Steel Leaders? Use them?

[lew]

Lew,i would say leaders are not needed,,but as you know,I learned my lesson.

 

I was gonna say something earlier in this post Brian, but thought I'd leave it up to you

Edited July 8, 2014 by lew

[kickingfrog]

In fact, I don't know why anyone would use any kind of a leader for walleye.

To "hide" braided line from fish and/or prevent losing a lure to pike that tend to be in similar areas/waters.

[solopaddler]

I've never used a leader when targeting walleye...ever.

[esoxansteel]

Im targeting walleye with #8 Shad Raps, but the muskies love them almost as much, and havnt lost a Rap yet with 10 pound braid and 8 pound floro leader, but i probably just jinxed myself

[bare foot wader]

In fact, I don't know why anyone would use any kind of a leader for walleye.

 

cause it sucks losing 50$ of lures in a day...or a monster pike

 

the 6lb knot 2 kinky stuff is easy to handle and tie, so doesn't bother me to use it, no different than running a leader on top of braid

[kickingfrog]

I've never used a leader when targeting walleye...ever.

And I never use bait. Different strokes.

[Governator]

I use wire, I just found myself checking the line too much though never had a problem with bite offs. I have more of a problem trusting my double uni knots than a palomer, so I stick with wire now for ease & I just trust the set up more.

[BillM]

If I'm trolling for walleyes, especially in pike infested waters, I always run a 20lb flouro lead... Same goes with jigging, perhaps it's habit more then anything.

[manitoubass2]

I'll never understand all this super heavy line stuff. I've landed so many pike, up to 47". On light braid. Never have an issue

[Old Ironmaker]

My 2 cents is that if someone is doing a fly-in it's usually an opportunity for a personal best or a trophy fish, something us mere mortals don't do regularly (insert M. Borger here). That's not the time for me to start experimenting with something I'm not accustomed to. Wire leaders sure did the job when we ventured 17 hours north of Hamilton years ago before colour TV's were on the market, OK PC's. One personal best Pike after the last when they are on the bite. Talk about lure action we used whole frozen smelts and Herring.

 

Being exclusively on crystal clear Erie now nothing while longlining is used without a invisible length of flouro on it, at least 25 feet. A 10 pound Walleye has long sharp pearlies that will rival any Northern. Also flouro on any other type of line for Smallies. I don't usually use any leader specific fluorocarbon like Seagar, but have if available from someone else's bag. I just tie on about 18" of flouro and cut it back if niks or kinks develop. The first time bit off was only a few weeks back while tossing a topwater for smallies when a very large Gar took it.

 

I want as little terminal tackle on anything. Even downrigging etc. I want to take the time to tie directly to a plug. Spoons to a barrel swivel, no snaps. I don't want to pull a bait up and find I've been pulling the thing hooked onto the gap in the snap for 20 minutes.

 

I guess that 3 cents not 2.

 

I must add the flourocarbon of choice is the one on sale. 25 pound for trolling 10 pound for smallies.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Old Ironmaker

[BillM]

It doesn't take a big pike to slash through braid.... 20lb flouro or even mono is cheap insurance for that $15 jerkbait.

Edited July 10, 2014 by BillM

[Old Ironmaker]

You are right Bill. I might not be able to bite through braid but the rocks out here fray the good braid and don't really effect the fluorocarbon much. I wasn't into the super lines until well after they came out but am sure glad I did. It wasn't unusual to go through 3 or more spools of Trilene and Zero (still my favorite mono) a season on each spool. I've yet to have a fish bite off leadcore.

[AKRISONER]

call me crazy, but i always fish with wire leaders for pike, to me they usually ambush the meps, spoon etc anyways and dont seem very concerned with the line I am using. I also like the ability to swap lures in seconds flat when a pike comes in and misses the first hit, A quick swap to a different colour or pattern gets me back on the water and able to go after the pike before its gone.

 

I will also mention that ive been fishing with braid for walley for the past 5 years since i got a place in pointe au baril, and i honestly dont feel like the line I am using has been the deal breaker.

 

I might have to look into the idea of 100lbs mono leaders though for the spring pike and musky run.

[lew]

I also like the ability to swap lures in seconds flat when a pike comes in and misses the first hit, A quick swap to a different colour or pattern gets me back on the water and able to go after the pike before its gone.

 

 

 

When a pike comes in and misses the 1st hit it usually means he wants it, so you should be tossing it right back at him and giving him what he wants rather than switching colors.

 

He liked what he saw the 1st time, so chances are he'll hit it again, specially if he was aggressive 1st time around.

[AKRISONER]

I mis spoke, usually I will switch after the pike goes quiet. If a pike misses, I usually throw it right back at him, but if I get no action the second pass I switch fast.