakes. The 27-pound test lead core is overwhelmingly the most popular choice with some walleye anglers favoring 18-pound test lead core.

Dacron/Nylon lead core lines have essentially been unchanged for decades. It could be argued that these lines worked great when they were introduced around the end of World War II and they work equally well today.

Lead core lines that feature a Spectra Fiber/Microdyneema sheath such as Western Filament’s Micro Lead and Sufix Advanced Lead are made from stronger and thinner fibers than those used in traditional Nylon/Dacron/Polyester braids.”

The full article can be found here. 

Photo Credit: Original Author


No Comments

    Leave a comment

    Report

    Your report is anonymous.
    Hidden
    Hidden
    This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Featured Tags