Some fishing calls for more than braid, fluoro or mono. When you need to get lures deep while trolling, or you're trolling for toothy fish, specialty metal lines are the answer. Reaction Tackle offers both stainless steel trolling wire and tin-coated copper trolling line. Here's how each one works.
Stainless Steel Trolling Wire
Stainless wire is thin, strong and very resistant to corrosion. Because it's so thin, it cuts through the water and current with little drag, which helps keep diving disks and other divers at a steady depth. It's also a smart choice when trolling around toothy fish.
- Typical use: Trolling with diving disks and divers on the Great Lakes and in saltwater.
- Connections: Don't tie regular knots in wire. Use crimp sleeves or a haywire twist to attach a swivel, then tie your leader to the swivel.
- Options: Our 30 lb stainless trolling line is a 7-strand wire in 300 and 1,000 foot spools. We also offer 45 lb weighted stainless trolling line.
Tin-Coated Copper Trolling Line
Copper is heavier than lead core and sinks deeper, so it gets your lures down into the strike zone without downriggers. It's a Great Lakes favorite for salmon and trout, and is also used for walleye and other species.
- Typical setup: Braided backing on the reel, then the copper, then a leader to your lure. You'll usually run copper off planer boards or straight back from the boat.
- Sizes: Our tin-coated copper line comes in 20, 32 and 45 lb, in 300 or 600 foot lengths. 45 lb is the most popular for big water, 20 lb is often used for walleye, and 32 lb is in between. The tin coating helps resist corrosion.
- Connections: Join copper to backing and leader with an Albright knot or a small barrel swivel. Many anglers add a drop of knot glue or a short piece of shrink tube to protect the connection.
Want to Go a Little Less Deep?
Lead core line is easier to handle than copper and changes color every 10 yards, so you can repeat a depth that's working.
Tips for Metal Lines
- Leaders: Fluorocarbon or monofilament leaders work well behind copper and lead core. Use our 100% fluorocarbon for low visibility.
- Handle with care: Wire can kink, cut and spring back. Wear gloves when handling it and use the right tools to cut it.
- Use the right rod and reel: Wire wears grooves in regular guides. Use rods made for wire with roller guides or hard guides like silicon carbide, and a reel with enough line capacity for backing plus wire.
- Avoid kinks: A kink is a weak spot. Keep tension on the line while letting it out and reeling it in.
Specialty lines can seem intimidating at first, but with the right setup they open up a whole new level of trolling. Learn more about the line that backs it all up in The World of Braided Fishing Lines.
Have you trolled with stainless or copper? Share your setup tips in the comments.
