leaders for pike

[BillM]

80-130lb flouro, why mess around?

[Cookslav]

The author was commenting on the irony of using "invisible" leaders on lures with 7/0 hooks dangling off of them

 

Ditto,

Wire leader, or Flouro depending on the conditions.

 

 

As far as hurting fish via them rolling in the line....I guess it happens, but I'm yet to have it happen to me.

Maybe I'm lucky

[Moosebunk]

I've caught a few pike before... some longer than my children. Always been fine with 45lb steel & black nylon coated leaders. Make my own with Berkeley wire and, P-Line or Berkeley snaps and swivels. Lost two (bite offs above leader) and used 3 more on the last trip to Pym. Two are still fine to use. I swear, the two of my lost leaders in one week might have cost me... $2. When they get mangled I just reuse the snaps and swivels on a new cut leader for pennies to make. IF I hadn't been secure with this choice I could have used the 60lb.

 

Used the same for ice fishing and making quick-strikes.

 

Alot of the other stuff is expensive and overkill for pike... IMO. And, floro less than 120lb makes me cringe after once interestingly seeing a pike "greenstick" fracture slice it's tooth through it for several inches...

[highdrifter]

Pike aren't normally leader shy...

 

But if a fluoro leader gives you more confidence and inspires you to fish your baits well, then I'd say give them a try! If your focus is more on the bait, you're less likely to get ansy and switch up baits all time, so your bait sees more water and there's a better chance that you get bit.

 

I use min 80lb fluoro and the best snaps and swivels I can buy. My preferred length for casting is about 16in. I've had baits "outrun" a shorter leader on the pop and you end up with more fowls.

 

cheers

HD

Edited July 21, 2011 by Highdrifter

[Glaucus]

Why not make your own fluoro leaders? It's quite simple.

You can use what ever strength leader material, as well as snaps and swivels that you desire.

Fluoro leaders are cheaper than steel leaders in the long run...they don't fray, twist, get mangled, or kinked like steel leaders do! A $15.00 fluoro leader will outlast $15.00 worth of steel leaders!!!

It's not about invisibility....but durability.

 

Here's my old blog that was deleted by the powers that be here on Oh!FN.

 

Luckily it was saved and cached:

 

 

DIY fluorocarbon leaders

 

BTW,if you see a pike following your lure...then speed up your retrieve!

[adolson]

I'd never seen a pike follow a lure before, until last month. I saw one follow a Lucky Strike Bug Eye right up to the shore of the Montreal River, and along the side as I walked, watching it.. I don't know if it was because of the leader, but I was using a wire one. It was odd to see.

[mike rousseau]

Why not make your own fluoro leaders? It's quite simple.

You can use what ever strength leader material, as well as snaps and swivels that you desire.

Fluoro leaders are cheaper than steel leaders in the long run...they don't fray, twist, get mangled, or kinked like steel leaders do! A $15.00 fluoro leader will outlast $15.00 worth of steel leaders!!!

It's not about invisibility....but durability.

 

Here's my old blog that was deleted by the powers that be here on Oh!FN.

 

Luckily it was saved and cached:

 

 

DIY fluorocarbon leaders

 

BTW,if you see a pike following your lure...then speed up your retrieve!

 

 

 

Great how to ... Very descriptive ... Thnx

[walleye wanderer]

Why not make your own fluoro leaders? It's quite simple.

You can use what ever strength leader material, as well as snaps and swivels that you desire.

Fluoro leaders are cheaper than steel leaders in the long run...they don't fray, twist, get mangled, or kinked like steel leaders do! A $15.00 fluoro leader will outlast $15.00 worth of steel leaders!!!

It's not about invisibility....but durability.

 

Here's my old blog that was deleted by the powers that be here on Oh!FN.

 

Luckily it was saved and cached:

 

 

DIY fluorocarbon leaders

 

BTW,if you see a pike following your lure...then speed up your retrieve!

 

Great detailed DIY for the leaders but where does one find the SS thimbles?

[Dabluz]

Great detailed DIY for the leaders but where does one find the SS thimbles?

 

I hate fluorocarbon. I have tried it in 6 lb test, 15 lb test and 30 lb test and it's far weaker than mono. It also stretches as much as most mono and clear mono is just as invisible. Sure, I could use 80 lb test instead of 25 or 30 lb test fluorocarbon but then, why not use 80 lb test clear mono? The problem with 80 lb test mono or fluorocarbon is the fact that the lure no longer has any action.

 

I use stuff that I get from Europe. It's 49 (10 kg) to 54 strand (15 kg) steel. It's finer than 4 lb mono. Flexible enough to tie knots in it but I prefer using tiny sleeves. I admit that the stuff is very expensive but for a few dollars more, I'm sure that no pike can cut it with his teeth. It's a primary principal of physics....something harder than fish teeth (steel) simply cannot be cut by fish teeth.

 

80 lb test....can you imagine using stuff like that? No fishing rod on earth can lift an 80 lb weight so why use it? I tried 80 to 100 lb test mono for handlining cod in over 300 feet of water with 1 to 3 lb sinkers but I have now turned to microfiber lines with much smaller sinkers and I have the benefit of almost zero stretch.

[baironhorse]

I used power pro 40-50lb without a problem

[Dave Bailey]

Just made some myself with some spare 20lb braided line. I was fishing for bass last week in an area where there were pike and/or musky, and after one or the other took a Slammer with a quick swipe of its head I decided I needed a steel leader. Also decided to try some topwater action and put a Chug Bug on. Mistake. Even a short steel leader sank the bug and made it useless, so it was back to the Slammers. Might try the braid leaders down at the bay tonight.