Crankbait Fishing for walleye and smallmouth bass

[007]

Hi folks.

 

I'm just curious - if I were to try fishing for walleye or smallies with crank baits like shad raps or dive-to rapalas, do I need to use a wire leader in case the lures attract pike or musky? Also can walleye bite through the line too?

 

Or should I just take the risk and fish with no wire leader for better presentation of the lure?

 

Thanks in advance for help.

007

[pikeie]

i personaly dont use leaders when fishing with cranks for smallies and walleye. i find the action is changed to much. but if u used florocarbon in like the 20 lbs range it would make it tougher for them to bite through and i dont think the action would be changed as much.

 

just my 2 cents

[musky66]

I use 80lb flor for Walleye cranking when Pike are present.I think it is probably overkill but I do alright with trolling up Walleye with no fear of a Pike ( or even Musky ) bite off. I do upgrade to 130lb floro when targetting Musky specifically though.

[Terry]

only if I am catching more pike then walleye

[OhioFisherman]

I don`t usually, it has cost me some good fish. Walleye haven`t been a problem for me cutting off crankbaits, and I use some small ones. More of an issue with small jigs smallie fishing on Lake Erie, their mouths are bigger than the smallies and they can take the lure deep quicker.

 

I made some 3 and 4 inch light steel leaders to solve that problems. Pike are not much of a problem here sort of rare to see one. Up north if I was getting cut off a lot bass fishing I just put a wire leader on. If I was targeting pike or skis I had one on.

[007]

Thanks for the tips guys. I will try to catch my first walleye soon and some decent smallies too.

 

007

[Rizzo]

are you nuts? If you're on a body of water that has the big toothy critters forget about those pansy walleye. Slap on a leader, a big honkin lure, set the motor to troll at 6 mph and go get yourself a big'un!

[ccmtcanada]

I dont use leaders for Walleye....even the incidental pike I catch seem to be hooked by the trailing trebles...their teeth dont usually get to the line.

[bbog]

I take my chances when trolling and don't bother with a leader. Only time I get bit off is when using topwater baits in Pike infested waters. Guess I'll start using flouro leaders in these situations.

[ADC]

I rarely use leaders.

 

However, I have lost about a 1/2 dozen pike at center island. Maybe it was because of the teeth, maybe the weeds/rocks or because it was just too big for my 10lbs line (Ya, I wish).

 

Maybe I should start to use them more ?

 

My problem is, Im changing my lures too much so the snap's are much better. I guess I could always try adding the leader to the snap?

[redfin]

I always do...not only that I wanna catch my fish and save lure...the loose lure is gonna be dangling on the fish for a few days...kinda awkward on the fish I think.

[fishboy]

Would a good quality fine wire leader not have any more effect on lure action than the heavy fluoro some guys use? I have some titanium leaders that are way more flexible than 40# line.

[Mike the Pike]

Most of the time I do not use a leader for bass and walleye.Since I have converted to braid(Stren super braid 30lb with 9lb diameter) I find a pike will not always cut the line with its teeth.

I caught a 6 pound Pike in Quinte this year no leader deeply hooked the braid prevented me from losing my lure .The line was frayed but did not break.Braid is not a leader but it does protect against unwanted break offs.I find leaders can effect poppers and soft plastics action and the lures tend to dive forward with a leader.

 

MTP