GP-TJ

I have an old Penn 309 reel that I have braid on now. I just serviced the reel and thought about respooling with lead core. If I do that, can i still use the rod for other fishing or will that be a "trolling only" rod. I currently use the rod for bottom fishing, trolling, chunks, etc. I don't cast it though, cuz I'm a retard.

Just wondering if I should go with plain ol' mono, braid, or lead core. Pro and cons?

GP

Albatross

You could still use the rod for those types of fishing by just switching reels if you have another one. If you do put lead core on the Penn, I would dedicate that reel for trolling only but there is nothing stopping you from matching up a different reel with the same rod and using if for bottom fishing if you wanted to.

GP-TJ

At this time, I don't have any other conventional reels hanging around. I actually thought about retiring this one but cleaned it up. I don't want to spend a lot of money either. The rod it is on is pretty goobered up too. I was going to pick up a cheap ugly stick and use that. Decisions, Decisions.

GP

ReelCrazySportfishing

I use leadcore for chunking and have great results.

here is what what I use and how i use it

the first thing you need is good current or a rip. with out current the line just sinks under the boat and it would not be differant than using a sinker. This whole method is to put the bait where the bass are feeding and do it as natural as possable. So now your are at your spot. You have good current and you know there are bass around. You get out the lead core setup. I usually use heads and big mid sections of bunker. I always hook it in the back so the hook will pull out easy. if you use the head do not hook it in the mouth or nose. it will cause it to spin and create problems. hook it in the little meat section above the gills.Now you are baited and ready to fish. Start letting the line out slowly. if you go to fast the line will get ahead of the bait and you will end up with a mess. Just feed out the line a couple of feet at a time and wait to feel the weight of the bait on the rod. you keep doing this until you dont feel the weight of the bait anymore. That is when you know the line has touched bottom. this is where you want it. The line kinda makes a u in the water and depending on the speed or the current puts you bait 2-5 feet off the bottom. Thats right where the bass swim. Here is a drawing of what it looks like underwater.

After you let the line out a couple of times you will know by the amount of colors you have out where you want to be. so the feeding the line out process gets quicker. it usually takes a minute or 2 and dont be surprised if you get a run while letting the line out.
I always put the rod in the rod holder. Now if the bass are feeding agressive i leave the reel in gear. as you see in the drawing there is quite a bit of slack in the line. when the fish hits it and runs it giving him a few seconds to swallow the bait. The rod bends and your on. Now if they are not feeding hard or are skittish i take the reel out of gear and put the clicker on. The bass do feel the clicker. sometimes they drop it. So i try to grab the rod a quick as I can and shut the clicker off and thumb the spool to let him run alittle.put the reel in gear and your on.
Now to the setups. I have found cortland leadcore line holds up the best. I always use 45lb test but any size works. The sink rate on all leadcore is the same. You want a lite tip rod. I didnt have good luck with stiff rods.
I was useing ugly stick tiger 30-60 lbs rods with great sucess with penn 4/0 reels. I would put 80 yards of 80 lbs test dacron as a backing and all 10 colors (100 yards) of 45 lb leadcore. Then I would run a 4 ft shock leader of mono. I do not use a swivel. Thats why you dont want to hook a bunker head in the mouth. It twists your line up. Now the only problem I was haveing was the leadcore is like a phonewire and when the fish pulled line on the inital hit. The fish was feeling the clicker from the penn 4/0 and droping the bait. This year i started to work with fishermans paradise in branford on some differant setups to help solve that problem. Lee put together a leverdrag setup with a diawa sealine rod. I have used it the past season and my hookup have greatly improved. Now when I put the rod in the holder I put the drag just above free spool. The fish hits and there is no clicker and they are not dropping the baits. I let it run a couple of seconds and move the lever into the strike position and its on. I have fished both setups side by side and the lever drag is working alot better.
As far as hooks go my personal choice has been eagle claw lazer sharp 7/0 octopus. I have used circles and those worked also.
The line is very forgiving so it can be put on almost any reel (not spinning) and can be used with any rod.
I have used this method in water depth from 6 to 70 feet and it has always produced. I have also used in off of bridges in rivers.
if you have any questions on any thing just let me know. Im sure I have missed a few little things or didnt go into enough detail on other things

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Connecticut Charter Fishing
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striperchaser

NICE POST PAT, WAS VERY INFORMATIVE!!!
PEACE
HENRY

AlloyToy

Outstanding post!!!! Thanks for sharing your info.

__________________

"First The Bite Then The Fight"

GP-TJ

Thanks. Now I am really thinking of putting the lead core on there. I will have to keep coming back to this post to study it over and over.

Great Info
GP

74Formula233

Hey Pat, I do much the same thing chunking in certain areas/conditions Great Post!

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ReelCrazySportfishing

Any questions just post or PM me. I will be happy to answer them.

Eric
you are right. Certain rips and certain areas. I know it used more in your area. Down this way not to many people do it. Its a shame because it produces very well.
I do very well with it early in the season.

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Connecticut Charter Fishing
www.fishermansparadisect.com

GP-TJ

Most of my stripers have been caught in this same way but without the lead core line. I just use either mono or braid and let the pogy chunk fall gradually down. If around a school of pogy with blues around I almost always get a hit before it hits the bottom. It seems with the lead core, it will fall faster. I really don't like using sinkers... Even fluking, I hate sinkers. I don't like anything on my line that isn't attractive to the fish.
GP