Tip up leader

Just curious to know what guys are using for tip up leaders these days. I still have the wire/steel leaders since I mostly catch pike but lately I’ve been thinking about changing all my old wire/steel leaders over to heavier florocarbon or braid. Easier to work with, no kinks, I make my own wire leaders anyway. Just curious.

Thanks,
Dave

We have been using 30 pound f-carbon and caught a lot of northerns this winter and not one bite off yet. Sometimes check for nicks in the line and cut off a foot and re tie your hook.

From Jeff

I use a 10 foot section of 50lb Power Pro- if it frays just cut and re-tie, haven’t had one bite me off yet(knock on wood)

i would just use your steel leaders or buy/make new ones. i personally dont understand what is so great about flourocabon it doesnt help you catch more fish and you have a greater chance of breaking off. i always have 2 steel leaders and one floro out and always get just as many if not more flags on the steel leaders and all of the people i fish with use steel and catch just as many fish as i do. yea floros not bad but why even take the chance, i fish all different types of lakes from clear to stained to deep to shallow and floro has never done any better than steel.

80# tuff line. No leader. Took it off my musky reel. love it.

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i would just use your steel leaders or buy/make new ones. i personally dont understand what is so great about flourocabon it doesnt help you catch more fish and you have a greater chance of breaking off. i always have 2 steel leaders and one floro out and always get just as many if not more flags on the steel leaders and all of the people i fish with use steel and catch just as many fish as i do. yea floros not bad but why even take the chance, i fish all different types of lakes from clear to stained to deep to shallow and floro has never done any better than steel.

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At least in my area i’d have to disagree with this. Steel leaders seem to severely reduce my number of bites. Most of the lakes in my area are fairly clear so I’m sure that’s a factor as well. I use Tiger wire or Fluro and have always out fished any lines in the area that had steel leaders on.

I’m not saying they don’t work but the statement “less is more” usually holds true in the fishing world.

3ft of 20lb florocarbon for pike, or 10lb floro for eyes. It seems light to many, but for some reason my flags go up more than others I fish with.

My brother-in-law (AKA Le Fishin’ Magician) was using a Spiderwire type leader & lost a massive northern (old guy estimated it at near 30 pounds) when it sliced the leader in two. Bruce now uses nothing but the old style wire leaders. I don’t blame him.

That’s what I think to Go with steel and not loose the fish!

caught a LOT of big pike using 20-25 fluorocarbon. Not once have I broke one off

25lb florocarbon tied uni to uni. I’ve never been bit off and caught some monster pike on those rigs.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback. I know that both wire and others have their place. I think I am going to play with some of the floro and maybe PowerPro and see what happens.

Good luck and stay safe out there

Maybe I should have explained it better but Tyger wire is coated flexible steel leader you can tie knots with. IMO it works great. Lower vis, flexible (for a more natural bait) and its steel so you won’t get bit off. Best thing since sliced bread in my book. I’ve only ordered it once. It seems to hold up really well. I even use the lite 10# version when I’m fishing a walleye lake with a lot of northern. The walleye don’t seem to mind the slight visability too bad.

Joe, you said use sometimes use 10 lb. Tiger Wire for walleyes. What lb Tiger Wire do you use on Tip Ups for notherns?
Thanks,
Al