Pickerel problem--too many lures gone

[fishizzle]

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]

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

[fishizzle]

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

Is any super line resistant to big teeth?

[Guest muddy]

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]

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

Is any super line resistant to big teeth?

Not really.

[Bassnbrett101]

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 muddy]

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]

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 muddy]

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]

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 muddy]

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

[RoLo]

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 muddy]

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]

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.]

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 muddy]

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.]

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]

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]

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

Any more?

[Jeff H]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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 muddy]

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?