I have a Shimano Tekota 500HG LC reel just sitting in its box and a Talora wire rod leaning in the corner. With a Brown Trout tourney coming up next month and a new Salmon season out on Lake Michigan, I've been reading up on the use of copper line for trolling and thinking I'll give it a go. I'll start getting the neccessary materials together this coming week. Anyone here using copper? Any hints, praises, criticisms? Need to replace some lead core anyway and thought I'd give copper a try.

I have used single strand monel trolling for striped bass in the salt water with good results, copper should produce similiar results. Lead core seemed to plane off and not reach the deeper depths like the wire and a strike on wire is definitely felt. I eventually went to down riggers for better depth control and the ability to fight fish on lighter tackle when I started salmon fishing in Alaska. I made up some shooting heads for the fly rod with lead core line, it will cast a mile and get down to the depth needed.

Never, ever, let there be no tension on the line once it is spooled onto the reel!

When you crimp something onto the line, the little tag end that is above the crimp is just looking for unwary fingers.

I'm seeing videos where they heat shrink the tag end of the copper wire for that purpose.