Pre-made fluoro leaders

[HUKDONFAWNIX]

Has anybody used these for Pike fishing? I would assume they are made for Musky, but could be used for Pike? Do they effect the lure's action too much?

 

Oh ya, they have gigantic snap swivels on them! Does that matter?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Raf]

What do you plan on throwing using these leaders?

 

They will be too heavy and hinder the action of pike-sized jerkbaits (ie. husky jerks)

 

My advice to you is to pick up a spool of 45-60lb fluoro and make the leaders yourself.

 

Here's what I do for pike & jerkbaits. Using 50lb braid mainline and 50lb fluoro leader material

 

Uni to Uni knot

 

 

Perfection loop + small snap or split ring

 

 

no swivel. I get great action out of jerkbaits.

 

if you are going to throw spinners/spoons, you will need a swivel.

Edited March 31, 2009 by Raf

[HUKDONFAWNIX]

I was thinking of buying the pre-made one that is 60# test. If you use 50#, is there much difference other than strength? If I'm using 1oz baits, spoons, spinners etc. would it be ok to use the 60# test?

[HUKDONFAWNIX]

One other question.......I'll be using these leaders for Pike. Will it make that much of a difference? Or can I just use a black titanium leader and get the same results - lots of fish. Pike are predators, some I'm not sure I need to use fluoro.

 

Although Musky hunters use fluoro leaders and I doubt a musky is line shy too often.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Roy]

I think Raf gave you the best advice.

[Raf]

wire will be fine, 60# fluoro will be fine. i personally don't like titanium leaders and prefer regular wire. in my experience titanium frayed and broke.

[HUKDONFAWNIX]

Thanks very much. I appreciate it.

[Raf]

You are welcome

 

I'd encourage the bass guys who fish on pike/muskie lakes with jerkbaits and get bit off to try my way of adding the leader. I know you guys don't like using heavy wire/swivels because it kills the action of jerkbaits - this solves that I think.

 

ohh.. and I think I'll call it the Raf Leader™

[FishHeadRic]

A friend of mine down here turned me on to a great knot for tying a thinner main line to thicker mono or floro line. "Crazy" Alberto Knie, he's one of the premiere surf casters on th east coast. Found a great article by by Ron (Arby) Bernknopf on stripers online that explains this version of Al's modified albright.

 

"The Alberto Knot is a modified Albright knot and is generally attributed to "Crazy" Alberto Knie. Alberto is a long standing Stripersonline.com contributor, rabid surf fisherman, and has fished all over the world. His articles and pictures have been published in numerous magazines.

 

The Alberto knot is an excellent knot for joining different diameter leaders to mono and/or leader-to-braid line connections. I use it for mono-to-Power Pro connections on teaser rigs for plugging and have yet to have the braid slip out or break off (due to knot failure) in the year that I've been using it. I like it better than a uni-to-uni knot connection and with a little practice, will make a small, compact knot which is pretty easy to tie...even in the dark. The only other drawing of this knot to be found on the internet is a quickly drawn picture and is a little difficult to decipher. When I decided to make the drawings in this article, I wanted to make it "Step by Step".

 

Step 1. - This is showing a braid line and a thicker leader line. (see figure 1)

 

 

 

Step 2. - Make a loop with the leader (or thicker line) and hold between thumb and fore-finger. Insert the line in through the middle of the loop and wrap the braid (or smaller line) around the outside of the loop a minimum of 6 times. Some guys make up to 12 loops, but I find 6 to 8 fine for general purposes. (see figure 2)

 

 

 

Step 3. - This is the point where the Albright knot gets modified into an Alberto Knot. (In an Albright Knot, the braided line would be pulled back through the input to the loop at the end of Step 2. above.) For the Alberto modification, loop back the braid towards the point where you started (see Step 2 above) using the same number of loops. It is important to exit the braid back out of the thicker Leader loop in the same direction as you started the knot (see figure 3)

 

 

 

Step 4. - Once Step 3 is completed, pull the leader loop and braided line in opposite directions holding all 4 lines and at the same time try to push the braided loops toward the center of the leader loop. None of the loops of braid should jump on top of or over the other loops of braid - this is important! If even one loop jumps out of line, start over or you chance a break off at the worst possible time! Once tight, this will make a small, extremely strong, knot. Snip the excess line as shown below and you are ready to go. (see figure 4)

 

 

As I mentioned at the start, with a little practice, you will appreciate using this knot."

 

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps,

 

FHR

Edited March 31, 2009 by FishHeadRic

[steverowbotham]

You are welcome

 

I'd encourage the bass guys who fish on pike/muskie lakes with jerkbaits and get bit off to try my way of adding the leader. I know you guys don't like using heavy wire/swivels because it kills the action of jerkbaits - this solves that I think.

 

ohh.. and I think I'll call it the Raf Leader™

 

You'll have a hard time convincing us bass guys to use 45-60lbs fluoro.

[snag]

Let me introduce the............

 

SNAGKNOT tm (patent pending- I use 1 extra loop! wow!!!) p.s. I'll sue you into the ground

 

It prevents snags and is endorsed by fetishists.

 

 

Both RAF and FHR have the bomb above.

 

 

I'm a UNI guy.

 

I'll reduce my 100lb. 80lb. flouro to 60lb. when i'm hitting bass and pike.

 

For multi-species, I've lengthened the leader to 18+" in 60" to increase the odds.

 

 

Steve, Raf is talking Bass/muskie lakes.

Simcoe bass spots can be isolated by species and mixed too.

 

 

When pike/muskie/bass/walleye are mixed; use a stronger flouro leader to reduce harm in a broadcast application.

 

Match the catch.

 

Cheers,

 

S

Edited March 31, 2009 by SNAG

[Raf]

I'll have to try that one Ric.

 

I know the uni to uni is not recommended for lines of greatly different diameters but I haven't had any issues and landed some big pike on that setup.

 

glad someone remembers that Snag

Edited March 31, 2009 by Raf

[HUKDONFAWNIX]

Please excuse the possible dumb question.........Raf, what makes your leader work better than a pre-made/store bought one? Is it the big loop on the end where the snap is?

[Raf]

the complaint with people who use small (pike sized) jerkbaits like husky jerks is that a swivel, wire/fluoro, snap combination kills the action of the baits due to the weight of the hardware. i don't get that problem with mine

 

plus its cheaper and i can make a leader any length i want.

[BUSTER]

well i must say ,great tips...

thanks RAF

and ill try the alberto knot too fishheadric

 

 

cheers

[OhioFisherman]

Like Raf say some of the ball bearing swivels and snaps they put on some of the pre made leaders are a bit crazy. If the leader is rated 17 pound test what the heck do I need a 200 pound test sized snap on it for?

 

Some it is easy to take the snap and swivels off and install smaller ones, a duo lock snap and a smaller ball bearing swivel with split rings on both ends.