Pike Leaders

[taggart.josh 0]

What do you use for a leader for toothy fish? I am asking specifically about pike. I recently bought a wire leader from cabelas but now that I have fished with it a few times I am not to happy with it. My complaints are that it has a ton of memory and that the attachment method is rather complicated and time consuming. The wire loops through the eye and threads back into a metal piece which has to be crimped and un-crimped every time you change. Wondering what else there is, thanks.

[williamhj 0]

Can use really heavy mono. I've used both and have caught some pretty toothy fish with mono as well as wire (I think I used knot-kinky or something like that though Rio sells some stuff).

[OLD BUD 0]

Out here in colorado we use 7.5 to 9 ft 20# flourocarbon leaders with a #0 or #1 snap.Catch lots of 14" to 40 fish with very little loss of flies or broken off fish. The flies range from 3/0 pike bunnies to #2 wooley buggers so a tapered leader is not needed.Also using a polmar knot for the snap seems fool proof.

[Stilljerkin 0]

I use just 15-20lb power pro braid like a just a foot in front of the fly an the rest is mono to my fly line don't seem to ever have a problem. My fly is junk be for my leader

[timkr 0]

I don't use wire anymore as it damages the fish when they 'gator roll'. I have gone to 40# bite tippet for the last few years and have lost exactly one fish as a result. Usually use a 20# class tippet as a safety valve in case I need to break it off and then 40# flouro. Works like a champ.

[Philly 0]

I don't use wire either. Usually a 6 to 8 foot piece of 25 lb fluorocarbon. Over the years, I've lost more flies to to beaver huts than to bite offs. If I do get a bite off, I might add a 40 or 50 lb piece of fluorocarbon as a "bite tippet" to the 25 lb piece but I usually just tie on a new fly.

[Christopher K 0]

25-30lb mono for me, I fish a lot of clear waters so I like the visibility advantage but can't bring myself to spending $30 for a spool of fluoro.

[TheHound 0]

I also use braid in front of my leader. You can get a whole spool of powerpro fairly cheap and I usually have around 6-8 inches of braid tied on with a loop to loop connection. Never had a problem.

[taggart.josh 0]

Power Pro it is, I have a spool of 30# on my tying bench that I use for my articulated streamers. Thanks for the advice Im going to give it a try next time I get out.

[lftmech 0]

I use Mason hard mono for pike and I have caught some giants. Just be sure to check it for abrasions after every catch or hookup.

[Piker20 0]

As a big time pike fan wire is the only 100% bite proof material. Lots of UK anglers have used braid and it works okay but braid is not very resistant to straight edge abrasion. Run a taut length of braid over a sharp knife and ping. It will fail eventually on a pike. Probably not a small jack but yes on a big girl.

Mono is little better. Lots of UK guys went onto the 100lb monos for a time thinking it solved the answers of wire traces but too many fish lost purely down to mono.

I've used 7 strand, 49 strand, bare and coated wires and titanium single strand wires. Never had a damaged pike. Not saying its impossible but in 20yrs and 100s of pike never a problem. Traces have always been minimum 10 inch long, normally 18".

 

For fly leaders I prefer either a cheap 49 strand wire tied to the fly just like mono and bin when its all kinky. Or a single strand titanium wire. More cost but lasts 10x longer at least. I use a snap link with these traces. Doesn't affect casting or presentation. duolock http://www.dbluefishing.com/goods.php?id=240 type snaps are 100% reliable. I've had all other style of snap open at some point.

 

If you dont mind losing a fish to bite off then stick with mono leaders. It may only happen once but when that girl is a 30lber you'll wish you had used wire. Too late at that stage.

[corney 0]

My guide buddies up in Northern Saskatchewan at Wollaston Lake showed me to use 18" plastic coated wire such as Mason tied to 6' 30 lb+ mono with an Albright knot. They tie the hook on with a figure 8 knot in the wire.

 

I just bought small snaps that I was going to crimp on the end for easy hook exchange.

[troutinturnie 0]

I use cabela brand bass leaders, usually 20lb then tie on about a foot of Rio knotable wire tippet. Its $17.00 per spool and usually lasts a while. Works well for me up in Northen Canada, largest pike landed was just under 20lbs.

[vicrider 0]

I have some Cabela's tieable wire leader material and when I fished them a lot up north I found it only took a short 3-4" wire to prevent MOST bite-offs. This would do for pike we caught up to the 20# area and very seldom have them take a big fly deep enough to get past wire. Seldom but occasionally it could happen but hater throwing much more wire than that myself.

[artimus001 0]

i'm glad i read this thread, lot's of great info. this probably saved a pike from swimming around with a fly in its mouth.