fishing spot logo
fishing spot font logo



Leaders For Pike? 2024


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 

Im heading up to NY soon to the finger lakes and I am gonna do some pike fishing.  I have caught them before and I have seen those monster teeth, so I imagine you would have to use a leader to keep from losing lures,  Any recommendations for leaders? I want something that wont break, but Id like to also keep the action of the lures not too impaired.

Thanks guys


fishing user avatarCJV reply : 

Spro makes a good leader.


fishing user avatarSirSnookalot reply : 

There are a number of ways to go, all work just fine.

Store bought leaders, not a big fan of the snaps that come on them but inexpensive and should pose no problem.

"Piano wire", use a haywire twist.

Nylon coated surflon, crimp one end with a swivel and the other you can crimp on a duolock.  What I use.

Tieable wire, never used it, heard it works ok, bit costly but it's only money.


fishing user avatarCrestliner2008 reply : 

Use at least a 12" leader. I haven't tried it yet, but they make a "ty-able" wire that you can use for this purpose as well. Some folks like the heavy (80# test) fluorocarbon leaders. I don't know. I've caught a lot of pike and those teeth are amazingly sharp. I'd be skeptical of landing a 20 pound pike with fluoro as my only leader. But many musky fishermen use them.


fishing user avatarTim Kelly reply : 

I do a lot of pike fishing in England and don't really trust fluorocarbon leaders. You can land a lot of fish on them, but one will bite you off sooner or later for no obvious reason. There are plenty of types of wire that work well. single strand wire leaders are cheap and easy to make up, but don't last many fish before being too bent up. my favorite is American Fishing Wire 1x19 strand camo coloured plastic coated leader. You need to put a swivel at one end and a snap at the other. I tend to tie it with a 2 or 3 turn clinch knot, which you pull the tag end to tighten the knot (or else it goes curly). Something around 30-40lb breaking strength would be about right. Staylok snaps are the best too. 150- 200lb size are easy to use and super reliable.

 

http://www.afwhiseas.com/product-p/dm19-35-a.htm

 

http://stringease.com/products.php?cat=snaps&id=staylok_snaps


fishing user avatarMaico1 reply : 

This will do the job.....http://www.aquateko.com/Knot_2_Kinky_Titanium_Fishing_Leader_Wire_s/1.htm


fishing user avatarScott F reply : 

Unless you plan on doing a lot of pike fishing, store bought steel leaders will work fine. Just be sure you buy ones with cross lock snaps. While you are buying leaders, pick up a set of jaw spreaders to hold open the mouth so you can get your lure back and not lose any blood.


fishing user avatarTim Kelly reply : 

Those jaw spreaders are really bad for the fish. Much better to put your hand under the gill flap, behind the rakers, and hold the pike like that. It's jaws will open automatically and you can dive in with the long nosed pliers to get your lure back. Hook cutters are handy too so that if the hooks are awkwardly placed you can snip the hooks to get the lure back, then remove the cut pieces.

 

If you're going to be eating the fish, none of this applies! :D


fishing user avatarDwight Hottle reply : 

These are the best leaders I have ever found. We have had one leader last for the week when pike fishing. I do change out the snap daily as that is the weakest link in the system. I use duolock snaps.  

 

http://www.finn-tasticcanada.com/leader_store.html


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 

Thanks so much guys for all the advice, I had caught one pike there before, and coming back a year later (armed with significantly more experience

fishing) I plan on catching another like this.
post-45084-0-46940100-1379121500_thumb.j


 


fishing user avatarTim Kelly reply : 

Have fun, and get one like this, on a fly rod sometime. Great fun.

 

3208.jpg


fishing user avatarColdSVT reply : 

Knot2kinky titanium leader...stuff is incredible...and it isnt too expensive


fishing user avatarSirSnookalot reply : 

IMO the smaller the fish the more chance of being cut off, the teeth are closer together and sharper.  Awesome catch on the fly rod, for me that takes center stage over catching them any other way.   No pike here but barracuda is hot ticket, my surgical tubes are made with wire.  Fishing for them off the beach with a fly rod or spinning with no wire is preference, I don't want to limit my bite for other species that may be coming in.


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 

Question though, if I am running a lure that requires some finess such as a Heddon Super spook (walking the dog), will the steel wire effect how the action works


fishing user avatarTim Kelly reply : 

Not really. Musky guys fish far heavier tackle and they use spook type baits. As long as you don't have massive swivels and a heavy bent up trace you'll be fine.


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 

Also if I have wire, do I have a chance of getting other fish like largemouth, smallies, etc... or will they be spooked by it?


fishing user avatarTim Kelly reply : 

I don't think it makes a lot of difference with moving baits. Probably not good on slow moving bottom baits, but they're not good pike presentations usually anyway.


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 
  On 6/21/2014 at 12:17 AM, Tim Kelly said:

I don't think it makes a lot of difference with moving baits. Probably not good on slow moving bottom baits, but they're not good pike presentations usually anyway.

Thanks very much for the information, when I go ill be 30 miles away from a Bass Pro shop, so If I wanna try other stuff ill be close


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 
  On 6/21/2014 at 12:17 AM, Tim Kelly said:

I don't think it makes a lot of difference with moving baits. Probably not good on slow moving bottom baits, but they're not good pike presentations usually anyway.

Another question, should I use a leader if fishing for bass in Pike waters? because I use 30# braid when bass fishing but I am going to a new spot that is know to have pike.  I have been looking at Surflon Micro Supreme and it looks good, but I am not sure if it is necessary.

Thanks. 


fishing user avatar5dollarsplash reply : 

Everywhere I fish locally seems to have pike. For me I weigh the risk with reward while bass fishing. I don't fish a ton of baits I'm afraid of losing, but if I did I'd use a leader.

Hook, worm, and soft plastic don't warrant a leader. But if I'm throwing a $30 bait you bet I'd use one.

Flashy white/chartreuse baits automatically get one as they seem to be pike magnets.


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 
  On 6/21/2014 at 5:33 AM, 5dollarsplash said:

Everywhere I fish locally seems to have pike. For me I weigh the risk with reward while bass fishing. I don't fish a ton of baits I'm afraid of losing, but if I did I'd use a leader.

Hook, worm, and soft plastic don't warrant a leader. But if I'm throwing a $30 bait you bet I'd use one.

Flashy white/chartreuse baits automatically get one as they seem to be pike magnets.

Any suggestion on a leader that will keep the pike at bay but not spook the bass, or is that just a fact of life

Also thanks for the info!


fishing user avatarTim Kelly reply : 

Any bottom contact, slow moving, soft plastic bait will be less attractive to pike than a crank or spinnerbait.


fishing user avatarScott F reply : 

There's no way to tell for sure if bass will be spooked by the leader, but I lean to no, they won't be spooked. If you are afraid they will be turned off, it's going to affect your fishing. Either throw lures you aren't afraid to lose without a leader, or use one. I don't like loosing lures, but I also don't like leaving baits in the mouths of fish. It's not good for them. If you think 30 pound braid will take the place of a leader, it won't. They can bite through that as easily as you can cut it.


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 
  On 6/21/2014 at 5:52 AM, Scott F said:

There's no way to tell for sure if bass will be spooked by the leader, but I lean to no, they won't be spooked. If you are afraid they will be turned off, it's going to affect your fishing. Either throw lures you aren't afraid to lose without a leader, or use one. I don't like loosing lures, but I also don't like leaving baits in the mouths of fish. It's not good for them. If you think 30 pound braid will take the place of a leader, it won't. They can bite throughout that as easily as you can cut it.

Thats a very good point, so I think ill try the Surflon micro.  I am gonna be using moving baits so I think Ill be safe,  Thanks for the info!


fishing user avatarJar11591 reply : 

In my experience, small pickerel bite me off a lot more than bigger pike. I've been bitten off by pickerel 5 casts in a row, but I never have trouble landing the 30"+ pike with no steel leader. Idk, that's just me.


fishing user avatarnickniescior reply : 
  On 6/21/2014 at 6:31 AM, Jar11591 said:

In my experience, small pickerel bite me off a lot more than bigger pike. I've been bitten off by pickerel 5 casts in a row, but I never have trouble landing the 30"+ pike with no steel leader. Idk, that's just me.

I have surprisingly never had a bite off from a pickerel, even though I get them in NJ all the time, but rather be safe then out one of my good lures


fishing user avatar5dollarsplash reply : 

I buy some leaders every year from Rollie and Helens musky shop, I believe they use Berkley components. Lb rating I tend to lean lower unless targeting pike an musky.


fishing user avatarDwight Hottle reply : 

Single strand 20lb titanium is very thin. Much, much thinner than the wire on an Alabama rig.




13204

related Other Fish Species topic

Help Settle A Debate
Tell Me About White Bass
Pb Pike ~ Video Added
A Pickerel Saved The Day.
Dream Fish
Which Lure Would You Surf Fish With?
Eating Freshwater Drum
Tips For A Fist Time Musky Fisherman
First time surf fishing
Trout lures?
Snook Fishing!!! First Time!!!!
Yes, There are Bull Sharks in rivers
Guy Has Been Pulling Up My Catfish Noodles.
Bowfin (Dogfish)
Over 600 pike in a week
Saltwater board
Beginner Pike Lures
favorite crappie/bluegill bait
Favorite Pickerel Lure?
Jumping fish in Broward County...



previous topic
Crappie Fishing Central -- Other Fish Species
next topic
Help Settle A Debate -- Other Fish Species