Pike proof leader

[imfishfulthinking]

If an effort to prevent pike bite-offs on crank baits while fishing for walleyes I have made up some leaders consisting of Surflon Micro Ultra Leader Wire, 17# and leader sleeves, size 1 from Barlows Supply. Have not tried them yet and don't know whether they will hamper action of crank bait or be too visible. Anyone else been down this same road?

[Tom Anderson]

I got fed up with leader failures and got some single strand stainless wire and a little wire wrapping tool from Cabelas or Netcraft. A day and a half of trying to figure out how to use the dang thing finally resulted in clean, tight wire wraps. So, I can make any leader length I want, or what I'm doing more of is wrapping the wire directly onto the lure so there is no snap. I've done this with big jigs and larger lures and they seem to run fine. I've used them mostly for salt water at this point, but plan on the same rig for northerns and muskys when I head up north starting this spring. If you like, send me an email and I'll send a pix to show you what I mean.

[doubleheader]

Ever thought of 100 lb flourocarbon?

[Dabluz]

Originally Posted by imfishfulthinking

If an effort to prevent pike bite-offs on crank baits while fishing for walleyes I have made up some leaders consisting of Surflon Micro Ultra Leader Wire, 17# and leader sleeves, size 1 from Barlows Supply. Have not tried them yet and don't know whether they will hamper action of crank bait or be too visible. Anyone else been down this same road?

I have taken a similar route with leader material that I got from Europe. It's 10 lb test steel wire braid....54 strands. It's very flexible. I can even make knots with it. It's also very expensive. However, when making the knots, I have to be careful when it comes to cinching the knot, otherwise, the leader next to the knot curls up and will not straighten. I bought some size 2 sleeves (single) but have not used them yet. I couldn't find any smaller sleeves because the wire is smaller than 4 lb mono.

Anyway, they do not hamper the action of the bait at all and are so thin, they are almost invisible.

I even have some of this leader material in 8 lb test (49 strands).

Walmart sells thin wire leaders (12 lb test) that are also very good. They are very thin and even come in lengths of 6 to 18 inches. I have not seen any change of action with my lures with these leaders.

However, the lures sure lose action if I use any mono of fluorocarbon over 20 lb test.

I don't think that visibility is a factor. I am of the opinion that a larger diameter leader actually gives off vibrations (water pressure differentials) when the lure's action moves the leader back and forth through the water. I base this opinion in the fact that schools of fish can suddenly all change direction at the same time. I'm certain that this is due to the differential in water pressure between each individual fish in the school. This differential is felt by the lateral line on each side of the fish. The fish's eyesight is not fast enough to cause each fish in a school to turn at the same time. Weaker of sick fish, cannot follow the school so well and are therefore picked off when they become stranded from the rest of the school. Predator fish rush the school in order to scatter the minnows and therefore cause the less healthy fish to get stranded from the school.

It's like trying to grab money that someone has thrown into the air. The air is full of money but when you grab out, you often get nothing. However, if you can spot one bill in the air, you can reach for it.

For those that are poor.....try it with leaves in the fall.....lol.

Fish....unlike us....grow all their lives. We come to this world with all of our senses already developed. The size of our eyes does not grow much over the years, same thing for the internal ear etc. However, all parts of a fish grow. The individual cells do not get larger....there are just more of them. This means that their lateral line gets more sensitive as it gets longer. Same thing for their eyes and internal ear. Large fish also swim faster than the smaller fish of their species.

[Knot Tellin]

I have always like Corland toothy critter. I use it on tip ups as well.

http://www.basspro.com/Cortland-Toot...ct/92390/92651

[ffishman]

I also do not like the stiffness of heavy fluorcarbon. I prefer flexible steel.

[Dabluz]

I was cruising the internet and came across this product. Titanium wire. It won't kink, stays straight and you can tie knots in it. There is also a video on their site. They also sell fluorocarbon swivels that are invisible. They are actually very strong and very small.

Anyway, the 25 lb test titanium wire is 0.010 inches in diameter. This is the same diameter as good quality 8 lb test mono. The company recommends a perfection loop for tying baits to the leader. This means that there is no need for a snap or split ring because the loop will allow great swimming action.

2 days ago, the company sent me a letter saying that they will have leader material in much smaller sizes soon. I'm talking about 6, 10 and 15 lb stuff. The stuff will cost about 50 cents a foot. The stuff even has about 10% stretch.

I'm sure going to try out that stuff. Here is a link to the site. I am not affiliated with the company. http://www.aquateko.com/Knot_2_Kinky...r_Wire_s/1.htm

[Dabluz]

Originally Posted by Tom Anderson

I got fed up with leader failures and got some single strand stainless wire and a little wire wrapping tool from Cabelas or Netcraft. A day and a half of trying to figure out how to use the dang thing finally resulted in clean, tight wire wraps. So, I can make any leader length I want, or what I'm doing more of is wrapping the wire directly onto the lure so there is no snap. I've done this with big jigs and larger lures and they seem to run fine. I've used them mostly for salt water at this point, but plan on the same rig for northerns and muskys when I head up north starting this spring. If you like, send me an email and I'll send a pix to show you what I mean.

I've used similar stuff and every once in a while, you get a pike that just goes crazy and kinks the wire and then breaks off. I used 0.020 inch sized monel wire (about 25 lb test).

There is better stuff now. It's 25 lb test and 0.010 inches in diameter. It's made of titanium and does not kink yet you can make knots in it. It even has about 10% elasticity. http://www.aquateko.com/Knot_2_Kinky...r_Wire_s/1.htm