Pickerel problem--too many lures gone 2024

fishizzle reply :

Is there any way to lose less crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs to these pesky critters?

I mostly use 10lb floro Vanish for cranks and 20lb floro for jigs and TX rigs

It is becoming a financial issue

Please Help!

Raul reply :

Steel leader. Don 't look prutty but it works on gar, I 'm sure it works on pickerel.

fishizzle reply :

I would think the trade-off is alot less bass bites

Is any super line resistant to big teeth?

guest reply :

Same problem here, especially early in the season. Some use smaller diameter Sevenstrand Stell leaders,

That's why I do not use it, they kill my Rapalas but the stell leader definitley messes witth the right action for Rapala #11 Original Floaters. I am going to try a plastic minnow this season, although I never use anything but Rapalas.

Grey Wolf reply :

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I would think the trade-off is alot less bass bites
Is any super line resistant to big teeth?

Not really.

Bassnbrett101 reply :

I've never hade problems with pike and muskie? I catch them all the time on my bass gear. Every year i catch a tiger muskie almost 3 1/2 to 4 ft long and I bring them up to the boat? I catch them on mono. tube jigs spinnerbaits jerkbaits chatterbaits and crankbaits. Maybe you should try faster hooksets? lol

guest reply :

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I would think the trade-off is alot less bass bites
Is any super line resistant to big teeth?

Not really.

My friend Dan came up with the idea of going to an heavier strength fluoro leader, I have never used it, but i will see how he does. Steel leaders can change your presentation in two ways

Bait Action: Especially with balsa baits

Palstics; It can and does speed up the sink rate

both of these issues can cost you in bites

fishizzle reply :

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I've never hade problems with pike and muskie? I catch them all the time on my bass gear. Every year i catch a tiger muskie almost 3 1/2 to 4 ft long and I bring them up to the boat? I catch them on mono. tube jigs spinnerbaits jerkbaits chatterbaits and crankbaits. Maybe you should try faster hooksets? lol

I find it hard to believe that you've never lost a lure to a pike. lol

I'm not saying that you're a liar. I respect you and know you catch fish.

I thought I was a fast hooksetter on spinnerbaits so I don't think thats the problem--They just suck it in all the way.

When I set the hook...weightless...nada

Could it be that floro doesn't have stretch and I'm better off with mono?

guest reply :

Where I fish in the period after ice out, there is no suspended algae in the water so the lakes are crystal clear, at about 48 degrees 9 Water temp)the pickrel start going nuts!!!!! There are 2 places we go just to target them, we used ( discontinued) Rebel Mystic Minnows and 20 lb test line and did not loose many lures to speak of. They are very aggresive at this time of year, many one of the fellas who knows fish biology can explain this. They can and will swallow very large baits down very quickley. It comes with the turf

RoLo reply :

Use a 5" trace of 20-lb Terminator Titanium Leader (0.012 Dia - smoke black)

Titanium is extremely kink resistant and may be joined using a knot without any crimps, but that's up to you.

Popular opinion holds that wire will reduce the number of bass bites. I strongly suggest that you give it a try,

and decide that for yourself. We've caught innumerable bass by accident, while fishing for northern pike with 30-lb x 10" wire leaders.

Roger

guest reply :

Hey Roger, where can you find those only Tungsten and Sevenstrand this parts?

RoLo reply :

I apologize for the sticker-shock

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchResults?searchOption=products&hvarSearchString=terminator+titanium&storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&CMID=TOP_SEARCH_GO

The bass in my avatar gobbled-up wire leader (Thousand Islands, NY)

guest reply :

Thanks Roger, I usually donate about 30 bucks per year in Rapalas to the Pickrel anyway!!!!! I will see about splitting a pack of these with a friend. This still will not solve the teeth marks in the Balsa problem. I even tried Elaine's clear nail polish, nothing seems to work all that well once they have been chewed up.

Bassnbrett101 reply :

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I've never hade problems with pike and muskie? I catch them all the time on my bass gear. Every year i catch a tiger muskie almost 3 1/2 to 4 ft long and I bring them up to the boat? I catch them on mono. tube jigs spinnerbaits jerkbaits chatterbaits and crankbaits. Maybe you should try faster hooksets? lol

I find it hard to believe that you've never lost a lure to a pike. lol

I'm not saying that you're a liar. I respect you and know you catch fish.

I thought I was a fast hooksetter on spinnerbaits so I don't think thats the problem--They just suck it in all the way.

When I set the hook...weightless...nada

Could it be that floro doesn't have stretch and I'm better off with mono?

lol I never said i never lost a lure to a pike more muskie, it has happened. More often than not though i get the fish to the boat atleast. If i lose a lure its usually a really small lure. I could just be lucky and set the hook right. Idk i guess i should have said i never usually have problems lol. I can't say anything about mono vs. flouro though i use both and i like them both

.dsaavedra. reply :

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nothing seems to work all that well once they have been chewed up.

a light coat of Devcon 2-Ton Epoxy will. too much epoxy may hurt the action a little bit, so just put a very light coat over the lure.

the epoxy is available at any hardware store and even walmart.

guest reply :

Thanks Dave, I have tried a few things If I get ambitious I will give that a shot, The thing is that the Silver Floating Rapala and the Silver Shad Raps are deadly in the next few weeks and those %^@#*& Pickrel Love em as much as the Bass.

.dsaavedra. reply :

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Thanks Dave, I have tried a few things If I get ambitious I will give that a shot, The thing is that the Silver Floating Rapala and the Silver Shad Raps are deadly in the next few weeks and those %^@#*& Pickrel Love em as much as the Bass.

better run to True-Value pretty fast then! ;D

Crowcommander reply :

Hey fishizzle,go to Michaels or hobby lobby(craft stores I know and take your wife if your married to make big points!) and buy the 18lb clear plastic covered stainless wire,brass sleeves for crimping and the crimping tool.Your'e out about $25 but you can make your own leaders,cut to any length. I use only about 2 inches for jigs and about 3 for other baits. works great . We have a lot of pike in the Lake Degray Ark and this seems to work for me IMHO Crowcommander

fishizzle reply :

Thanks everyone, great ideas I'll try some and report back this summer.

Any more?

Jeff H reply :

I buy black plastic coated leader material in 25 lb test (I think it is). I pass it through a swivel twice snug it down tight and clip a small foreceps on the tag. I spin it around the leader as tight as I can then take the foreceps off and clip that little end off close. Run a lighter over the plastic to melt it together and it ain't gonna slip. I then do the same thing on the jig eye or worm hook I'm going to use. Tie swivel to line and no "gator" gonna bite through that.

I don't or have never used this kind of leader on cranks but there is no reason you couldn't I guess. it works really well and you don't add the weight of crimp sleeves etc.

I prefer to NOT fish this rig but when the gators get on my bass spots I have one rod rigged with this kind of leader and if I get bit off once it gets used to "clean out" the trash.

Man, I hate gators, just hate 'em to the core.

Marty reply :

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I would think the trade-off is alot less bass bites
Is any super line resistant to big teeth?

I don't know about heavier lines, but they cut through 15# superlines like a hot knife through butter. I wouldn't trust any fiber; metal leaders do the job for me.

I don't see a lot of changed action while using metal leaders; I suppose you can say that the action must change to some degree, but not to a degree that messes up your fishing. And I've caught plenty of bass with a leader.

You should try leaders, catch a few fish and you will gain confidence in using them. I've been fishing pike and pickerel waters for almost 40 years and I don't like losing expensive lures and I don't like being responsible for a fish swimming around with a mouthful of crankbait.

BassFishingMachine reply :

In my personal opinion I'd change the line to a little heavier/thicker line. And after a pickerel catch/hit check the line for any damage what so ever. I lose alot of softbaits/hooks to picks, especially the 5inch superflukes with size 4/0 gamakatsu's... can get expensive :-/. I don't think I'll ever use a steel leader only because I hate to lower my chances of hooking up with a bass, as I believe a steel leader would lessin the action and be a bit visible. But I guess if you really need to it should be used. I don't know I try my best to put up with it and check my line regularly when around them.

And even though I believe you already stated, fast hooks sets are key.

MNGeorge reply :

Go to any good fly shop. They should have bulk wire leader material that is "knotable" and it comes in light weight pound tests. We don't have Pickerel, but we have Pike and Musky to contend with and this has proven to be the best solution so far.

fishizzle reply :

I see I'm not the only one that hates losing $6 -$10 lures one after another.

And its a pain to go to the store that night to get more lures for the next day.

guest reply :

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Go to any good fly shop. They should have bulk wire leader material that is "knotable" and it comes in light weight pound tests. We don't have Pickerel, but we have Pike and Musky to contend with and this has proven to be the best solution so far.

Hey this sounds intersesting, can you explain this in more detail, In PA here we have tons of fly shops. Can you explain this more?

.dsaavedra. reply :

Quote

Quote
Go to any good fly shop. They should have bulk wire leader material that is "knotable" and it comes in light weight pound tests. We don't have Pickerel, but we have Pike and Musky to contend with and this has proven to be the best solution so far.

Hey this sounds intersesting, can you explain this in more detail, In PA here we have tons of fly shops. Can you explain this more?

example: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_92390_175003002_175000000_175003000_175-3-2

its made for fly fisherman who target toothy fish like pike, pickerel and musky and im sure there are some other saltwater fish that require a steel leader too.

the leaders are pretty lightweight so they should work well.

guest reply :

Thanks I will check this out locally because I am not familar with it.

Any brand names I should be looking foe?

RoLo reply :

FYI: Stainless steel in any form (piano wire, braided, knotable) is subject to kinking,

and once kinked the test strength is sharply reduced.

Titanium (actually titanium monofilament) is far more kink-resistant

and even if it does take on a subtle kink, the test strength will be relatively unchanged.

BTW: Titanium is highly shock-resistant as it stretches like nylon mono

Roger

SteveF reply :

I pretty much come from the land of Muskie's (upper midwest) and the only way around them is to use a steel leader, and yes it will weigh heavy on reduced bass bites. Unfortunately, you really have no option other than just fish.

I loose tons of money in baits every year, however it is just how it goes when you are fishing where "toothy" critters live.

I went through 15 black and blue jigs in a Fishers of Men Regional Tournament last year on Lake Wissota, and that is a typical day on Wissota .. just ask Ike as he was complaining about the muskie's during the Elite 50 tournament there as well. ;D

Steve

Jeff H reply :

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I pretty much come from the land of Muskie's (upper midwest) and the only way around them is to use a steel leader, and yes it will weigh heavy on reduced bass bites. Unfortunately, you really have no option other than just fish.
I lose tons of money in baits every year, however it is just how it goes when you are fishing where "toothy" critters live.

I went through 15 black and blue jigs in a Fishers of Men Regional Tournament last year on Lake Wissota, and that is a typical day on Wissota .. just ask Ike as he was complaining about the muskie's during the Elite 50 tournament there as well. ;D

Steve

Jig makers gotta love us guys from the north.

MN Basser reply :

I use 30lb Braid and I catch a lot of Pike on spinnerbaits and jigs. Never had a problem. I'm using 30lb Power Pro.

Jeff H reply :

Knock on wood kid. Their teeth can part 30 lb braid with no problems. You'll lose one day and many times in your days ahead. Wire is the only thing that could be considered 100% "gator" proof.

Lavrax reply :

Had the same with problem teeth, I tried several types of braid including 0,35mm fireline and spiderwire.. The only way to sleep tight is by using some sort of trace wire. Get the smallest diameter you can find and work with it

RoLo reply :

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Knock on wood kid. Their teeth can part 30 lb braid with no problems. You'll lose one day and many times in your days ahead. Wire is the only thing that could be considered 100% "gator" proof.

Exactly.

When either of three things happen, you can boat a northern pike using 8-lb nylon monofilament.

1) The pike is a hammer-handle (bay snake)

2) The lure is "outside" the pike's mouth (out of harm's way)

3) The line is nestled in the space between two teeth acting like a stripper guide (out of harm's way)

Even if you're using 40-lb fluoro leader, the INSTANT the line is straiffed across the bottom teeth

of an adult pike/musky, it's Goodbye Charlie. Ironically, you'll get away without wire until you hook-up with that Gator of a lifetime,

then poof he's gone!! It's quick, it's silent but it's far from painless :-[

Roger

WTRDOG reply :

Everytime I catch a pickeral ,I run my pliers in one eye and out the other.That ain't no lie......

It would take a big set of pliers for this sucka... ;D

Hooked_On_Bass reply :

:-?.

WTRDOG reply :

This pic was on another site,some kind of a pending record...

.dsaavedra. reply :

yeah thats a whole different kind of pike (i think). its called the Baltic Pike. im not sure if the exact one in the photo is a Baltic Pike, but i know they exist, they are in Europe and they grow much larger than out Northen Pike. i did some research on it the first time i saw that photo a whilel ago!

Jeff H reply :

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Everytime I catch a pickeral ,I run my pliers in one eye and out the other.That ain't no lie......;D

;D 8-) In the month of August I could literally fill my livewell top to bottom with 3-5's every day I'm on the water if I wanted to. I got a buddy who grinds them up for trapping season. Glad to help him out.

iceintheveins reply :

I would use a heavy fluoro or mono leader to keep them from stealing your jigs. I fish for big pike all the time, and the seldom bite through fluoro or mono of 15 - 20 pound test, so I doubt you would have a problem with little pickerals biting you off.

Pickerals are fun though.

iceintheveins reply :

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I would use a heavy fluoro or mono leader to keep them from stealing your jigs. I fish for big pike all the time, and the seldom bite through fluoro or mono of 15 - 20 pound test, so I doubt you would have a problem with little pickerels biting you off.
Pickerels are fun though.

6977

Pickerel problem--too many lures gone 2024

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