Wire leader or no wire leader..............


Been fishing for them for pike over 45 years so not really a how to thread--- just a quick poll LOL

When I was younger and actually fish them with live bait I used wire leaders. Other than that I can't recall last time I used a wire leader. It's also been some time since I fished just for pike. I can say I have caught more without a leader.

Mac

I always used to make my own single strand wire leaders for Pike and Muskies. The problem with them was they would get kinked quite often and needed replacing. I have switched to heavy (60#-100#) fluorocarbon leaders which are very flexible and while they may occasionally get chafed, I don't have to replace them very often. Going without as in using lighter monofilament or braid can result in bite offs. It is unbelievable sometimes how quickly a Pike's dental equipment can snip a line if it gets into their teeth the wrong way.
I've lost a lot of good walleye and bass lures to pike when I have not been fishing for pike.

No way would I use anything buy fluorocarbon for pike in clear water like Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay.

You won't get a fraction of the bites.

I fish pike in rivers here. Certainly the bite is better with mono but without a wire leader you won't land any of the bigger pike.

A couple decent ones landed on 15# fluoro. We rarely cut one off.

That tape measure is 40".

When I was tossing spinners and rappalas intentionally for them , leader , that is a lot of money to loose on just line

not tossed for them intentionally in a long time just gotten them while after walleye or other species

mostly was tossing for them when fishing would slow down and we were looking for mid day entertainment before the target species bite picked back up . besides eating lunch and drinking beer , you are there to fish.
a 90 minute run away from camp in the boat it wasn't like you were going to head back to camp for a sandwich , and the fuel.

Wire leader here.

That's a nice fish them big northerns are fun. I really don't fish for them anymore. If I did I'd use fluorocarbon. I catch most mine when jigging for walleye this time year. I don't get to upset about loosing 1/4oz jig. Usually get cut off right when they see the boat. If you expecting that turn and run, drag isn't to tight. Still get plenty of them in the boat.
I didn't even think about it until I read post below.. I have been using 6lb braided on my walleye rods for at least last 10 years.. Probably why have been cut off as much as when ran 6lb mono.


Mac

I've used wire leaders with live bait or heavier Spiderwire. I never realized fluorocarbon was that bite-resistant. I will have to try it.

Fluro all the way. We make our own leaders.

Would fluorocarbon work as well with live bait rigs? What poundage?

My pike fishing is in ultra clear water and I only use live bait rigs. I use small hooks...like #1 or 1/0 live bait hooks from VMC. I also use about 6-7 feet of 15# Seaguar flourocarbon. I prefer the biggest river shiners I can get, but golden shiners and suckers also work.

I'd say 90+% of my fish are hooked right in the corner of the mouth.

Guys that have never fished this ultra clear water always want to use cable, but it doesn't take them long to realize fluoro is the way to go...especially after I get a couple dandies.

April is the time for big pike in Wisconsin...40+ inchers aren't uncommon.

Ive had northerns bite off 10# fluorocarbon many, many, times. Must have to use a very heavy poundage.

14lb fluoro here. Just have to keep drag set light. I believe I get way more bites that way and don’t mind losing one once in a while

I put my own wire leaders together. I wouldn’t pike fish without one. Lost too many lures to pike without wire bass fishing. Spinnerbaits get expensive!

I opened this expecting to see something like this.



I live and have lived in areas mostly devoid of pike. I've never caught one and I used to fish several days a week.

Keith

A world with no pike......... Keith, you need to move. LOL

My favorite fish.......... remember, what's not to like about a fish that is so angry it hates itself

I run 50 pound fluro on my quick strike rigs with no
Issues. 8 pound fluro on my walleye jigging rod. They can bite through that easily lol

The size of my check depends on the pictures people get, I don’t leave much to chance line or gear.

I use both 100lb fluorocarbon and 100lb Stealth to build my leaders. At certain times wire but rarely any more. This for both pike and musky.
I prefer the stealth leaders for their flexibility, they let the lure do a lot more movement which in turn is the trigger to pike.
In gin clear waters I may run the fluoro leaders but if the lure and boat are worked right I don’t know that it makes much difference.

Note I primarily fish Canadian and Territories water, it may be that in the US fishing pressure requires fluoro more often?
Last year early up near the Territories I was up on a great run of large pike many over 45” the biggest 54” and without exception all were caught using Stealth or steel leaders, decently clear water and none deeper than 8’. The big females were shallow yet and we could easily see bottom the entire time we fished them in bays.
Maybe these were “virgin” fish up there although we weren’t the first boats in those bays, and maybe we would have caught more on fluoro I will never know. My people caught plenty.
It seems to me a quiet approach and the right lure action is the most important wherever you go and what ever leader you use, pike are the one fish in North American waters that actually live to bite.

Osky