Lead Core, What's the Big Deal???

[JoeMan]

I love my cores. I have a 4, 6 and two fulls. More than once I have had a fish take the line out of my hand while I am attaching the board. I was out with my son a couple of years ago it was Sunday PM and we had been fishing all weekend. We set 2 riggers, 2 dipsys, a full core and a half core. After the lines were set my son layed down to take a short nap while I steered the boat and watched the lines. A short time later the rigger went off. I got the rod and was fighting the fish when my son woke up. He netted the fish and got it to the cooler when the full core went off. My son jumped on the rod and watched as the fish just kept taking line. As I turned around a dipsy went. I fought that fish and had to net it myself. My son had not ever got the board back to the boat yet. I set the dipsy rod aside and the half core went. I had to put that rod in the holder mid-fight to finally unhook my sons board. I landed the fish on the half core and just as I cleared the net my sons fish was at the back of the boat. Finally landed my sons 20# king after 45 minutes and about 1.5 miles with no one steering the boat. We finally looked around to find boats on both sides of us cheering us on. What a trip!

[Boltman]

Thanks to all that Chimmed in, and gave me their notes on Lead Core, that being said I think I will get a little experience under myy belt before I go to lead core. Maybe I'll stay with my mono lines for a year or so, then when I get brave and more knowledge in my head, I'll add a few Lead core poles....

Well what do you guys think about that???? I need to get used to my riggers first and then take the leap...

[Nailer]

Thanks to all that Chimmed in, and gave me their notes on Lead Core, that being said I think I will get a little experience under myy belt before I go to lead core. Maybe I'll stay with my mono lines for a year or so, then when I get brave and more knowledge in my head, I'll add a few Lead core poles....

Well what do you guys think about that???? I need to get used to my riggers first and then take the leap...

What is your current setup?

What area do you fish out of?

If I was going to start from scratch I would start with; 2 riggers (if you need to you can stack two poles on each rigger), Then I would get two braid diver poles, Then I would start investing in the core/copper poles, next two wire diver poles.

I believe, braid diver poles with flasher/fly are the best all around money spent when fishing for salmon.

Core is great, but you are limited to the depth it will go. You can run a braid dive any where from 10-100'

[1mainiac]

Robert I don't know the area you are fishing so that makes it tough to give good advise and all of us here vary somewhat in our approach. This is why I suggested to Mike to put up the scenaro section which allows us to put in conditions and locations and get back ideas from others as to how they would fish them. As my uncle told me 40 years ago a aggressive Salmon will bite a old tennis shoe with hooks in it and nothing will make some of them bite. This is still somewhat true we run big bright loud baits to pick off the aggressive fish and they pretty much all work then we run small quiet easy snacks in stealth mode to try and get the others to bite with mixed success. What works well one day may not another and even from hour to hour as conditions change. A setup you can't keep in the water at 6 am might not get touched after 6:30 for the rest of the day. I really don't think any of us know for sure what is going to happen when we leave the dock we have ideas and plans those who have the best success adapt faster and have more options. This why most of our boats look like porqpines with a zillion rods sticking out every where so we can make changes fast and try and find what makes them bite today. Where else can you see a 1000 dollar boat with 5 to 10 g in fishing equipment I have as much invested in fishing gear as I do in my boat and will still end up buying more. I would suggest you consider going out on a couple of charters and see what they do ask questions you will find most charters have very solid game plans and run based on them the advantage they have first is fishing every day they stay on top of where the fish are so they often drive right to the fish. You said in other posts that you have 4 rods already and 2 down riggers I gather you fish like I do with your wife a lot so I would set 2 of your rods up with mono for the riggers and 2 of them up with Braid for divers then I would look into a couple inline boards and 2 rods setup with core a 5 color and a 10 color. This will give you a nice spread and max you out for 2 people and is often my starting point for me and my wife. Then lok at getting some Dive Bombs to adjust the depth of the cores and with a little practice you will be able to cover the top 100 ft of water with 6 lines. This is where 90% of the fish are caught now a few lure choices and you are ready to go. Stay simple to start with and buy several of each and stick to a few basic colors of spoons and flies and plugs. Try and run a nice mix of each till something starts working then add more of that but never run all of one thing or all you will see is when they stop hitting that there will be times when no matter what you run you will catch fish or vise versa. There will also be times when only one presentation works so be prepared to at least dbl up on what works.

[Boltman]

Our set up is as I mentioned in a few other post I have 4 rods all set up with mono, just got the riggers with multiple rod holders attached, so I was going to run the riggers off the sides, since we are operating on a cruiser witha large swim platform,and off the back I'm going to run the dipsey's. Once again I was going to use the Mono that's already on the rods. Yes I want to run a presentation of different spoons flies/flashers and plugs, until this year I've ran two dipseys' using two spoons, man was I running a boring presentation....Running 6 lines maybe out of the question, I really do not want to install more rod holders, you see the wife still want to keep the cruiser look, spent way too much money on the cruiser to make it look like a fishing boat you know? Once we're on the water this year, I'll look into ways to install more poles for 6 lines, in fact once we start catching fish, I could see my wife telling me to get mre lines into the water, but until then it's going to have to happen on 4 lines, which is double the lines I had in the water. And I'm Happy with that...........For Now... Do you guys realise I dream of catching the big one's that you have pictures of holding up.... Just one. Cause I've already been out on a Charter boat, THUNDERDUCK out of Grand Haven Michigan.

Oh bye the way we fish out of Ludington, Grand haven, Elk Rapids ( Grand Traverse bay) Grand Traverse Bay is tough to fish out of.... but we're learning, and North Port, they have Salmon Tournaments so there's Salmon up there. Now that we have riggers we can get to the deeper Kings... out there.

When giving me advice that I listen to so intently, remember I have a cruiser, and the port side rigger I have to climb onto a seat to get to, so it's not going to me easy for me to control well, but I'll get used to it Right?..

I think so, oh Mike I bought the book Keating on Kings and bought both Videos from Dan as well I can't wait for them to get here.

Looking forward to everyones advice, and trust me I'll take every piece of advice I can get.

[GLF]

This turned into a really good thread!

Hey Robert....I have a solution for you and the rod holders.

Just clamp 2 or 3 rod holders on each side, on the hand rails on your arch.

Just ask a fisherman....they have all the answers. :D

[boomerang]

here ya are ill help spend your MONEY!!! if not these something like them....two riggers.....2 dipsies.....2lead cores.....youll be netting the big ones in no time!!!

http://www.mengo-ind.com/DisplayDetail.aspx?which=134

[Paulywood]

Don't worry about fishing out of a cruiser, I fished out of a speedboat for 4 years. You could always get some clamp-on holders like Mike suggested. Or just run the 4 rods for now. If you are interested you could try to catch a ride with one of the guys here. I did that when I first started and it shortened my learning curve immensely. Or you could ask someone with more experience to go out on your boat. Good luck on the coming season.

[Boltman]

Mike you are good, I've thought about the Rails on the Arch, and they make some really good clamp on rod Holders... I'm looking into them as well.

Isn't it fun spending someones elses money....I just can't wait to get to the boat so I can figure out where and when I can get more Rod Holders I'm thinking when I travel to Bog Jon's plant in Interlochen, I will get more ideas, I may look into a removable rod holder for the back hatch, it also has a rail on it that will hold a few Rods.

Also I'm in touch with Captain Willis out of Grand Haven, Captain Chris out of Manistee, and Dan Keating, I think with you guys included I'm in Good hands when it comes to catching the Salmon...... You guys are the greatest Please please keep showing me ways for me to spend my money..... it's greatly appreciated.

Robert

[tltorrice]

This has been a very good thread. One thing you could do is use the Berts tracks and the removable rod holders. When you remove the rod holder you put in a plastic insert that converts the track into a step. http://www.teclausa.com/bert/products.html

One of the best investments you have made it Keating on Kings. After reading that book it turned my fishing around.

Tom

[j1musser]

I just started last year and I only have a 16 footer. No riggers for me (Yet) and i used nothing but leadcore and dipsy diver slast year. Did very well on leadcore just getting started and love it. The shorter coreare easier on the arm and my most productive was a 6 color. I usually only run 6 rods on my boat with 4 being leadcore. I got skunked 1 time last year during my first season. I found the core easy to fish. I would like to add more colors this year along w/ riggers, wire dipsy, and copper. Leadcoe is cheapest way to get rolling in my opinion. I also just got Keating on Kings for my birthday on 1/17. Seems vey good so far. After deer season I am just stuck in salmon mode.

[j1musser]

Dont forget that u can also use dive bombs and snap weights to adjust depth of a mono or leadcore rig. Helps to make one rod more versatile and both quite inexpensive.

[fishsniffer]

Ok first of all I'm a beginner, YOU all know that, Second Mike told me to ask this question because you guys WOULDN"T think of me as an Idoit, as I feel when asking these questions.But here goes

ive been looking over some of the old threads..and there have been a lot of "beginner"questions asked by a lot of people who,at this point i would consider fairly seasoned fisherman...so you should never feel like a question isnt worth asking

[Boltman]

Thanks for the confidence, it's greatly appreciated but, when I say I'm a beginner I don't lie..... we caught 2 kings last year, and they we're small, wish I'd have caught the King that my wife saw near her feet while wading onto the shore in Ludington.....I have never really seen anyone walk on water.....until that afternoon in Ludington... she said it was a monster, I have to beleive her, I'm married to her..

How many seasons determines whether your seasoned or unseasoned?.....

[joelsanders]

in august if your at the fish cleaning station to long you'll be seasoned all right! LOL! J1MUSSER is right you should get some dive bomb or snap wieghts if your fishing mono they are relatively cheap and can get you down a bit deeper for cheaper!GREAT POST!MOST ENJOYABLE!

[bluedevil]

How many seasons determines whether your seasoned or unseasoned?.....

In my opinion you have become a seasoned fisherman when you're body gets to old and just wont let you get out there anymore. I have been fishing with my own boat on the big water for 7 years and by no means consider myself a seasoned veteran, experienced maybe but always learning and willing to help. I think it is a continues learning process no matter how long you have been fishing. Whether we realize it or not I think we learn something new on ever trip.

Best advice I can give to someone starting out salmon fishing is to ask questions on these forums (no matter how silly the question may seem) and attend some of the league tourney's. I have learned alot this way and most of us are willing to go out of our way to help and we are ok with it. We were all there ourselves at one point and someone has helped us so we are just paying it forward.

[Boltman]

Ok OK With every new Toy you guys mention I have to look it up in the GOOGLE, to see how to use them, I learned on Keatings Kings last night DVD.. that my Mono is going to stretch to far and not get me all that deep.. I'm assumming I'm getting down at least 40 feet in 60FOW... but I may be wrong, so what are these Dive Bombs you guys are talking about now and how do they attach...I see what they are but.....

[Line Dancin]

Dive bombs attach to your line with a rubber peg that you pull out slide it over your line then push the rubber peg back in. The large lip of it goes forward and is supposed to kind of act like a diver pulling your line down deeper with the weight and plane of the dive bomb. They have them available in 1 2 3 and 4 ounces. I only use the 2 and 4 ounce ones. They will help you get a little deeper without adding more lead core. The way they are supposed to be used is let about 2 colors out and attach it. I let my leader out and then attach it to the leader before i let any lead core out.

here is a link to a video showing how to use them:

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9966

Edited January 22, 2009 by Line Dancin
add link

[bluedevil]

Just out of curiosity, how does the planner boards react with adding dive bombs? Meaning do they still track relatively the same and plane away from the boat or do they "lag" behind more since you are adding more wait and drag.

[1mainiac]

No huge differance in board tracking here I suppose they change things a bit but I have ran a full core w 2 4oz Dive Bombs and a flasher fly and it tracked fine I admit it ran lower in the water due to the extra weight but saw no issues with it running. But hey I run up to 1 lb balls on snap weight behind my boards so I am a little out there idea wise. I have also ran boards on wire line setups and have even ran small slide divers behind boards so when it comes to goofy ideas I am usually game to try them.

[GLF]

I run Dive Bombs religously. I use church walleye boards, and moved the adjustable weights foreward to help compensate for the extra drag.

You can run multiple dive bombs on the same side. Run your largest dive bombs on the inside, and work out in size from there.

[Line Dancin]

Never really noticed drag issues but i have also changed from church boards to offshore sst boards (if you are going to buy boards spend the extra 5 bucks on these) which pull harder to the side with heavey lines, but even with the church boards i didn't notice any real drag. As of two summers ago i got into running copper through a friend and this year am personally done with leadcore. But to get into copper it requires a little more skill and knowledge than lead core or the backlashes will make you want to chuck the rod and reel overboard. But i have increased my fish catch running copper. Hey to the OP if you want to go out with me sometime and see how i am running it i can take you out and show you. I try to have enough people on the boat to run 12 rods. 6 copper 2 dipsy and 4 riggers. or 4 copper 4 dipsy and 4 riggers. I have a cruiser also mine is only 23 feet but i have 16 total ro holder on the boat. I would be willing to take you out and show you sometime. send me a pm if you are interested. I fish out of port sheldon or holland most of the time. We are going to start in benton harbor (hopefully) mid to late april. I then move up the coast as the fish move. and possibly ending the season in ludington.

Edited January 23, 2009 by Line Dancin
typo

[familytradition]

In my opinion you have become a seasoned fisherman when you're body gets to old and just wont let you get out there anymore. I have been fishing with my own boat on the big water for 7 years and by no means consider myself a seasoned veteran, experienced maybe but always learning and willing to help. I think it is a continues learning process no matter how long you have been fishing. Whether we realize it or not I think we learn something new on ever trip.

Best advice I can give to someone starting out salmon fishing is to ask questions on these forums (no matter how silly the question may seem) and attend some of the league tourney's. I have learned alot this way and most of us are willing to go out of our way to help and we are ok with it. We were all there ourselves at one point and someone has helped us so we are just paying it forward.

I agree with Matt, I seem to learn more and more everytime I come to the forums. I have only been going out for 2yrs now and if it wasen't for the help of others on this site I would have never got into the fishing or tournaments.

As for the lead core, it hurts but it sure does bring em in lol. The first time I was taken out and Sea-mac said the rookie gets the 10 color, I was like what the heck is that? Well of course that sucker had to go off and I swear 20 mins into it my arms were frooze up and falling off. Once I got the King in the boat and got feeling back I thought, that was worth it and if that is the only way they are getting in the boat, BRING IT ON. Thanks guys!!

[Line Dancin]

i think one of the reasons some guys say, espically newer fisherman to salmon fishing, "my arms were killing me after ten minutes" is the hand you hold the fore rod grip with, people hold it tightly. this causes fatigue. Think of it as you are shooting a bow try and keep your hand open or loosley holding the grip. I'll bet you notice a HUGE difference in the way your arms and back feel after bringing in several fish.