Line Type for Pike

[Oeey3109]

Just wanted to get your guys thoughts on the best type of line to use for pike fishing. I prefer using wire leaders to connect to the lure. Do you guys prefer mono or braid for the main line? Do you think it really makes any difference, being that the fiosh can see the leader anyway?

 

Thanks for the input!

[Bly]

If I am specifically targeting Pike, I prefer to use braid, seems to be more resilient especially in some of the waters I usually fish. That being said, I have caught several on mono with no leader. If you have a braid set up and a mono, try switching up on the same outing...might be the best way to answer your question. Happy fishing!

[Syn]

What size and type of reel are you using? If you don't have a dedicated pike/muskie rod and reel and are using your bass baitcaster or a spinning reel (say 3000-4000 size) then using 40+lb mono line would be way too thick. Then it would be a good idea to switch to braid because you could spool up with a thinner diameter braid and still be using 40 lb+. Keep in mind that you could be putting undue stress on a bass reels parts and drag system if you are consistently using it to target larger pike and muskie. The thinner braid will give you easier casting and does not keep memory like mono does. Line memory will lead to increased instances of line tangles.

 

If you have a huge spool reel you could get away with using 50+lb mono but I would not want to cast that heavy rod reel combo all day with a 2-3oz lure.

 

Also note that braid will last longer than mono because mono is affected by UV so you end up changing mono more frequently than braid. Braid can easily last me multiple seasons, especially when I unspool it and use the new end after a 1.5 seasons. Although braid is initially more expensive than mono, it lasts longer, easily 2-4 times than mono.

 

Mono has much more stretch than braid and a pike has a bony mouth making hook setting more difficult than say a bass with a very fleshy mouth. So unless you do very large sweeping hook sets, braid is great at setting the hook, especially when you have 30-50+ feet of line out.

 

You don't need a mono backing to use the braid. MAny people just use electrical tape to keep the braid form spinning on the arbor.

 

 

PS give a fluorocarbon leader 80lb+ a try some time. Wire leader is great in some pike/muskie lure applications like topwater but I found FLouro safer for the fish when the fish chooses to spin in your line.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Syn

[BillM]

I'm not a fan of big flouro leaders for pike or musky if I'm fishing topwater. They tend to sink and pull the nose of the baits I'm using down with them. If I am throwing something like a TopRaider then it really doesn't matter to much, but a Zara Spook or similar, I'll go with a mono leader of the same lb test..

[Syn]

Just to clarify a bit, I'd rather use a wire (I heard 200lb floruo for top water is good too) for topwater and some jerkbaits/glidebaits (because limp flouro tangles in the first treble when I use it) and because I have a hard time making big lures like the Poes walk properly. I tried 80 and 100lb flouro for topwater and it was too difficult for me. For the rest of the time like say spinnerbaits, trolling with a few feet of leader, swimbaits, I love the flouro.

Edited May 24, 2010 by Syn

[Garry2Rs]

I use 50 pound mono joined knotlessly to 40 to 80 pound hollow braid for swimbaits and other shallow running or floating baits.

The 50 # mono is too buoyant for anything but the largest Bass type Jerk and Crankbaits. Equally heavy Fluorocarbon is a better choice with baits under 4 or 5 inches.

This set-up allows you to use any length of leader and it can still be reeled all the way in, because there are no knots.

It works very well...

[Bly]

Nice setup Garry....nice fish also

[scugpg]

I use 50 pound mono joined knotlessly to 40 to 80 pound hollow braid for swimbaits and other shallow running or floating baits.

The 50 # mono is too buoyant for anything but the largest Bass type Jerk and Crankbaits. Equally heavy Fluorocarbon is a better choice with baits under 4 or 5 inches.

This set-up allows you to use any length of leader and it can still be reeled all the way in, because there are no knots.

It works very well...

 

How does one join the lines knotlessly like that? Very cool!