Calling all pike guys

[NEbucketmouth19]

Alright you toothy critter hunters, what are your suggestions for leaders? This coming year I will be dedicating certain trips out to actively targeting pike, probably mostly with hard baits. I've considered going with heavy mono/fluoro leaders, but I was thinking why not single strand wire? Here's my thinking. I was going to get some 40lb single strand wire and get a ball bearing swivel to tie on to, and either a split ring or snap for the other end. I was going to tie like 5 of these and have them ready to go. Does anyone else use a system like this? If so would you recommend I go thicker or thinner on the wire, and what lengths have worked well without hindering action and casting? 

[Rod Bendhard]

I ran steel leaders when I first started pike fishing and I can't say I'm a fan. I caught a few pike that gator rollled and the steel cut into them pretty bad. Plus, once it gets kinked it basically garbage. Bigger diameter flouro/mono is the way to go IMO. I run a 200lb mono leader when pike fishing (which is 90% of the time) I know that sounds crazy, but I really only target the big pike and I've been bitten off thru 100lb flouro 2-3 times over the years.

[peter_the_fox]

I work as a guide at a pike lodge in northern Canada and we catch a lot of pike and a lot of big pike - 25+ lbs and over 200 a day. Titanium is the way to go, for sure bar none. Everything else eventually wears out - but 7 strand titanium stays tough.

 

Terminator titanium leaders are the bomb - 100 lbs and either 9 or 12 inches long. Eventually, the clasp will fail (250+ fish) but this happens with every single clasp ever. Replace with a 100+ lbs split ring and it's good as new - pain in the a$$ though. Pike done care about the wire anyways and 0% chance of getting bitten thru, which I've seen happen with mono/fluro up to 280 lbs. 99% chance that 180+ lbs mono/fluro won't get bitten thru when it's brand new....but do you really wanna take the chance?

 

I've tried everything twice and terminators are still my go-to leader.

 

Just my .02

[BigBaiter]

I´m using bronzing 7x7 steel leader and  I am fine with that.

If you wanna fish swimbaits stay away from flou because the whole leader is to heavy and bulky and some swimbaits don´t "swim".

For example (170lb flouro): Hiro 13" glider swims quite good whereas the JC 303 just don´t swim/glide.

 

The fact I don´t like with titanium material is the thing you can´t see when the material is weak. With steel I can see immediately when its time to change. 

 

My leader: snap (Decoy Egg Snap #5 or staylock snaps or for giant baits owner hyper wire split ring), crimping sleeves covert with shrink tube and instead of a swivel (another weak point I don´t like and it adds more weight to the whole system) I´m using a solid ring. Swimbaits do not rotate so there is no need for a swivel.

Right now I am experimanting a bit with anti chew tubing for abrision protection.

 

I hope that helps!

 

PS: For less visibility I like to color my leader with a black sharpy. Also the first 5 meters/15ft of my braided main line especially when the color is faded out.

Edited January 27, 2018 by BigBaiter

[Pike]

I use 80 pound fluoro for years, never had a failure. 65 pound braid tied with an fg knot directly to the 3 ft fluoro leader. Than either a stay lock or a saltwater duo lock snap crimped on.

 

I like a longer leader because I think I get more bites and if the leader is damaged I just cut it of and make a new crimp so I can use it for month.

 

Works for me.