Fluorocarbon to Braid

[fisherman7]

Hi all, I'm going to try using a fluorocarbon leader for pike fishing this year. Any suggestions at to what lb test to use?

[kickingfrog]

I use a few different strengths depending on the set-up. The spoon/spinner set up the stiffer/heavier line doesn't really impact the presentation so I'll use 40lb test and I think I also have 80lb that really is over kill but I had it from some musky leaders. For casting jerkbaits and whatnot that have a more subtle action I usually have 20lb fluoro. I also have some no-kink wire leader material that I use as well, but that's more when I'm fishing walleye and pike are likely.

[Pigeontroller]

I'm no Pike fisherman but a decent sized Muskie (40'') could easily bite through Fluorocarbon up 80 lbs.

 

I wouldn't use anything much less than 80 lb. for Pike, and I consider the minimum for Muskie to be 130 lbs.

 

I use 175 lb.

[landry]

I would use 80-100 for pike seeing as the baits are smaller but I have seen Muskie bite Clem through 100.

40 is risky. 20 is pointless.

[Steve]

one thing a lot of angers don't consider is, it is not the LARGER pike that cut through the leaders, but the SMALLER pike.

 

If you catch pike frequently, you'll note that the smaller pike (hammerhandles) haven't had the time in the water to file down their ultra sharp teeth...similar to a puppy or kitten.

 

the older (ie, larger) pike have been feeding for years, and their teeth aren't nearly as sharp as the hammerhandles.

 

as such, don't let the "size" of the pike dictate what leader strength you need to use.

 

personally, I wouldn't go less than 60lbs test for any pike....if I was fishing for pike that is.

 

we often catch pike with our bass flouro leads (I use 20lbs or 25lbs test flouro leads for bass), but every once in a while you just get a bite off without any notice of the hit itself...those aren't big pike, rather, little hammerhandles.

[backbay]

I use 50 in the spring, along with smaller jerbaits then. Through the summer, when I'm using full sized cranks and Inline spinners, I'll move to 100 or 125

[kickingfrog]

I started with heavier fluoro leaders and stated working down in strength. I figured I'd stop when I got bit off. It never happened so I stopped at 20lb fluoro. Maybe my small pike can't get the big baits in their mouths and the big pike have teeth that are too dull.

[Shloim]

I've been using 15 and never had a problem. No monsters mind you... 80lb sound crazy huge

[Gallie]

I wouldnt use anything under 80lb, i rarely use anything under 100lb and usually just stick to 130lb.

my 44" pb pike came on a 130lb flouro leader running a big double jointed on a stop and go pattern so the line couldnt have affected the action too bad.

I must add however that i have recently been using 100lb single strand wire leaders and i love them, they never kink and are extremely low profile. They also outlast flouro because any size pike can slash deep cuts into thick flouro with either their teeth or gill rakes.

[EC1]

I don't have a lb test to offer because I am clearly using way lighter line than the others here. I've been bit off with 40, but haven't had troubles with 60.

 

I do have a tip though. (Myself being a pike once or twice a year kind of guy) I don't like connecting the 2 lines with a connection knot, but rather with a swivel to join the two lines and then a snap for putting lures on. This way, the leaders last me for a few trips and you can go back to other kinds of fishing without having to retie the whole leader again the next time you go for pike. Snaps also make changing lures very easy, but you know that already

 

Make sure swivels and snaps are strong, and don't reel in past the swivel!

I also find these heavy fluoros are very cumbersome to tie, and knots that go through the hook eye twice don't seem to work all that well. I stick to a simple uni knot.

Edited May 5, 2016 by EasyFish

[Sinker]

I'm no Pike fisherman but a decent sized Muskie (40'') could easily bite through Fluorocarbon up 80 lbs.

 

I wouldn't use anything much less than 80 lb. for Pike, and I consider the minimum for Muskie to be 130 lbs.

 

I use 175 lb.

BIGTIME OVERKILL!

 

and using 80 for pike but minimun 130 for musky? That makes no sense at all to me.

 

 

S.

[Garnet]

I use 30 lb Stay Loc titanium 9 inch leaders. About 80% of the time pike hit from back. So I'm only worried about giants swallowing bait.

[Gallie]

I use 30 lb Stay Loc titanium 9 inch leaders. About 80% of the time pike hit from back. So I'm only worried about giants swallowing bait.

I find pike come in from behind the lure but almost always hit it sideways with a burst of speed, a lot of times this power surge causes them to hit too far forward(or backwards) and miss the lure completely. Ive had fish miss a 10" lure and 12" of leader just to slash right through the braid above the leader, mind you this seems to happen more with smaller fish for some reason.

It doesnt happen often so i stick to 9"-12" leaders but if they do miss and hit flouro of any weight chances are the leader is garbage now anyway.

[porkpie]

I've caught many pike and musky casting rapalas for pickerel on 8 to 12lb test, both mono and fluorocarbon. Once and a while I've lost a lure, but I've put enough of them in the boat to not worry about it. I don't know that I would bother with the expense of 80lb fluoro. When I do fish for pike specifically, I use a cheap fine black wire leader of about 6 inches long. I've never lost a fish with one, and I'm still working on a pack of leaders that I spent about 6 dollars on 10 years ago.

Edited May 5, 2016 by porkpie

[msp]

80- 100 pound Seagar premium for sure. Back to back uni knot.

It definetly not overkill. I have been bitten clean through with 80.

[netminder]

I've caught many pike and musky casting rapalas for pickerel on 8 to 12lb test, both mono and fluorocarbon. Once and a while I've lost a lure, but I've put enough of them in the boat to not worry about it. I don't know that I would bother with the expense of 80lb fluoro. When I do fish for pike specifically, I use a cheap fine black wire leader of about 6 inches long. I've never lost a fish with one, and I'm still working on a pack of leaders that I spent about 6 dollars on 10 years ago.

My opinion, this is the best way to go. Pike are very aggressive and I'm not sure an invisible leader makes that much difference.

[Gallie]

Let me put it this way, there are 2 types of pike fishing numbers and size.

If you want to go catch a few scrappers and dont mind losing a fish buy a cheap pack of leaders and have at er.

If you want to catch pike of size i would buy or make a quality leader, i for one am not losing a 40"+ 20 lb+ gator because i refused to buy quality terminal gear. I put too much time money and effort into my fishing for that to happen.

[AKRISONER]

lol oh what a debate you have started!

 

For me it 100% depends on what I am throwing and what time of year it is.

 

On Georgian bay you are guaranteed to run into 30+ inch pike every single time you fish regardless of what you are fishing for. I generally run 20lb fluro leaders for bass fishing for this exact reason.

 

At the same time, I hooked into a very large pike this winter and it proceeded to cut me off at the hole. One late headshake as we tried to get her through the hole and that 20lb leader was toast.

 

Ive also seen a 20+lb pike landed on 8lb mono...

 

If I am simply fishing around for whatever in the spring with cranks, ill toss a 20lb fluro leader and it will handle anything that a smaller pike can throw at it.

 

if you are tossing big gear for monsters, then ya 80lb fluro leader is the way to go.

 

You wont get cut off by a pike using an 80lb leader...id challenge anyone here to tell me they have been bit off by a pike using an 80lb leader. 100+ is just insane.

Edited May 5, 2016 by AKRISONER

[msp]

Challenge accepted !

[FishFinder17]

I primarily fish for pike and always use 100lb leader. Had a 10lb pike break a 65lb leader last summer. Better to be safe than sorry!

[AKRISONER]

FYI ive lost 100 more fish from my knots failing, then from being cut off

[Steve]

no kidding eh?

 

since I moved to the palomar knot for the final knot, and a surgeons knot to connect my leader to my main line, I haven't had a knot failure in many years.

 

however, when fishing heavy slop for pig large mouth bass I've snapped 25lbs flouro on a hookset.

[AKRISONER]

no kidding eh?

 

since I moved to the palomar knot for the final knot, and a surgeons knot to connect my leader to my main line, I haven't had a knot failure in many years.

 

however, when fishing heavy slop for pig large mouth bass I've snapped 25lbs flouro on a hookset.

circulation problems in my hands and fishing in cold weather has cost me many a knot.

 

Ive dumbed it down to using palomar and uni knots for everything now. Its usually fine when i tie them at home...but get me out on the lake in the cold and my hands are useless.

[Sinker]

80- 100 pound Seagar premium for sure. Back to back uni knot.

It definetly not overkill. I have been bitten clean through with 80.

To clarify, I meant the 175lb is over kill.

 

I use 100lb for musky and pike, but I don't fish pike much. Never had one break off ever.

 

S.

[Gregoire]

I've been bitten off clean through a 20lb leader many times trolling on the St. Lawrence. For this reason I only troll with heavy leaders now. If I am casting, I will go as low as 20lb leaders still, and will tie straight to 8lb line in very clear water. I fish mostly musky, and have moved almost entirely to single strand wire leaders that are at least 2ft long on my trolling set ups for musky. When pike fishing I rarely use anything but my musky leaders, which are a minimum of 150lb. I would prefer to go overkill on the leader then kill a fish.