Tips on Fishing With Copper Line

Size/Weight

First choose the depth you'll be fishing and then the weight of line you'll need.

Decide which length works best for you and the location you're fishing, and then consider the weight you'll need to use, advises Trails.com. Copper line is available in 30 lb. test and 45 lb. test, the latter being heavier and therefore considered to be more versatile.

More simply, 30 lb will drop about five to six feet for every ten yards of line reeled out. 45 lb drops seven to nine feet for the same amount of line. This may vary depending on your trolling speed (how fast you pull your line through the water) and how heavy your bait is.

Spooling

Don't go too tight when spooling copper line on your reel, according to Opti-Tackle Co. Make sure it's "just snug." Don't let the spool lie flat on the ground when winding it on your reel either, because it can cause extra loops in the line. A good way to spool the line is to hold a screwdriver in the center of the spool horizontally and allow the line to roll off the top, while another person winds it onto the reel.

Knots

To attach a leader, an Albright knot or an overhand knot will work best.

To attach a leader properly, Game and Fish magazine recommends that you tie an overhand knot in the copper line, and thread the line through that knot to tie a cinch knot around the "standing" wire.

An Albright knot will also work. Double the end of the copper line, making a loop, and thread the leader through the loop, wrapping it several times around the doubled copper line toward the end of the loop. Once you've done that, thread the leader back through and pull the knot tight, trimming the loose ends.

Deploying the Line

Reduce slack in your line to lower the copper line at a slower rate.

Copper line sinks faster than traditional line because it is heavier. To keep your slack at a minimum, Trails.com recommends that you control the rate it sinks by using a bait clicker. A clicker lets you know when you have a fish on your line. You'll hear a click, click sound. This will reduce slack and lower the copper line at a slower rate.

What Not to Do with Copper Line

Opti-Tackle Co. warns that copper line should never be attached directly to a "planner board" (a board that allows you to fish with several lines simultaneously, without becoming tangled). It will fray or weaken the copper line. Copper is a soft metal, and using a swivel or crimping it is also not advised. Copper line is not recommended for use in salt water, which will corrode and weaken the line.