Spyder Wire or To use a stell leader?

[Iceassin]

30lb Flouro here, I havent had any Issues with bite offs, and i've iced a few pike pushing 30lbs..Ive been a part of the debate before , steel vs flouro.. Its all the situation/conditions your fishing in.. Crystal clear water or using live bait = Flouro, for 1 its obviously less visible, 2 I believe bait stays a little more active with fluoro and if your fishing in stained water using live bait you want it to get noticed. Fishing with dead bait it really doesnt matter IMO as the pike are sniffing the bait out... Bottom line is both are effective under the right situation/conditions if you're fishing for a trophy or not....

I like this idea...always been a wire leader guy but going to experiment:

Wire leader with dead (smelt) bait and fluoro with a live (sucker) minnow and a colorado blade for some flash...hmmmmmm

[jtk]

I think I have 60lb flouro that I use for pike. Use what ur comfortable with and play the fish. If she wants to run let her run. If u horse it in there's a better chance of break off.

[Bout-Time]

Not to contradict anything, but I would think braid would be good for pike? I dont use braid so this is just a question. I thought braid was supposed to be highly abrasion resistant?

What about a superline like Fireline? I had all I could do to cut the stuff at 6lb test.

[doubletreble]

I use the extra 50 lb braid from my bass fishing bait-caster to make pike fishing rigs. I haven't had one break yet and it seems to spook less fish than with the steel leader. Use braid you wont be disappointed 

[ShawnR]

Any suggestions on tying thick (50lb) fluoro leaders?  I have some 50 lb Berkley Vanish fluoro leader material and have had trouble tying knots with it. 

[jtk]

Use crimps much easier and stronger imo

[Master Angler]

Any suggestions on tying thick (50lb) fluoro leaders?  I have some 50 lb Berkley Vanish fluoro leader material and have had trouble tying knots with it.

Shawn, use a Uni knot, I use it on 100 lb flouro, makes a nice clean easy to tie knot, best I've found for the heavy stuff.

http://www.animatedknots.com/uniknot/index.php?Categ=fishing&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

[ShawnR]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I'll likely try crimping and try the uni knot as well.  Part of the problem may be that it's vanish leader material.  I was doing some reading and it seems like it isn't very easy to tie knots in. 

[jtk]

Either way pull on it with some pliers on both ends. I do this a bit harder than I know I will with the fish and it will tighten the knot and or make sure ur crimps are secure.

[deadsmelthead]

Shawn, use a Uni knot, I use it on 100 lb flouro, makes a nice clean easy to tie knot, best I've found for the heavy stuff.

http://www.animatedknots.com/uniknot/index.php?Categ=fishing&LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

DITO and make sure you give the tag end a good tug with some hemos, heavy fluoro has a tendency to unravel itself if you dont.

[meatman]

use Florocarbon leader. go as heavy as you want. i use 20# with few issues.

[browning13]

I only fish with flouro now when it comes to pike fishing (started swiching about 4-5years ago) and I can honestly say I have seen a dramatic increase in the amount of flags I get. I havn't had any break offs either, in fact we took a trip to lake of the woods last year and landed 27 northerns over 35" including 6 over 40", all on flouro. I've used 40lb and 50lb which is tough to tie but still possible. I've started crimping the 50lb leaders last year and it worked well, just be careful not to pinch the edges and damage the flouro. I think I'm going to order some 65lb gamma for the upcoming season

[find me on the ice]

Steel leaders are junk. i have consistantly went out with friends who use steel leaders and everytime i catch more fish. use a braded line for a leader.

[find me on the ice]

No good for pike.  Their teeth will cut through it with ease.  Go with 30, 40 or 50lb. florocarbon.

i disagree with this 110 percent. i have used spyder wire for the past two years and fish pike everytime i go out. i have never had a pike cut thru the spyder wire. Spyder wire works great for me and the guys i fish with.

[IceFisher64]

would recommend floucarbon

[the jigs up]

Great Debate Guys...

Last year while targetting Pike in softwater season had 2 nice fish over 10#'s on and both bit off my 17 # braid as they turned to run. On the ice last year used Power Pro green 15 # and got bit off once. (last year was a slow year for me, I didn't have many Pike on).

This year I am going to invest in some Heavy Floro leader and try my luck. I usually target Pike in hardwater season so I might as well rig it for success. I always figured braid was super strong but Pike can chomp it with ease when they turn.

[Skipper]

Braid+anything abrasive=

I have caught a whole butt load of pike on soft and hard water and I can definitively say that the only reason pike are landed on braid is sheer luck. You are better off with plain ol mono than braid. You can go up to 100lb braid, but the only thing saving you is the extra diameter and high number of fibers.

Steel when they don't care, Fluro when they do.

Rocks, timber, pike teeth, and especially zebra mussels will get the best of superlines every time.