# copper line dive curves



## Rik (Feb 17, 2006)

Does anyone have good depth info for copper?I have used leadcore on inland lakes for years and know thru my own testing and experience what it does...They say 30# copper runs 5-6 ft. with 10 yds out...but they don't give @ what speed this occurs...I'm thinking it's more at salmon trollers speed like 2.5-3.5mph..since it has been more popular with the salmon guys...so I'm thinking since they say it definatly dives faster than leadcore...I am wondering if those numbers are a little deeper like 6-7 ft. of depth with 10 yds out @ speeds I like to troll say 1.5-2.5.I am just getting into fishing on erie so looking at ways of getting those spoons into that 30-50' range.Anyone done any testing to see what copper dives to at a given length and speed?Would like feedback from anyone with experience with copper..thanks


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## hunt-n-fish (Jun 19, 2007)

We use it on Lake Ontario and it does work. Basically, it'll achieve similar depths, and deeper, with lot less line out. 10 colors leadcore (300') with the knot to the water, 50 ft. mono leader and spoon will get down 40-45'. Copper will do it with only 250' or so. Being deeper with less line out compared to leadcore, we can run both rigs together w/o much incidents.

Be careful not to allow kinking when using it.


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

150' of 30# copper = 10 colors of lead ( 40-50' down) at normal trolling speeds (2.0-2.5mph). 

Copper is a testy animal. It's not difficult to spool, but should be backed with Dacron/mono. Many of my buds that use it buy the very small Spro barrel swivels to connect the leader to the copper, but the backing/copper connection should be done using an Albright knot (which isn't the easiest thing to tie). 

It is faster to deploy than leadcore in the sense that it weighs more, thus once you get 10' or so in the water it'll pretty much just play itself out with ease...but where guys run into problems is when they pull spoons off of it and upon retrieve, do not run the copper between their thumb and index finger. This results in the copper laying loosely on the spool, and it'll try to un-coil itself if not tight. Hellooooo birds-nest...

The thing that I dislike the most is that even though it is soft, the copper will still kink if tangled...and you basically have to toss it. Leadcore, for all of it's hassle-factor...can typically be saved, unless the knot is really bad. 

However...I will say this...

It does catch fish. A lot of fish, and is much easier on the forearms and crew over a long day than is 10 or more colors of lead. 

A few words of advice that have been mentioned before, and that I have experienced first hand....

You should run your copper rigs on your boards, not down the chute. When deploying the copper, you need to keep tension on it at all times, as you cannot free spool it, as it will sink fast. This proves problematic when you attach the board and then try to get it out and over your diver rods. 

Ain't gonna happen if you don't keep the copper up high in the water column with tension. Once the board is attached, thumb the spool as the board goes straight back until you are sure that the copper has cleared the diver, then engage and allow the board to move over into place. Once at the desired distance out from the boat, you can then snug the board up closer if in traffic. 

You'll know quickly if you did it right, b/c if you catch your diver line, the rod tip on the diver rod will start to vibrate....and that my friends is no good. 

Many of my friends will pull their outside diver (they typically run two per side) that is set on 3 when running copper to prevent such things from happening, re-setting and adjusting their inside diver to a 2 setting (vs. the usual 1.5). 

As with leadcore, copper is not a good option if fishing near a pack. Best solution during those times is to run riggers, divers, and jets down the chute. 

Hope that helps.


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## Rik (Feb 17, 2006)

BFG,you are saying then that 30# copper sinks at twice the rate of leadcore @ 2.0-2.5 mph?I run two boards off each side...with leadcore I use the same setup on both rods off the same side..on inland lakes I fish I rarely have to get deeper than 20',I just use a little over one color of leadcore off my boards and adjust depth with either deeper diveing baits,or line out past leadcore,also speed.Seeing that copper sinks faster than leadcore I think I can run copper,say 100-125',then get different depths by varying length of line out past the copper,diferent lures, say a crankbait that dives 10' on the 50 foot leader,will go about 10' deeper than a spoon or spinner setup,also of course changing speeds as well.I know jet divers and the like catch lots of fish but I know l didn't start catching fish consistently until I went to leadcore.This is on Inland lakes.I was hoping to be able to use a similiar system on erie.Just think maybe copper will do it more effecient for me.thank you for the help...


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## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

personally- if your only needing to get spoons down to 30-50ft, why not keep it simple and just run dipsies and jets? I may have missed your reasoning in your thread but i didnt see it. The large #1 dipsies will dive 55-65 ft or so depending on amount of line out. The smaller 0 dipsies will go 40ft easily. You could also run jet divers off the inline boards to get there, jet 40's will get 44/45 ft or so depening on lead length. IMO there are alot more easier options to get in the top 50ft of the water column to start worrying about wire with spoons.

Like stated above, the wire kinks-its done. And just pulling a spoon behind it would really be dangerous since it will be laying loose on the spool when you wind it in. Wire is usually used for crankbaits.

Another option if you just plan on running spoons- would be a cheap set of downriggers. You can run the spoon 20-100 ft behind the ball and drop it down however deep you want it.


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## Rik (Feb 17, 2006)

thanks George,I was looking at alternative ways to get lures down is all,That was in feb. before I had ever used jets..I agree jets are easier..


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## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

Rik said:


> thanks George,I was looking at alternative ways to get lures down is all,That was in feb. before I had ever used jets..I agree jets are easier..


wow, i didnt even see that- something brought it to the top then or i seen it earlier when i was searching and i thought it was on the first page- My mistake. :C


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Glad you made that mistake. I was thinking of setting up a wire pole. Was going to put it on my old 320 gti with no line counter. Didn't realize how much of a pain in the butt that wire could be. Guess i'll stick to dipsys and jets.


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## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

chaunc said:


> Glad you made that mistake. I was thinking of setting up a wire pole. Was going to put it on my old 320 gti with no line counter. Didn't realize how much of a pain in the butt that wire could be. Guess i'll stick to dipsys and jets.


dont get me wrong- wire is great if your pulling crankbaits. There are many of walleye falling prey everyday in the central basin to wire line with dave kaboom shiners or deep jr thundersticks back 300-350ft, it works- theres just easier ways, But i still have one rod ready to go with wire that i run as a longline


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## theprowler (Jul 14, 2004)

I run the copper on Lake O. too. Swivel are spro just like mentioned. 400' of copper gets ya down to 80'. I run two leadcores one out each side on the boards and copper down the middle. You can move it with a long rod to either side to keep it out of the way of a fish on. Also do not kink! Game over! let it out by backing off the drag and always wind in under pressure so it is wound on the reel tight. I would say it would be handy in the eastern basin for lakers...


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## JK1912 (Jun 11, 2005)

My uncle runs them while salmon fishing on lake michigan. Not sure on the dive curves but from what he was saying people like the set up better for salmon.


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## bucky (Jun 12, 2008)

also ss wire with jets works well. gets it down deep without a lot of line. spoon on forty jet with 250' wire will put ya at about fifty. same jet with braided will need about another 100 feet, if it will even get down that far.

the bad about jets is reeling them in with out a fish. belly busting arm burner.


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