NE Saltwater - Leaders for Bluefish?

[snake95]

I assume some of you guys out there fish for bluefish or catch them inadvertently when after stripers.

 

What do you like to use for leaders when those toothy guys are targets or just around?

[RoLo]

 

When targeting bluefish, I use titanium leader (Piano wire in days of old)

"Terminator Nickel-Titanium wire"

 

Roger

 

[snake95]

9 minutes ago, RoLo said:

When targeting bluefish, I use titanium leader

Thanks RoLo can you tie direct to mono or have to add terminal tackle?

 

Sorry - Found the answer.  Google works!

Made of nickel Titanium that stretches like monofilament and can be rigged with a simple clinch or Albright knot. More cut-proof, kink-proof and longer lasting than ordinary stainless steel wire. Corrosion-proof, low visibility non-reflective smoke black finish.

Edited June 30, 2020 by snake95

[A-Jay]

A-Jay 

[soflabasser]

I have caught bluefish on thick mono leader but prefer using tieable wire leader.

[Fallser]

I generally use a heavy fluorocarbon leader when I'm fly fishing for them, usually 25#.  If I'm getting bite offs I'll go with a 40# bite tippet.  I don't think I ever used wire when I was surf fishing or tossing lures to them.  I might have because I found a spool of 30# Tyger wire when I was cleaning up my tying room.  Which is one of the knotable wire leaders.

[snake95]

Thanks guys.  I got both titanium and AFW microsupreme leaders to try packed in my plug bag.  Going to give them a shot if and when I find some blues, and if I don't, well, I will use them up in northern Ontario looking for pike someday.

 

Will report back if I actually find any fish in the salt. 

[Fallser]

On 7/4/2020 at 1:25 PM, snake95 said:

well, I will use them up in northern Ontario looking for pike someday.

Another place or fish where I don't use wire.  The lake I go to is noted more for its walleye than pike.  Plus the time of the year I go, late summer, is not when you're going to find big pike.  There are big pike in the lake.  I had one grab a 12 inch walleye when I was trolling.  Another time I had a 20 inch pike on the fly rod.  It was fighting me and then started swimming toward the boat.  When I was taking it off the hook, I noticed blood dripping onto the bottom of the boat.  I checked the pike out and there large teeth marks on the back third of the fish where something had try to grab it.  Most likely another pike.  If you catch a 30 inch fish that time of the year, you've had a good week.  They seem to prefer longer minnow type lures which cuts back on the bite offs.  Even on the fly rod with the heavy fluorocarbon leader I can count the number of bite-offs I've had over the years on one hand.