guys im wondering does lead core line work to gets lures deeper or is it just a buy thing i dont have down riggers and am just wondering also what is the best type to gets MANY THANKS Life member since 09-01-09

The guys I fish with call leadcore "poor man's downrigger". I use the stuff all the time, even though the boat I troll from has 4 downriggers. The stuff flat out catches fish, at least in Lk. Mich. It takes a while to learn to tie it but is worth the effort. I back my core with Power Pro braid and use a Uni-Uni knot to join the two. Be sure and remove the core from the line before tying your knot. The Uni also works to tie to a fluoro or mono leader. I like the Cabela's Magicbraid, but I am sure there are others just as good. Tom
Fishin' fool in N.E. Illinois

Hey Tom this is what i was thinking but wasnt sure i fish here in wyoming for walleyes and pike but trying to figure out how to gets those fish that are 20 to 30 ft deep, my wife and i have always been bank fisherman and we got our 1st boat this yr and so were now desperatly trying to figure all this trolling stuff out Life Member since 09-01-09

Leadcore is great as long as you don't need to get really deep. Rule of thumb is 5' per color segment, 6 colors should get you to 30' down, plus whatever your lure will dive. You will need a high capacity reel (the 47 size works well up to a full core-10 colors), both Shakespeare and Diawa make some affordable reels in this class. A linecounter reel is handy. Use braid for your backing, I use 20# Power Pro and add a leader at least twice as long as your rod. Hope that is enough info to get you started, if you need any more help, PM me. Tom
Fishin' fool in N.E. Illinois

Years ago with my first boat I started trolling with leadcore. Did that for a long time and caught many trout. When I upgraded boats, I would see other boats my size using "riggers". Asked a lot questions and everyone said that using leadcore always works, but you need to try a downrigger because it gives you the opportunity to use lighter gear. I took their advice and it's a hell of a lot more fun catching whatever you want to target with the light gear than dragging around leadcore. With downriggers you can adjust your depth very easily depending on where the fish are. Steve

Steve: My buddy and I fish his 30' twin screw for salmon on Lake Mich. Even though his boat has 4 electric downriggers, we still fish leadcore as it gives us options that riggers don't. We also rarely bother with a rigger when fishing depths less than 40'. We have also run 2-5 colors off the riggers on a long lead setup. We also pull up to 5 colors off inline planer boards. Another point, I can set up a rod with leadcore from scratch for less than the price of a fair rigger, it's more economical for an occasional fisherman. Tom
Fishin' fool in N.E. Illinois

Well im not looking at depths deeper than 40 ft,id just heard some guys talking bout using lead core line and id never used it so thought id ask bout it and see on the fish finder i see alot of fish in the 30 to 40 ft range and some say you cant gets they to bite so i figured id try it the lake has walleyes and northerns in it BILL Life Member since 09-01-09

If price and easy of use is what your after. Then try a jet diver. I attach it to my line than run a fluoro carbin leader about the length of my rod and attach my lure or worm harness. Its worked for me I've caught walleye, landlocks and lakers.