Author Topic: Braid advice for pike?  (Read 8373 times)

Offline Goose97

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Braid advice for pike?
« on: Feb 04, 2018, 11:11 AM »
I have been using braid as my leader on tip ups for years,and I’ve tried different sizes.this year I have snapped off 3 different large pike,using 20 and 30 lb spider wire. What would you guys suggest for a better braid or should I just go to 50 or 65 like I used to?

Offline VTMatt

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #1 on: Feb 04, 2018, 12:15 PM »
Braid is no good for pike. Titanium or steel leaders are good. Heavy fluoro is good with circle hooks.

Offline bsrkoacar

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #2 on: Feb 04, 2018, 12:58 PM »
Braid is no good for pike. Titanium or steel leaders are good. Heavy fluoro is good with circle hooks.

Agreed
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Offline smorfonzo76

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #3 on: Feb 04, 2018, 01:03 PM »
Exactly...I personally prefer braid because its easier to work with but I always have a steel leader tied on for pike.  Pulled in a 23 pounder two weeks ago using that setup and I also have 40lb braid

Braid is no good for pike. Titanium or steel leaders are good. Heavy fluoro is good with circle hooks.

Offline Flatrocker

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #4 on: Feb 04, 2018, 01:11 PM »
On fly in trips to Canada, we looked for something better than wire which always seemed to coil and kink.
Tried 65-70 lb braid, did not have a break off in 10 days.  Easy to tie leaders, more flexible. All good.


Offline Light liner

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #5 on: Feb 04, 2018, 01:43 PM »
Flouro or mono, all in what you like. I prefer mono there's a little stretch in it.
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Offline Hefe

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #6 on: Feb 04, 2018, 02:16 PM »
50 lb fluro leader...I've watched videos and read articles which have made me a believer. Like others - braid no good for pike...go with mono or fluro

Offline putback

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #7 on: Feb 04, 2018, 02:40 PM »
I have'nt intentionally fished northern for years, but switched to braid because of them. Useing lite jig setup with jigging raps for walleye I was getting raped a 6 bucks a pop by pike teeth. Switched to 10# braid and cut my losses by at least half. A couple of those misserable sob's were 7 to 9 lbs. Granted not the size or application you're talking but seems to work with lite tackle.

Offline RyanW

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #8 on: Feb 04, 2018, 03:17 PM »
I’ve never had a pike break off a steel leader. Tie that to 20# or 30# mason and I’m good to go.
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Offline Goose97

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #9 on: Feb 04, 2018, 06:41 PM »
Thank you guys for all your input.the other thing I forgot to mention  is that we usually fish walleye.im sure in most people’s eyes braid isn’t ideal for them but for me it works,my only issue with steel leaders is the fact that it seems like the eyes steer clear of them. I usually don’t specifically target pike,so I’d like to find something in between that will work. We pretty much hook them by chance,but it is awfully irritating when you see a 40+ incher under the hole and then it’s gone.

Offline profisher

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #10 on: Feb 04, 2018, 07:09 PM »
During the summer, i fish with 65lb powerpro on my frog rod. Quite often I catch a large pike in the pads without a leader and never had an issue. If i notice my line is frayed, i retie

Offline MichiganMan

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #11 on: Feb 04, 2018, 07:33 PM »
Profisher, I wish I had your luck with bite offs. I use 50lb power pro for frogs and pike bite um off almost every time they eat one. Same thing with a jig in pads or slop.
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Offline northernnyice

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #12 on: Feb 05, 2018, 07:30 AM »
It blows me away how many people use braided line for leader.. it has strong knot strength and great breaking strength but it is NOT resistant to abrassion! Two different things.

Braid is designed for main line. Not leader use. Doesnt everyone know this? Lol...

Offline Papa Sly

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #13 on: Feb 05, 2018, 08:24 AM »
Always use 40# Segaur flouro leader material, crimped, blade and a couple beads, and a octopus hook, not circle. Never been broken off. Tried Knot 2 kinky steel last two years on a couple set ups but never a hit. I sit next to friends with steel and I get 4 to 5 times more hits. Pike are very line shy in the winter because metabolism is slowed way down so they aren't as aggressive and view bait better. I have watched on the camera where the pike will look at dead bait, nudge it with their nose, and go away several times before hitting it. With steel they look quickly, see the steel and just leave., Just mho
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Offline tswoboda

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #14 on: Feb 05, 2018, 05:55 PM »
It blows me away how many people use braided line for leader.. it has strong knot strength and great breaking strength but it is NOT resistant to abrassion! Two different things.

Braid is designed for main line. Not leader use. Doesnt everyone know this? Lol...
100% agree.  Braid is junk for pike teeth, the easiest of all line material to cut for a given break strength.  There's a reason muskie fisherman use 80 lb braid mainline and an 80 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Offline Tmuskie

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #15 on: Feb 05, 2018, 06:07 PM »
Use braid for your main line. 30 to 50 flouro or mono for your leader.
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Offline Kevin23

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #16 on: Feb 05, 2018, 06:11 PM »
Braid absolutely sucks for leaders. Heavy mono/fluoro or wire for pike. I've had pike bite clean through 65lb braid while bass fishing with frogs.
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Offline Kevin23

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #17 on: Feb 05, 2018, 06:15 PM »
Thank you guys for all your input.the other thing I forgot to mention  is that we usually fish walleye.im sure in most people’s eyes braid isn’t ideal for them but for me it works,my only issue with steel leaders is the fact that it seems like the eyes steer clear of them. I usually don’t specifically target pike,so I’d like to find something in between that will work. We pretty much hook them by chance,but it is awfully irritating when you see a 40+ incher under the hole and then it’s gone.

You might try the ultra-light steel leaders. I have used some in 15 and 20lb, they are more resistant to pike teeth and other fish aren't as scared. I bought them for running tipups for perch in pike areas, and it worked.. perch and crappie still hit them and the pike that tried it also got iced. Biggest was a 34" 12.9lb on the 15lb wire leader and a #8 treble hook.
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Offline Evil Tom

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #18 on: Feb 06, 2018, 06:02 AM »
Always used braided for leader 30-60 lb.suffix 832.Never had break offs.Floro is ok but frays easily and you have to constantly retie.Wire too hard to work with.

Offline deadsmelthead

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #19 on: Feb 06, 2018, 09:09 AM »
30# P-Line copolymer.. Never have had any break offs and I dont catch small pike either.. Your asking for break off with braid..

With that said if you really want to get rid off break offs all together start hooking you bait in the tail, i have a bunch of video on my channel with pike all hooked in the corner of the jaw using this method.. Pike eat bait head first, so if you tail hook your bait,the vast majority of the time you are going to get that corner of the jaw hookset, because the tail of the bait is most times right there..
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Offline Evil Tom

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #20 on: Feb 06, 2018, 02:33 PM »
From my understanding pline is braid covered in floro so not  sure why that makes it that much better.More expensive but sufix 832 baid has worked well for me with no breakoffs.Totally agree with tail hooks though.

Offline slipperybob

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #21 on: Feb 06, 2018, 03:59 PM »
From my understanding pline is braid covered in floro so not  sure why that makes it that much better.More expensive but sufix 832 baid has worked well for me with no breakoffs.Totally agree with tail hooks though.

There's a Pline braid with teflon coated treatment.  I am not aware of a braid with flourocarbon coating.
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Offline deadsmelthead

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #22 on: Feb 06, 2018, 04:54 PM »
From my understanding pline is braid covered in floro so not  sure why that makes it that much better.More expensive but sufix 832 baid has worked well for me with no breakoffs.Totally agree with tail hooks though.
It cost 12$ for a  260 yrd spool at bass pro, and it is superior to any braid you would use for a pike leader. End of coversation.. :)
There's a Pline braid with teflon coated treatment.  I am not aware of a braid with flourocarbon coating.

Been using it for awhile now.. Like at least 6 seasons maybe longer . Its a co-polymer just google it..Here is a pic

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Offline profisher

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #23 on: Feb 06, 2018, 05:42 PM »
Profisher, I wish I had your luck with bite offs. I use 50lb power pro for frogs and pike bite um off almost every time they eat one. Same thing with a jig in pads or slop.

I know it sounds strange, but that extra 15lbs helps. I used 50 myself and I had the same issue. Switched back to the 65 and hardly have any issues.

Offline Goose97

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #24 on: Feb 06, 2018, 09:25 PM »
I understand that braid isn’t generally used for leader material,I like it for certain reasons, I like having zero stretch and small diameter.I’ve tried  just about everything for leader,i catch a lot of walleye on braid even though most guys say I won’t. I’m really looking for suggestions on what is an all purpose leader for walleye and pike.without getting so heavy that a walleye won’t touch it.

Offline Ice Surveyor

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #25 on: Feb 06, 2018, 09:36 PM »
Try 15lb Tyger wire.  Pike can and will snap it, but it is very thin that walleye will eat also.  Google is your friend.

Offline esox_xtm

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #26 on: Feb 06, 2018, 09:46 PM »
Here's the problem I see. Pike and walleyes both have teeth but those teeth are very different. Walleyes have sharp teeth but sharp like an ice pick, only on the points not on the sides. Pike teeth different story, think razor blades all up and down the sides plus pointy to boot.

Walleye teeth won't/cant cut any line, fish whatever you want. Pike teeth cut (notice I said cut, not "break off) everything but steel or titanium.

I know this won't change anything for many of you but it is real. Plastic cuts, steel don't. Period.

Crossover rigs? Difficult. Perception is pike rigs are too heavy/clunky for walleyes (correct in many cases) yet those geared more toward walleye put you "at risk" for cut offs (notice again I didn't say "break off). I can land fish that weigh 3x the pound test of the leader or line providing I don't get slashed. That changes everything.

On a "cut-ability scale" here's how it goes:

Best: Steel or Titanium
2nd: Heavy fluorocarbon
3rd: hard Mono

Dead flippin' last: any kind of (I'll say) superline. Braid, fused, heavy, heavier, any manufacturer. Cuts like soft butter. Use this and you hopes of landing any pike (or relative thereof) should be about zero. Sure, some folks get lucky a number of times but the odds say disappointment will ensue at some point.

So y'alls do as you wish. I can't change that. Just let it sit in the back of your mind when the pike you really want gets cut off at some point... If I lose one I only have my lack of skill to blame not my poor choice in tools. Maybe some of you feel better blaming it on the tool but don't forget, that was your choice.
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Offline HWeber

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #27 on: Feb 06, 2018, 09:49 PM »
You can use very light wire if you're patient and fight the fish. 20 pound wire is plenty and i fairly easy to work with. I think I've used down to 10

Offline Chuck Enwinde

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #28 on: Feb 07, 2018, 01:29 AM »
Here's the problem I see. Pike and walleyes both have teeth but those teeth are very different. Walleyes have sharp teeth but sharp like an ice pick, only on the points not on the sides. Pike teeth different story, think razor blades all up an down the sides plus pointy to boot.

Walleye teeth won't/cant cut any line, fish whatever you want. Pike teeth cut (notice I said cut, not "break off) everything but steel or titanium.

I know this won't change anything for many of you but it is real. Plastic cuts, steel don't. Period.

Crossover rigs? Difficult. Perception is pike rigs are too heavy/clunky for walleyes (correct in many cases) yet those geared more toward walleye put you "at risk" for cut offs (notice I didn't say "break off). I can land fish that weigh 3x the pound test of the leader or line providing I don't get slashed. that changes everything.

On a "cut-ability scale" here's how it goes:

Best: Steel or Titanium
2nd: Heavy fluorocarbon
3rd: hard Mono

Dead flippin' last: any kind of (I'll say) superline. Braid, fused, heavy, heavier, any manufacturer. Cuts like soft butter. Use this and you hopes of landing any pike (or relative thereof) should be about zero. Sure, some folks get lucky a number of time but the odds say disappoint will ensue at some point.

So y'alls do as you wish. I can't change that. Just let it sit in the back of your mind when the pike you really want gets cut off at some point... If I lose one I only have my lack of skill to blame not my poor choice in tools. Maybe some of you feel better blaming it on the tool but don't forget, that was also your choice.
 

Agree with this.  I used to use 100# fluorocarbon for pike rigs in the Great Lakes and it worked great for a long time - until it didn't.  Big heavy fish, one shake of the head, and I came up with half a leader.  Thin wire for me - I like Knot 2 Kinky.   

Offline mealworm

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Re: Braid advice for pike?
« Reply #29 on: Feb 07, 2018, 06:38 AM »
What r u using for hooks? I fish with 15lbs mono with octopus  hooks. When I get a fish I don't set the hook just pick up the line and start pulling. Get them in the corner if there mouth every time. No need to worry  about sharp teeth cutting line. We fish tiger musky and pike this way.rarely do we miss or loose a fish. Use whatever line u want just change your hooks

 



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