Min. leader # test for pike.

[muskiebassfisher]

don't like to use titanium leaders because i feel u lose action on the bait. what would be the min. pound test on a fluorocarbon leader that can handle the pikes teeth.

[Hooligan]

The lightest I'd go for pike in floruo is 100.  I've had fish bite through 75. 

[SirSnookalot]

Pound for pound and tooth for tooth I've yet to meet a northern than can compare to a barracuda.  I use 30lb mono leader with an occasional cut off, not to say that I don't use wire sometimes, just a 6-8" piece of piano wire will do fine ( haywire twist).

[Hooligan]

Pound for pound and tooth for tooth I've yet to meet a northern than can compare to a barracuda. I use 30lb mono leader with an occasional cut off, not to say that I don't use wire sometimes, just a 6-8" piece of piano wire will do fine ( haywire twist).

I don't disagree with you that I'd rather fish wire.  I've just lost far too many fish on fluoro leaders.  I have zero confidence in them in small diameter.  I've used everything from Seguar to Maxima. 

My chosen method of "toothy critter" bite tippet now, though is titanium wire in small diameters.  It works much better than with a snap, you can work lighter baits with it without robbing the action, you have greater flexibility in length of leader, it casts very well, and it's far more "lively" due to the fact that you can use smaller diameters.

When it comes to materials to use, I have more faith in Mason Hard Nylon than in fluoro.

[J Francho]

Everyone assumes that its the teeth that do the damage. They can and do, but generally it the rough facial scales that wear through the line. 50 to 60# fluoro, or 20# titanium works fine, and is very durable. I've caught some pretty big northerns, with line as light as 6# mono. if I'm targeting them, I use something much bigger. I'm not losing a $20 Cowgirl to a two bit hammer handle, LOL.

[J Francho]

Oh, and 100# Fluoro inhibits action as much as 30# wire.  At about 60# is where the law of diminishing returns set in. 

[Hooligan]

I build all my own jerkbait leaders out of #11 wire for muskies, I use the same wire for bucktails, and crankbaits for pike.  The difference is that instead of a 12"-18" leader for muskies, I'm using about a 6" leader for pike.  I've never had a problem with it.

Two years ago we starting using titanium as bite tippet, I was skeptical of it as leader material for pike and muskies on conventional tackle.  Two trips last fall, and one this spring have changed my mind about that.  We ended up with 2 50" class fish in those trips and it changed my mind about the ability of the material to handle the stresses.

[RoLo]

don't like to use titanium leaders because i feel u lose action on the bait.

Have you actually used Titanium Wire leaders? Don't let the price scare you away

because the cost of not using the best leader can be much higher.

Toothy fish can and will bite through ANY non-metallic leader, and often with lightning speed.

If the fishing line is outside the fish's mouth than naturally it cannot contact the teeth or mouth

and will not result in a bite-off, but your luck will not last forever.

If you're serious about eliminating bite-offs, a metal leader is a must (no polymers).

I've used Malin piano wire for bluefish because tobacco-colored piano wire is thin and unnoticeable,

and the leaders can be tied on the spot without crimp-on sleeves. On the downside,

single-strand stainless is stiff, easily kinked and once kinked the breaking strength

is sharply degraded.

Braided stainless wire that's coated in nylon (Sevenstrand) is not quite as stiff or kink prone

as piano wire, but is thicker and normally requires crimping pliers and sleeves.

Titanium wire is the thinnest and most pliable metal leader

and consequently has the least dampening effect on lure action.

In addition, titanium leader is knotable, which precludes the use of sleeves,

and as a bonus, titanium stretches like fluorocarbon and is just as shock-resistant.

Roger

[ichigo]

i use titatium wire leaders on pike all the times i havent noticed no different action beetween fluro and titatium

[Grey Wolf]

don't like to use titanium leaders because i feel u lose action on the bait.

Have you actually used Titanium Wire leaders? Don't let the price scare you away

because the cost of not using the best leader can be much higher.

Toothy fish can and will bite through ANY non-metallic leader, and often with lightning speed.

If the fishing line is outside the fish's mouth than naturally it cannot contact the teeth or mouth

and will not result in a bite-off, but your luck will not last forever.

If you're serious about eliminating bite-offs, a metal leader is a must (no polymers).

I've used Malin piano wire for bluefish because tobacco-colored piano wire is thin and unnoticeable,

and the leaders can be tied on the spot without crimp-on sleeves. On the downside,

single-strand stainless is stiff, easily kinked and once kinked the breaking strength

is sharply degraded.

Braided stainless wire that's coated in nylon (Sevenstrand) is not quite as stiff or kink prone

as piano wire, but is thicker and normally requires crimping pliers and sleeves.

Titanium wire is the thinnest and most pliable metal leader

and consequently has the least dampening effect on lure action.

In addition, titanium leader is knotable, which precludes the use of sleeves,

and as a bonus, titanium stretches like fluorocarbon and is just as shock-resistant.

Roger

X2.