Pike Leaders?

[jgib01]

Curious what others' thoughts are on leaders for pike. I have seen where some folks make their own (knot 2 kinky, etc.), saw an old thread here with a TFO branded one (do they even still make it, as I haven't noticed it in retail stores?), and have used the Rio Toothy Critter myself. On that last note, I had a 15lb Rio one fail on me last night. Wire broke with the fish at my feet as I was reaching for my forceps & smartphone up on the bank. Made the release less complicated, but lost my $5 fly in the process, and sure that's not so good for the fish I'd like to not have a repeat of that any time soon.

[bcubed]

I'm a bit of a brute force guy, and just use a 4 foot section 25 lb maxima, Albright'd to a 4 foot section of 80lb fluoro. They're pike, they don't care about presentation

[ÜberFly]

Jason just use regular spin casting leaders (12") tied to 6' - 8' floro or mono. Wayyyy cheaper and super easy to switch flies.

 

P

[eatsleapfishrepeat]

Definitely easiest to make your own if you want quality snaps and wire. 2 ft of 30 lb Rio wire connected to 7.5 ft of 30 lb maxima using a Double Uni knot (http://www.seaguar.com/applications/knot-guide/64-double-uni-knot.html). Loop the free end of the maxima and loop to loop to your fly line and you are ready to fish. I either fish with a snap swivel on the free end of the wire to make fly changes easy or if I am sight fishing then I tie the wire to the fly.

 

Also have used bcube's way but have been bitten off by big fish occasionally.

 

Also when using wire or flouro keep an eye out for abrasion, frayed wires, and nicks as pike leaders don't last forever.

[muha]

6-8' of 30lb fluorocarbon and 3-4' of 20lb Rio bite wire. Albright knot to connect two section, perfection loop for fly line end, and for securing flies. No problems so far. Keep your wire leader in check, if it starts to fray, shorten it or change for new section.

 

[eagleflyfisher]

Blood knot 60-40-30-20 maxima then Albright on 20 or 30 knot able wire. Winds up about 9' overall.

Usually do a Duncan loop wire to fly.

Some of my buddies use 80 or 100lb flouro instead of wire , occasionally sheared off by big fish.

I guess my method sounds abit time consuming but that's how I've always done it.

I'd like to put in a small clip on my wire for fly swap out but haven't seen the snaps and how would you attach it ? Crimp sleeves?

 

[mattpreat]

I started using 40lb flouro leader material last year tied to a heavy leader with a uni to uni knot and its held up to countless pike so far, no need to switch the fluoro out yet. I haven't landed any monsters with it though, max size was maybe 15lbs. Just make absolute sure you get fluorocarbon leader material, just regular line wont work near the same. The leader material is tough stuff. I also noticed quite a pretty decent difference in strikes when I switched to fluoro, the pike did seem to care a bit about it when I got out last year

[EveretteD]

Jason just use regular spin casting leaders (12") tied to 6' - 8' floro or mono. Wayyyy cheaper and super easy to switch flies.

 

P

I agree with this. They make wire spin leaders so small and strong these days, it is all that I use. Haven't had a problem casting them either

[jasonvilly]

I go with the 6" single strand titanium leader in 20lb as my bite tippet with about 5-6' of 40lb maxima as my butt end.

 

I prefer the titanium because it will not kink like the cheap steel leaders and has a much thinner profile. I have caught over 200 pike on one leader. The only weak point was my snap.

 

I found online titanium leaders for $7, so very cost efficient. http://www.finn-tasticcanada.com/our_leaders.html

 

 

One question though, where are you guys finding the 50lb+ fluoro? I need some for when I fish poppers.

[ÜberFly]

Got mine at Bow River Troutfitters for Saltwater fishing...

 

One question though, where are you guys finding the 50lb+ fluoro? I need some for when I fish poppers.

[jpinkster]

Jason just use regular spin casting leaders (12") tied to 6' - 8' floro or mono. Wayyyy cheaper and super easy to switch flies.

 

P

I'll also second this. The most simple rig I can think of.

[yonderin]

Cut back a Rio Trout leader until "it looked heavy enough" as I wasn't prepared to chase pike on that trip. Landed a half dozen or so and never broke off any.

[jgib01]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. Ventured back onto "the other side" of the fishing section at my local store last night, and picked up some good old Berkley leaders. Been a while since I ventured into those parts... sorta felt like putting on an old comfy pair of shoes actually As I walked past the Len Thompsons, had to resist the urge to buy a couple of red n' whites & five of diamonds though... my old tackle box has a few of each still in their package.

[Spurly]

I have been using 7 strand Titanium leaders, 30lb. Test. They are about $6 at WSS, have had very good luck with them attached to about 6ft. Of 30lb. Mono.

[murray]

Jason, I also vote for simplicity, the wire leaders that Peter mentioned work fine. Pike are not leader shy, just hungry. As for the $5.00 fly, just get your son to tie up a couple, if I remember, he does a good job.

[TerryH]

A son tying flies for his dad -- now that's an interesting concept that I have to look into. In my family, the flies flow the other way.

 

As far as pike leaders go, I use a 4' section of 30lb mono connected (Albright knot) to 2' of wire leader connected.

[jgib01]

Jason, I also vote for simplicity, the wire leaders that Peter mentioned work fine. Pike are not leader shy, just hungry. As for the $5.00 fly, just get your son to tie up a couple, if I remember, he does a good job.

 

He's pretty good with the woolly buggers you showed him how to tie... next year's expo you can move him on to large artculated pike flies please