TOPIC:

My brother had one of my lead core lines break off on him at a strike, didn't even get it out of the rod holder. The line is a couple of years old and very easily could have been kinked where it broke. So, I was looking at options online thinking I'd stop at Bass Pro or some such tomorrow after work and saw that there's a Suffix 832 Advanced Lead Core. Has anyone tried it?

I've heard a lot of good about Blood Run Tackle's Lead Core and may just put an order in there as well.

Thanks,

J-

I re-did all of my lead cores over the winter, mainly because I wanted to standardize all of my reels. I went with the 832 Advanced 18#. So far it has worked well. Pulled a 15# king in off an 8 color during the classic and lost a couple of other good fish on that and a 5 color. The line itself held up just fine.

It definitely dives deeper than traditional LC. First trip this year while fishing for coho I had a 2 color scrape bottom at one point and catch a mussel shell on the hook while fishing for coho in no shallower than 20 FOW, fishing 2.2 - 2.5 all day. Must have been on a turn or a surge from a boat wake, but still...

The smaller diameter is nice in regards to getting more backer on the spool.

I set up all of my cores with 300 yards of 30lb Power Pro backing. I used Okuma Convectors for my reels. Size 30's for up to the 8 color. 10 color had to go on a 45.

One thing I do wonder about is if the 832 Advanced LC has the same "snaking" properties of the traditional lead core lines.

I use blood run and like it. Have not had any problems. Seems to get really close to depths as there charts show.

Last year I went with cheaper lead core and I was breaking lines left and right, but that could have been me sucking at life.

I would tend to think the 832 has the same in water properties as standard leadcore. Its all about drag, weight, and flexibility - and it still has all three of those, just a little less drag. It might not flow exactly the same, but I would think still has a good wavy action through the water.

I've been running Sufix 832 Advanced out of my kayak for a few years now. I typically fish kings much further north than you guys (Port Washington), but will head south for the coho bite (a new baby and family health issues have put a damper on that this year). Anyways, my typical king setup is 2 torpedo/lb ball rods on each side and my leadcore down the cute behind me. I use a Daiwa Sealine 57, so it's got a pretty big capacity and I run 3 colors, 20ft braid spacer, 3 colors, 20 ft spacer, 4 colors and then braid backing. So I can run 3 colors, 6 colors or 10 colors with my one rod (which helps in a kayak) without the pressure going on the LC on the rod tip. All my leadcore connections are done with a very small spro/owner swivel (can't remember which). It's a lot of knots in my setup, but I haven't had any knot failures.
I'm a big fan of the depth that the 832 can reach. I'm usually running 3 colors early in the season and 6 colors sees the most action come king season... rarely I've had to bust out the full 10 colors. It's treated me very well. The only con is that even with all the swivels, the lead will poke out of the sheath overtime. I haven't noticed it weaken the line too much, but I'll usually replace that first 3 colors every other year or so, depending on how it looks. Have yet had a fish break my LC (only break off was on a bad snag around some structure around Milwaukee). The longevity of it is probably the biggest complaint.
A lot of times, the 832 LC is my best rod. Last year during Salmon-a-rama during 6 trips, it accounted for 18 of my 30 fish (23 of 30 fish were kings, with 4 over 20 lbs). It caught 2 of my 27 lbers (see pic) during the 1st Sunday of SAR last year and held up just fine.

My advice is to keep an eye on the line and I'm not sure I'd run any flashers or spin doctors on it (it sounds like line twist is what causes the lead to poke out). A lot of guys use the small swivels to do their connections. I'd add a dab of super glue to your knot. As far as the snaking tendencies of the line, I wouldn't overthink it. It'll catch fish.

Great info, thanks! I've been drooling over the Hobie Mirage Drive yaks but can't bring myself to pull the trigger. I've locked into steelhead in my sea kayak and it's a heck of a ride, I can't imagine what a big King would be like. Would love to try a true fishing kayak some time.

I've seen a few posts on using small swivels for the line connections, I use a Willis knot which has never failed me. My only problems come when I get a kink or other damage in the line.

J-

Thanks! I've got a smaller Hobie - the Revolution 13. Less stability, more speed and easier to transport on my vehicle and beach launch wherever.

That's the other thing about the 832. It's so thin, you can't do a Willis knot with it. At least, I'm pretty sure that's the case.