Leader Material For Top Water Pike.

[muskiebassfisherII]

 

been using top water for bass in pike infested water,    i find that the wire leaders drag the top water down and impede the action.    i also feel that a foot long piece of metal hanging under the bait,   might cause fish not to strike while on the pause.

 

any body use fluorocarbon with any success,   given that topwaters tend to illicit violent and explosive strikes.

[A-Jay]

First Off - Welcome to BR ~ !

 

I use American Fishing wire Surflon Micro Supreme - It's knot-able, thin and bass will still eat your bait.

 

Tons of pike here - and if I fish a frog without it - it's bye-bye kermit. 

 

A-Jay

 

 

http://www.afwhiseas.com/Surflon-Micro-Nylon-Coated-7-x-7-Stainless-Leader-Wire-s/1993.htm

[clayton86]

Tons of pike here also I just run straight 50# power pro haven't had a pike bite off yet.

[J Francho]

Cortland Toothy Critter in 10# size works great.

[eyedabassman]

 

Tons of pike here also I just run straight 50# power pro haven't had a pike bite off yet.

 

I agree with the braid. I have a ton of Pike in my lakes too.Had a 47 in. last year hit a spinnerbait. I don't like them fish with big teeth!!!!

[Marty]

I've had biteoffs with braid. If I decide to use a leader it's metal; I don't have confidence in any filament. The 6" leaders work well for me, but then, I'm not dealing with lots of double-digit fish either.

[EvanT123]

I've had pike cut 10lb braid like a hot knife threw butter but have had good luck with 12 lb yo-zuri. I landed one that probably weight close to 8lbs and had to putz around with it in the water while I got my pliers. I was also using a 4/0 hook which may have helped keeping the line away from its teeth.

[Scott F]

If I'm bass fishing in water that has northerns or muskie, I use leaders that I make using the tie-able wire.  It does tie easily if you don't mind cutting off big pieces. It's not cheap wire and I don't like to waste it so I tie them using a fly tying vise and small hemostats. I put a loop knot in one end and a small oval split ring on the other. It's the lightest leader I can make. I even use them with Senkos. It also kinks easily so you have to be careful when tightening the knot, it will curl up. When I'm fishing for pike, I make leaders out of single strand wire with a snap on one side, and a swivel on the other. I can make the single strand wire leaders out of some light wire but they are almost always a bit too heavy for the smallers topwater baits. They make the bait float nose down and they don't work as well. On bigger topwaters like Zarra Spooks, I just keep the rod up and the line nearly off the water. The stiff wire actually works pretty well walking-the-dog, at least I've learned a cadence that works for me. I've done a lot of topwater pike fishing. Those crazy little pike, are not good at hitting the bait if it's moving. They'll come flying out of the water cartwheeling through the air, missing the bait by a foot. Many times they miss the bait and the leader and cut my line above the leader. The big pike though, over 36 or 38 inches don't miss. They just inhale it. When they hit, it looks like someone dropped a bowling ball in the lake, just a huge splash. They'll get an entire Super Spook crosswise in their mouth. They don't seem to mind the leaders at all.

[Capt.Bob]

I custom make these, they aren't cheap, but you wont have to worry about loosing a 40+ incher, 20" 100%, Vicious Big Game fluorocarbon leader material, clear vinyl reinforced eyes to cushion them and protect them from wear to extend the life of the leader, with weed guards over the crimp sleeve to avoid sharp corners and shed weeds they help tremendously! (only necessary on the leading edge sleeve) so these are intended for weedy cover, with light weight blackened chrome hardware (cross lock snaps and ball bearing swivels, these are the finest Fluorocarbon leaders available. 60# 80#,100# and 130# with hardware matched to the weight.

[Maico1]

https://www.aquateko.com/collections/buy-knot2kinky-leaders

[Deleted account]

I run 40-60 lb mono. Spinnerbaits, spinners and large JBs and other long lures tend to end up far away enough from the teeth to be ok. Shorter stubbier lures are the ones that usually end up in trouble.

[jbrew73]

We pike (chain pickerel) fished all the time when I was a kid.  We caught what seemed like large pike but knowing what I know now a assume they were 3 lb max.  We used Zebco 33’s with 10lb stren mono and I cant remember ever losing a fish due to cutoff.

 

Are larger pike or other species of pike more likely to cut your line ?

[MickD]

With some surface lures the sinking FC screws up their action.  If using that kind of lure go with a hard mono salt water leader material, like Mason.  Since it is hard (stiff) knots will be difficult in the higher pound test leaders; you;ll need to set them with pliers.  30 pound test is .028 inch diameter, and is really tough.  You may have to buy it from a saltwater fly source.

 

If sinking leaders is not a problem, FC is usually smaller in diameter for the same pound test, so knots should be easier.

[A-Jay]

32 minutes ago, jbrew73 said:

We pike (chain pickerel) fished all the time when I was a kid.  We caught what seemed like large pike but knowing what I know now a assume they were 3 lb max.  We used Zebco 33’s with 10lb stren mono and I cant remember ever losing a fish due to cutoff.

 

Are larger pike or other species of pike more likely to cut your line ?

 

It does seem that way to me.

 

A-Jay

 

[ww2farmer]

1 hour ago, jbrew73 said:

 

 

Are larger pike or other species of pike more likely to cut your line ?

Yes....and as a bonus, they are the only fish to have every sent me the the emergency room.............TWICE. But I still don't hate them. They are fun to catch as long as your not donating a lot of $$$ to them.

[jbrew73]

 

I guess those big fish could cut rope!  We don’t seem to have pike that size so I’ve always wondered why all the talk about leaders and such.     Clearly I can see why now.