Had a pike break my line yesterday & lost a $150 glide bait. What can I do to my setup to prevent this in the future?

[Ohioguy25]

I should start by saying pike are few and far between in my river, but they are in there. This was the first such encounter throwing big baits and as such I was completely unprepared. Kept my line tight but somehow she got her teeth around it.

 

I exclusively fish for smallmouth, would a 100 lb fluoro leader or some other sort of rig have prevented this? Majorly heartbroken, fortunately caught a really big fish shortly after that redeemed it. 

[Hulkster]

I think you could use a steel leader if there are big pike around. 

I doubt the bass care. I have caught many bass while fishing for pike with a steel leader while casting spinner baits and #5 Mepps black fury's. 

If you are fighting a big pike they can still work their way though even thick flouro from what I understand. same with muskies 

[bulldog1935]

I'm a junkie for these leaders for toothy salt fish and snook gill plates - USA

https://aquateko.com/collections/buy-knot2kinky-leaders/products/knot-2-kinky-pre-made-titanium-leader-3-pak

Aside from being the only titanium-wire bite-trace made properly in US, their snap is the best I've ever used.  (note titanium stretches 4x more than stainless)

 

If you're not already, go to a moderate taper rod to absorb fish shock.  

 

if you want the wire only, single-strand titanium ties a 3-turn clinch knot (also snell knot)

https://aquateko.com/collections/buy-knot2kinky-leaders/products/knot-2-kinky-single-strand-nickel-titanium-leader-wire

[Scott F]

I’ve had pike miss my top water bait so bad, they cut my line above the leader. Fortunately, it was a floating bait so I got it back. Pike, even small ones just destroy tackle. 100lb fluoro is overkill especially with lighter tackle. Pre-made, light wire leaders with quality hardware or even better, tieable wire leaders you make yourself are a much better choice. 

[Ohioguy25]

19 minutes ago, Scott F said:

I’ve had pike miss my top water bait so bad, they cut my line above the leader. Fortunately, it was a floating bait so I got it back. Pike, even small ones just destroy tackle. 100lb fluoro is overkill especially with lighter tackle. Pre-made, light wire leaders with quality hardware or even better, tieable wire leaders you make yourself are a much better choice. 

I was just thinking fluro because of visibility, would 100 lb be obnoxiously thick in diameter?

47 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

I'm a junkie for these leaders for toothy salt fish and snook gill plates - USA

https://aquateko.com/collections/buy-knot2kinky-leaders/products/knot-2-kinky-pre-made-titanium-leader-3-pak

Aside from being the only titanium-wire bite-trace made properly in US, their snap is the best I've ever used.  (note titanium stretches 4x more than stainless)

 

If you're not already, go to a moderate taper rod to absorb fish shock.  

 

if you want the wire only, single-strand titanium ties a 3-turn clinch knot (also snell knot)

https://aquateko.com/collections/buy-knot2kinky-leaders/products/knot-2-kinky-single-strand-nickel-titanium-leader-wire

Currently using the IRod Genesis lll SB Jr

[WRB]

What size and type of line was bit off?

Tom

[ABU is overpriced]

I use a 12" 80lb fluoro leader anywhere i know musky or pike could be a thing. Without it, my slide swimmer 175 would be gone.

5 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

I'm a junkie for these leaders for toothy salt fish and snook gill plates - USA

https://aquateko.com/collections/buy-knot2kinky-leaders/products/knot-2-kinky-pre-made-titanium-leader-3-pak

Aside from being the only titanium-wire bite-trace made properly in US, their snap is the best I've ever used.  (note titanium stretches 4x more than stainless)

 

If you're not already, go to a moderate taper rod to absorb fish shock.  

 

if you want the wire only, single-strand titanium ties a 3-turn clinch knot (also snell knot)

https://aquateko.com/collections/buy-knot2kinky-leaders/products/knot-2-kinky-single-strand-nickel-titanium-leader-wire

I bought two of these single strand titanium leaders. Both broke at the snap. Lost a musky with a wopper plopper 190 in its mouth because of it, and the second time it broke on the same spot during a cast. The lure was floating so i could at least retreive it. Both leaders were 50-60lb, i don't remember exactly, but they didn't last long at all.

The titanium leaders that do last a long time, are the multi strand ones, but i can't seem to find them locally anymore.

[Ohioguy25]

5 minutes ago, ABU is overpriced said:

I use a 12" 80lb fluoro leader anywhere i know musky or pike could be a thing. Without it, my slide swimmer 175 would be gone.

I bought two of these single strand titanium leaders. Both broke at the snap. Lost a musky with a wopper plopper 190 in its mouth because of it, and the second time it broke on the same spot during a cast. The lure was floating so i could at least retreive it. Both leaders were 50-60lb, i don't remember exactly, but they didn't last long at all.

The titanium leaders that do last a long time, are the multi strand ones, but i can't seem to find them locally anymore.

What knot do you tie?

[ABU is overpriced]

9 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What knot do you tie?

This is the main one that i use when tying to a swivel of a fluoro leader

[Susky River Rat]

I would NOT use heavy FC I would opt for a tie able  or solid steel leader. In the musky world for bass size baits we used smaller steel leaders for using a 100 or great FC kills the action of these smaller baits. I always bought stealth tackle leaders. 

[gim]

This topic seems to have come up several times recently.

 

A steel, titanium, or fluorocarbon leader will certainly help. The size of the pike or muskie is pretty irrelevant though. They are aggressive fish with teeth and they ruin lures. There’s only so much you can do. At some point you just have to accept the fact that they are going to ruin lures or bite you off completely.

 

I personally would not use a $150 lure with pike around.

[Obi_Wan]

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

This topic seems to have come up several times recently.

 

A steel, titanium, or fluorocarbon leader will certainly help. The size of the pike or muskie is pretty irrelevant though. They are aggressive fish with teeth and they ruin lures. There’s only so much you can do. At some point you just have to accept the fact that they are going to ruin lures or bite you off completely.

 

I personally would not use a $150 lure with pike around.

I wouldn't use a $150 lure in my bathtub.  If I need a $150 lure to catch fish, I'll pick another hobby.

[bulldog1935]

[Ohioguy25]

14 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

I would NOT use heavy FC I would opt for a tie able  or solid steel leader. In the musky world for bass size baits we used smaller steel leaders for using a 100 or great FC kills the action of these smaller baits. I always bought stealth tackle leaders. 

Wouldn’t a steel leader be even stiffer?

15 hours ago, ABU is overpriced said:

This is the main one that i use when tying to a swivel of a fluoro leader

So there’s no secure end to end? Doesn’t a swivel interfere with casting or damage guides?

[ABU is overpriced]

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Wouldn’t a steel leader be even stiffer?

So there’s no secure end to end? Doesn’t a swivel interfere with casting or damage guides?

No no no, this is not a knot made to go through guides. This is what you use to tie to a swivel or directly to a lure when using braid. For standard fluoro leaders to go through guides, i always use improved alberto.

9 hours ago, Obi_Wan said:

I wouldn't use a $150 lure in my bathtub.  If I need a $150 lure to catch fish, I'll pick another hobby.

Kinda agree, $150 is way too expensive to just cast out there. That money can get you a nice handle and knobs assembly from studio composite, etc. And while i have a bunch of slide swimmers 175 that cost over $100 each on TW, i bought them all used, so i paid less than 50% than what they're sold for, so its not too bad.

[MickD]

13 hours ago, gimruis said:

I personally would not use a $150 lure with pike around.

I personally would not buy a $150 lure.  For $150 I can buy a very nice spinning reel or a top of the line rod blank.  And pike are really not that selective.  Muskies are more selective, but the ones I've caught were on $7 cranks and spinnerbaits.

 

When pike are around I use 20 pound test steel leader that can be tied.  (can't seem to spell tieable right 🙂   ).  They are very unobtrusive and work just fine.  Can be any length I want.  And very cost effective for us cheapskates hall of famers. 

[Susky River Rat]

@Ohioguy25 100lb plus FC is heavy and has. Lot of drag.  The steel is thinner and has less drag. That FC will ruin any action if a small bait. 

[ABU is overpriced]

1 hour ago, Susky River Rat said:

@Ohioguy25 100lb plus FC is heavy and has. Lot of drag.  The steel is thinner and has less drag. That FC will ruin any action if a small bait. 

How small are we talking about? Of course it won't be good for a vision 110, but a slide swimmer 175 or even the 145, it works perfectly fine. The difference is that they sink faster on a pause, but its better to deal with that than having to deal with musky teeth.

[gim]

2 hours ago, MickD said:

I personally would not buy a $150 lure.  For $150 I can buy a very nice spinning reel or a top of the line rod blank.  And pike are really not that selective.  Muskies are more selective, but the ones I've caught were on $7 cranks and spinnerbaits.

Me neither. But people can spend their money how they want to. I wouldn’t buy an $80,000 fully rigged bass boat either even though I could.

 

People buying and using expensive lures need to accept the fact that they might lose them too. Especially with pike around. As you stated they are not real selective on what they bite. Sucks for the OP. I lost a discontinued storm subwart yesterday to a pike and it almost made me cry lol

[Susky River Rat]

@ABU is overpriced a swimmer 175 is around the size I would go to a 130Fc leader. However with that style bait regardless of size I would run a solid steel leader to get the most action out of it. 

[ABU is overpriced]

42 minutes ago, Susky River Rat said:

@ABU is overpriced a swimmer 175 is around the size I would go to a 130Fc leader. However with that style bait regardless of size I would run a solid steel leader to get the most action out of it. 

Are you referring to flexible steel leaders, or the straight ones that keep their shape?

[Susky River Rat]

@ABU is overpriced straight. 

[Ohioguy25]

6 hours ago, MickD said:

I personally would not buy a $150 lure.  For $150 I can buy a very nice spinning reel or a top of the line rod blank.  And pike are really not that selective.  Muskies are more selective, but the ones I've caught were on $7 cranks and spinnerbaits.

 

When pike are around I use 20 pound test steel leader that can be tied.  (can't seem to spell tieable right 🙂   ).  They are very unobtrusive and work just fine.  Can be any length I want.  And very cost effective for us cheapskates hall of famers. 

You must’ve missed where I stated I was not targeting Pike?

[gim]

26 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

You must’ve missed where I stated I was not targeting Pike?

He knows that. I don’t target them, ever. Still catch a lot of them. If they’re in there, they gonna bite. They’re aggressive and they’ll ruin your lures, even if they don’t take the entire lure.

[ABU is overpriced]

3 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

@ABU is overpriced straight. 

Actually never tried them. I hear people use them for bucktails and jerkbaits for musky, but i've always used fluoro and it does fine for everything.