Wire leaders for pike and muskie

[spinner 0]

I was wondering what to use. Do you use the baitcasting kind or is there some kind of special material I could get that is more suited to fly fishing?

[Futzer 0]

Hi Spinner, I use either 60# mason hard mono in a 8 inch tippet, or 25# braided coated stainless steel wire in 7 inch tippet. With a GLoomis 8 weight.

 

Cheers, Futzer

[stonefly1 0]

I use the braided coated wire with crimps when fishing for Pike in MT. Just be prepared to replace several times. If the pike puts a kink in the wire (which is typical) you won't be able to straighten.

 

 

Chris

 

 

[wiggleminnow 0]

Alot of guys have switched to 50lb floro, even with Blue Fish which have Pirhana teeth. I would try 50lb Ande Floro.

[lewy271 0]

Mono is generally going to open you up to losing fish, it can also be more cumbersome to tie effective knots. I'm my opinion the only thing that you should be using is http://www.tygerleader.com/. It is awesome, you tie a knot just as you would with mono it is available from 2lb to 150lb test.

[NineZeroSeven 0]

I've got a spool of the tyger, but have also found a stainless coated wire that's very similar to the tyger. It's marketed for making bead necklaces, I bought it in the craft section at Wal-Mart. I don't remember the exact length, but recall it came in longer lengths than the tyger, and for much cheaper. It ties just about the same. I'll try to get a pic and more info on manufacturer, etc. after work.

[spinner 0]

thanks for the tips.

[mcfluffchucker 0]

for pike here in the uk it generaly frowned upon using anything but wire , i tried tyger wire for a while but i get the feeling the wire itself is to shinny and seems to spook the fish .

 

some of the guys over here are using 90lb seagar flurocarbon instead of wire and to some great results one guy has had nearly 300 pike up to 25lb + and the leader is still good and has not needed to be changed ,ive tried it the odd time myself and not had a problem with it infact my catch resluts go up when not using wire .

 

its frowned upon over here mainly by the lure and bait anglers but we are someways behind in our fishing methods in this country comperded to you guys across the pond , but i suppose untill somebody invents a clear wire leader this will always be up for debate

 

 

[kodiaksalmon 0]

60 and 80 lbs flourocarbon! I used to use wire and will never go back. I used Tyger, and Toothy Critter, and actually prefer the Toothy Critter to the Tyger. Tyger kinks to easily for me, and actually collapes under my flies on the cast.

 

I use 60 lb FC 95% of the time,and can tie Bimini Twists in it and use loop-to-loop connections, with a swivel clasp for attaching the fly. And they wear great. I've never lost a fish on them, and have had leaders last weeks and several fish. People will say that FC will break on a muskie, but hell, muskies have been lost on wire with bite-offs. Any leader can fail, simple as that. But I've not come to the day yet when my FC has failed...it'll come, but I've gone long enough that FC has proven itself to me.

 

Even conventional muskie guys are going more and more to FC. They fish heavier, like 100-130 lb, but they're throwign DCG's and Top Raiders, so the extra heft is needed on those baits.

 

60 FC gets my vote.