Avoiding pike…

Hey guys,

Looking for some input…I decided this was the year I’d learn to use cranks and swim jigs. So far, so good. But I keep getting pike, and I keep losing lures, so much that I’m going through a pile of baits each time out. And at $5+ each lure, it’s getting expensive.

Is this just the cost of doing business? I have a heavy (15 lb. or higher) flouro leader on, and that does save me some lures, but I still lose a bunch most times out. I also catch a bunch of bass. I have not tried a steel leader, and I’m sure that’d work, but I assume it’d cost me bites, especially in the clear-water lakes I’m usually fishing.

So…what’s the deal? Get a 2nd job to pay for lures? 100 lb flouro leaders? Move to Texas? Retire three years later?

Carmike

Buy fluorocarbon leader material as a leader instead of just regular fluoro. I use 12lbs on all my tip ups when fishing near pike areas and never get bit off like I used to.

Wire leaders won’t effect your bite rate. (I think you might be exaggerating how many you lose also.) I fished for Bass for years and caught lots of Pike and only loss a few due to bite-offs. Unless you are catching monster Pike that are doing the death roll I would just use 12″ – 18″ silver colored metal leaders in no more then 30# test. Thats if you are in clear water. If you are in darker water with the potential of bigger fish then Black with the crossover snap.

Just my opinion.

I agree with Dutchboy. #20 or #30 wire isn’t going to bother the Bass, and the Pike aren’t going to snap you off. I use #20 titanium wire (a product called Knot to Kinky) when I’m fishing streamers with my fly rod. Works fine.

SR

I tried heavy fluoro, long steel leaders, etc. Heavy fluoro restricted lure movement or was too stiff to tie consistently, and I think bass see the long steel leaders, especially smallmouth.

Solution for me has been “Crankbait Leaders.” Most pike bite-offs happen within an inch of the knot. So why have a foot long leader? These crankbait leaders are 2.5 inches long and prevent losing a lure 90% of the time and yet are short enough I don’t think I’ve ever spooked a fish on a moving lure with them.

I use them all the time on crankbaits, Chatterbaits and Spinnerbaits. Can’t remember the last time I lost a lure to a pike.

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I use Seaguar Blue Label Flurocarbon. As Bearcat mentioned, its not regular fluoro, its actually leader material fluoro and its more abrasive-resistant. I use it in 20 pound test on many of my “moving” lure setups. I think you could go a little higher pound test, but it may be tough to tie knots with as it can get very stiff. I prefer to not use a wire leader in clear water water but in stained or murky water it probably doesn’t matter.

You’re probably just gonna have to accept the fact that every once in a while you will get bit off and lose a lure too. I’ve lost a couple this season. I’ve had a couple of skirts on spinnerbaits and chatterbaits get shredded too. Its just part of doing business where there is an abundance of hungry, aggressive pike.

I have been making leaders using Sevenstrand wire for 40 years. I have tried other brands but go back to original Sevenstrand. You can make any length and even attach to the lure and put a barrel swivel to tie to. Also I learned to stay away from orange lures. I just got some Knot 2 Kinky to try.

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Steve Root wrote:

I agree with Dutchboy. #20 or #30 wire isn’t going to bother the Bass, and the Pike aren’t going to snap you off. I use #20 titanium wire (a product called Knot to Kinky) when I’m fishing streamers with my fly rod. Works fine.

SR

SR – What knot are you using to tie that Titanium? Do you tie to fluoro? I just got some Titanium Knot 2 Kinky and 20# Seaguar to make some fly leaders for musky fishing. I thought 6′ of fluoro and 14″ wire and a small snap. Any help/hints are appreciated.

Any braid 40 pounds or over should work just fine.

fishingdakotacountymn wrote:

Any braid 40 pounds or over should work just fine.

I got snipped off with 40 pound braid last week. I thought 30 was good enough, and it wasn’t so I upped to 40. Still not good enough.

You could just be like me and get no bites, I haven’t lost a lure yet this year

Single strand wire, 27lbs = .011 diameter
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/american-fishing-wire-tooth-proof-stainless-steel-leader-wire?ds_e=MICROSOFT&ds_c=Shop%7CCAB%7CTopPerformers%7CStandardFishing&gclid=46d3951c7f1a117cc2c4f4078272ea1b&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=46d3951c7f1a117cc2c4f4078272ea1b

Make a loop directly to the eye of the lure (crankbait, jig, spoon, whatever) on one end.
Make a loop for a swivel or split ring on the other end.
Tie your line to the split ring or swivel.

If it gets kinked, just replace the wire. It’s cheap and effective.

I don’t like steel leaders for bass fishing at all. To me even the thin ones effect the action of the baits and show up in clear water. Like others I run a length of Fluro leader material to help with the pike. I normally fish seaguar Blue or gold label leader material in the 17-20Lb. range. You still lose a few baits but it cuts it down to a minimum.

Agree…..good fluoro leader material in about 20#. You will lose some but that’s gonna happen.

I’ve lost lures to pike on 20# fluoro but I’ve also landed big ones on lighter.

Hodag….I think Muskies aren’t very leader shy. I use a few feet of 50# mono and a couple of feet of wire. I use a perfection loop to attach to the fly line, an Albright knot to connect the mono to the wire, and then I tie a perfection loop in the end of the wire. I use a #100 test cross-lock snap on the end of the wire.

SR

Thank you for all the advice, guys. I’ve always intended to learn to tie my own titanium leaders; maybe I’ll try that. And heck, I’ll even throw some of them on an old-fashioned steel leader. Worth an experiment or two for sure.

I must be using the wrong kind of flouro. I’m losing between 1 and 3 lures most trips, sometimes more. Even for a $5 swimjig, that gets more expensive than I’d prefer.

carmike wrote:

Thank you for all the advice, guys. I’ve always intended to learn to tie my own titanium leaders; maybe I’ll try that. And heck, I’ll even throw some of them on an old-fashioned steel leader. Worth an experiment or two for sure.

I must be using the wrong kind of flouro. I’m losing between 1 and 3 lures most trips, sometimes more. Even for a $5 swimjig, that gets more expensive than I’d prefer.

Look for fluorocarbon leader material not straight fluorocarbon

Bearcat89 wrote:

Look for fluorocarbon leader material not straight fluorocarbon

X2 – Big Difference. Just learned this recently. Since changing to Seguar leader Fluro. my bite offs have gone way down. Even fishing small finesse things like jigworms and pike often take them in deep where the line is directly across the teeth

Steve Root wrote:

Hodag….I think Muskies aren’t very leader shy. I use a few feet of 50# mono and a couple of feet of wire. I use a perfection loop to attach to the fly line, an Albright knot to connect the mono to the wire, and then I tie a perfection loop in the end of the wire. I use a #100 test cross-lock snap on the end of the wire.

SR

I was thinking Albright knot or Aberto. Perfection looks easy, similar to a bowline. I’ll give it a try. Thanks.

I agree with the recommendations for Seguar Blue Label. A short section 20-25 lb test works very well to prevent bite offs.

“Castable” 15 lb fluorocarbon gets bitten off too frequently when I dont add a 4″-6″ section of leader material.

Straight braid doesn’t stand a chance, maybe 65+ lb would. Pike teeth snip through braid like scissors. Abrasion resistance is not braid’s strong point, especially against sharp things: rocks, zebra mussels, esox teeth, etc.

Awesome. I’ll make sure to get the *leader* flouro. Thanks, all!