Part of the Trout Trolling cluster: Start with the How to Troll for Rainbow Trout: Complete Guide, then use this spoke to dial in the specific setup.
Leadcore sinks your lure without a downrigger, and the depth math is simple. One color is 30 feet of line and drops about 5 feet at 2 mph, so 3 colors run near 15 feet. Cal Kellogg's hybrid rig adds a fluorocarbon top shot and an 8 lb leader, and reaches 20 to 25 feet with braid behind it. Run a trolling swivel, and add a rudder with anything that spins, to stop line twist. Build it on a Cal's Leadcore Trolling Rod.
How deep does each color of leadcore sink?
One color of leadcore is 30 feet long and sinks about 5 feet at 2 mph with a fly or spoon. So 2 colors reach about 10 feet and 3 colors about 15 feet. Half a color, roughly 15 feet of line, gets you down about 2 and a half feet for shallow top-line work. Speed and lure drag change these numbers.
How do I set up a hybrid leadcore rig?
Cal Kellogg spools mono, then 20 lb braid backing, then 3 colors of 15 to 18 lb leadcore, a fluorocarbon top shot, a trolling swivel, and an 8 to 10 lb fluorocarbon leader. The braid lets him fish deeper than the leadcore alone while keeping light tackle. He builds it on a Cal's Leadcore Trolling Rod.
What is the best leadcore spread for trout?
Cal Kellogg runs four rods in fall and winter: three leadcore rods set near 6 to 7 feet with one color, 10 feet with two colors, and 15 feet with three colors, plus one top line scoped 175 to 225 feet back. That long trailing line often catches the biggest fish of the day.
How do I keep leadcore from twisting and wearing out?
Always run a trolling swivel where the main line meets the leader. When you troll anything that rolls, like a worm or spinner, add a trolling rudder too. Cal Kellogg found rudders nearly eliminated the twist that was ruining his leadcore during long guide days. Twisted leadcore gets lumpy and must be replaced.
How long should my leadcore top shot and leader be?
Cal Kellogg has shortened his top shot over the years from 100 feet to about 20 feet, and runs a 4 foot fluorocarbon leader in medium-clarity water. Great Lakes skippers go even shorter, 6 to 10 feet, because the leadcore's subtle oscillation adds action and a faint positive charge that draws fish.
How do I strip leadcore out without damaging it?
Point the rod at the lure, take the reel out of gear, and let the line stream out, or wiggle it out gently on the water. Do not jig or twitch the rod to pull line, because that bends the lead wire and creates weak spots. Work out any backlash gently instead of yanking it.
When is leadcore better than a downrigger?
Whenever trout hold in the top 20 to 25 feet. Cal Kellogg reaches for leadcore there because it is stealthy, direct-drive, and far faster to check and redeploy than cranking a downrigger ball up and down. Below about 30 feet he switches to a downrigger or diver.
Watch the technique
Leadcore line trolling setup and depth FAQ
Cal Kellogg runs 15 or 18 lb Suffix leadcore on his hybrid rig, and sometimes 12 lb on a light top-line setup. He uses standard leadcore rather than premium bonded line so he can peel the sheath back and tie knots on the bare braid.
Three colors covers most trout trolling. That reaches about 15 feet on its own, and up to 25 feet once you add 25 to 50 feet of braid behind it. Cal Kellogg rarely needs more than three colors before he switches to a downrigger for deeper fish.
That is line twist breaking the lead wire inside the sheath. It starts as small lumps that pass through the guides, then gets worse until the line must be replaced. A trolling swivel plus a rudder on spinning baits prevents most of it. Never yank a backlash tight, which snaps the wire.
Cal Kellogg found no drop in catch when he shortened his top shot to 20 feet with a 4 foot leader in medium-clarity water. Many Great Lakes skippers believe short top shots catch more, because leadcore oscillates to add lure action and gives off a faint positive charge fish notice.
Yes. Strip it out gently by wiggling the line onto the water rather than jigging the rod, which bends and weakens the lead wire. A 6 foot 6 leadcore rod is easier to fight and net fish on in a small craft, and leadcore avoids the clutter of a downrigger.
Flies, small spoons, and soft plastics all fish well. A small spoon runs under the surface on its own, while a fly or soft plastic paired with an action disc needs a little help to dig in. Match your leadcore depth to where the trout are marking and hold just above them.
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