Using Color To Determine Lure Depth
In the heat of the summer, big fish go deep in search of highly oxygenated, cool water. Remember the Big Three? Food, Comfort and Safety. In this case, it's a matter of survival.
On many inland lakes and reservoirs the surface temp's can get into the low 90's during the middle of the summer. And that hot water simply can't hold enough dissolved oxygen (DO) to keep stripers and other large gamefish happy or breathing. And, landlocked stripers don't really know they're landlocked. They are genetically programmed, just like their saltwater counterparts, to search out water temperatures in the 50 - 70 degree range.
So how do you get down to where they live? Well certainly one way is to downline live baits or do some Power Reeling with jigs. And both methods can be very effective. But...both methods require you to know exactly where they happen to be at any given time of day. Remember, stripers are nomadic by nature. And the school you spotted yesterday afternoon could be a mile up the lake tomorrow morning.
That puts us on a seek and find mission. And the best way to do that is by trolling. Trolling lets you cover a LOT of water very efficiently and is also a super effective method for catching bigger fish. On average, I'd say the fish I catch while trolling are usually bigger than the fish I catch while downlining. And in the heat of the summer, trolling puts a little bit of wind in your face, which makes the time you spend in the hot sun a little more bearable.
So, what's color got to do with all this? Leadcore Line. Leadcore, for the angler, is probably one of the best inventions since barbed hooks. It is a hollow dacron fiber line with an internal core of lead 'rope'. It's plenty flexible to spool on virtually any conventional reel, and for the most part, works like a heavier diameter monofilament. You can't really cast it, but that's not what it's designed for either.
Leadcore comes in several different line classes, just like mono. However the line tests are a little different than you might be used to. 18, 27, 36 and 45 pound test. And this represents the breaking strength of the dacron, not the lead. The lead is just in there to add weight and the amount of weight is the same, regardless of the line class, making it easy to do the 'math'.
Each spool of leadcore has colors dyed on the dacron every 30 feet. And the colors aren't in any particular order, so you don't have to worry about that. The benefit is you have a visual indication of just how much line you have out behind the boat. Simply "Count The Colors". Typically, each color of leadcore will get you three feet of depth, depending on speed and the weight of the lure you're trolling. So, 6 colors of leadcore will get you lure down 18 feet. If it's a heavy jig, say a 2 oz, then add a couple more feet to the equation.
Now, you'll need to put a top shot of mono on your reel. So peel slide back the dacron sheath to expose about 12 to 14 inches of lead. Pinch it off, and dispose of properly. Then tie a Uni-to-Uni knot, connecting the dacron to the mono line. It's a good idea to use mono in a line class smaller than the leadcore. That way, if you hang a tree or some other obstuction, the mono will break before the leadcore does. And simply re-tie a new mono top shot on. If you loose 3 or 4 colors of leadcore, you might as well re-spool with new.
When the thermocline sets up at 25 to 30 feet, eight or nine colors of leadcore will definitely help you get down to them. It's a lot easier to deal with than planers, and not everyone has a downrigger on their boat. With leadcore line, you can fish from your ski boat or a jon boat and catch fish. And by the way, once you locate the big school, you can reel in the lead lines and put your downlines to work.
Versatile. Effective. Highly Efficient. That's leadcore line in the summertime. So go out there and Get The Lead Out.
Catch 'em up.
Want to know more of the in's and out's of leadcore line?
Here's a short video clip from Capt. Mack Farr on how to use it. Click on the image to watch the video.
