Line selection for Pike?

After playing with my Marcum camera last winter on a couple local lakes, I learned a lot about the curiosity of Pike. Very frequently on deep flats, I had good size Pike rushing in to investigate when my camera head smacked the bottom and a cloud of muck was stirred up. In addition to this, I also had a few walleyes do the same.
My goal this winter was to get into jigging pike. Most of my pike fishing has been quick strike rigs (tip ups) and incidentals to walleye fishing.
Looking for line recommendations from the serious gator guys. I want to avoid leaders if at all possible, since I am still targeting both eyes and pike. But really don’t want to deal with the bite-offs.
My equipment is:
Loomis MBR784C Heavy/Fast chopped down to 48″ and a Quatum Catalyst.

On my dedicated pike rod, I run 20lb stealth with a 20lb flourocarbon lead. Most of my pike fishing is done shallow when I spot a pike chasing the gills on the camera. I’ve had some small pike bite through the leader but bigger fish have been fine. The smaller snot rockets seem to have sharper teeth.

No matter what kind of mainline you use, tie on a 4-6 foot leader of 20 lb fluoro leader material. This will stop the bite offs and should not bother the walleyes. I like seaguar fluorocarbon leaders.

You could tie a short 6″ metal leader and then use your usual walleye line. Anything over 6″ is not necessary since you are mostly vertical above the fish. If I could find 3-4″ leader for my tip up, I’d use them, although with a tip up a shorter leader is more risky since they can get the bait deeper. Of course you’d take the leader off for walleye, but I don’t think it will spook aggressive pike. That’s what I would do. Consider the source.

8lb braid is what you want for a main line, it will help you to not get your line eaten up on the side of the hole when they run. In dirty water go ahead and tie directly to the lure, but you WILL get some bite-offs when they turn sideways to run under the ice. You can run about 18-24″ of 20# 100% fluoro line as a leader and that will help you with the break-offs, but they will still happen if he takes it deep and runs around a lot. Metal is the only way to completely keep them from stealing your lures.

For lures, I highly suggest you give some lipless cranks and blade baits a try. They love them.

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For lures, I highly suggest you give some lipless cranks and blade baits a try. They love them.

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This is why I’m concerned about the bite-offs. I use a LOT of the Live Target Baits. Awesome for jigging eyes through the ice! Expensive baits when they are swimming away….

A good 20lb fluoro leader should prevent most bite offs. just make sure to check it between fish. And if your fishing outside i would shy away from using any braids due to freezing issues when its cold.

Ajs

20# floro, bud, you will save lots of those baits for sure!!!

Mark