Pike? Steel leader or heavy mono?

[WHITETAIL111]

What do most of you use?  Steel leaders/quick strike rigs/heavy mono?  Thanks guys.

[Thor]

I don't fish much for toothy critters.  However, my understanding is that fluorocarbon is much more abrasive resistant than mono.  In addition, it is much less visible to the fish than mono.  Therefore, I would use either steel leader or fluorocarbon leader, depending upon how "shy" the fish were.

Perhaps you could try one or two rigs with steel and one or two with fluorocarbon for a season or two and see whether one clearly outfishes the other or has more break-offs.

[WARRIOR_ON_ICE]

I will not put ANY leader material on my tip-ups not called steel. The ones I use,  I forget the brand, are coated in black plastic and are low memory ( stay straight ).

[esox13]

only steel!

[joeybutta]

65 lb spiderwire...

[fishhead4268]

I run nothing but 15lb Flouro on my tip ups and I cant remember a time I lost a pike or eye to a cut leader,  in useing the Flouro I find that my bigger baits sometimes get hit by some JUMBOS or even a big bass.  Useing steel cuts down on those bites if not eliminates them alltogether!! 

[1TIGGER]

12" - 30 lb Invisa Leader by South Bend is what I use and they have been very productive for me compared to standard steel leaders or fluorocarbon and next to no memory .

[deadsmelthead]

This year I beefed up with 40lb suffix mono I used to use 30. Not because the fish were ripping through but because the Pike seem to be getting bigger in a lake I fish for them. I have been trying this titanium stuff on a couplle tip ups and I can't complain about and I can't praise it I haven't used it enough. On 30lb mono I have caught a a good number of fish in the 8-12 lb range a an almost equal number of 12-15lbers one at 17 and one at 24. I think a better question here would be how do you set the hook ? When useing one or the other. With the titanium stuff I let them have it for awhile but with the mono leaders I set the hook during the a run . When I use mono I hook bait in the tail.I hook em in the tail because I feel when you givem a slow little pop in the a run the line pulls through the corner of the mouth and the treble gets impailed there.  I usually trim back 3-4 " every fish.
I shy away from steel because I feel the bigger older and wiser fish associate them with danger a 8-12 year old Pike has probably fell victim to a few fisherman in its day.But then again who knows how a Pike really thinks...

[-ADKIceman]

I use left over 30# braided (Suffix and Super Braid) from the Bass rods... I end up with a few partial rolls of the stuff and put them to use as leaders.

[Master Angler]

Steel or titanium or if using flouro at least 80-100lb.  I've seen small pike bite through 44lb flourocarbon, and 80lb braid like a hot knife through butter, however I've also landed some big ones on 4lb mono with no leader, its all about where the hook is at.  I use steel or titanium on my quickstrike rigs, and in a dark color so its less visible.   I am not taking a chance loosing a monster because of a poor leader.  I may try some 80-100lb flouro this year too as I've seen it hold up fairly well in the summer.   

[Haywood]

I use wire for my pike quick strikes and for a leader

This stuff is about a thin as the invisaleaders which is what I always use to use (and what I still use in the summer)

[fishinjim]

30# fluorocarbon, lose very few fish and think I'm getting more hits.

[John_BZ]

i like 12lb trilene max. when rockin the ole quick strike rig i rarely get bit off. plus i tend to catch a few more walters and green carp.

[Hard_H2O]

I use SevenStrand steel. I make my own quick strike rigs.

[purduebass]

30 pound mono, no steel!

[Doubles Shooter]

I use SevenStrand steel. I make my own quick strike rigs.

Same here. The 18lb. SevenStrand is very thin compared to most mono's.

[mmb]

American Fishing Surfstrand 7-strand uncoated leader wire to make my own quick strike rigs.  20lb test in "Bright"

[CannedHeat]

I've been using 30# Cortland CamoBraid with no leader for years and to date I think I've had 1 break-off due to a cut from a northern...I also make my own stingers with 30+ lb. Spiderwire (direct tie off the treble).

I know a guy that used piano wire...literally, and a buddy of mine tried it. Bad memory after a kink and really limited the motion of the baited minnow.

[Just Ed]

Neither - I use braid.  Usually 30lb.  Either Power Pro or Spiderwire.  Half the time I can't even cut that stuff with nail clippers.

I don't like steel - I caught a pike two years ago and went to fillet it - it had a 4/0 treble hook in its belly with a 12 inch steel leader - mono cut at the tie off point of the leader.  I almost jumped out of my skin when the electric fillet knife hit it (and almost hooked myself).

...and here I thought they only spiked trees 

[JCaughtem]

What do most of you use?  Steel leaders/quick strike rigs/heavy mono?  Thanks guys.

My freinds and i used to always use 50 lb and we caught countless amounts of pike /musky though never having a problem besides having to change marred leaders after a catch i now  use 100 lb vanish and 50 lb steel i dont see a increase or a decrease but i think ive just gotton a little paranoid of loosing the ONE right at the hole. 

[dogfish]

Quick strike rigs tied on 25 lb floro.

[Pittsfield Pike Preditor]

No steel here. I use 40lb Vanish and have caught alot more pike with the flouro.

[limpbait]

in the 1000 iles i always used steel and trebles, now in saratoga, champlain or ponds i use floural carbon and circle hooks, big ones.

[liprippinWI]

Nothing but steel.  I've pulled pike too numerous to count with steel, as well as wall hanger bass.  No one could convince me that fish won't bite as readily with steel as with mono or braided.

[Water Wolf]

It depends if you are fishing for pike only or pike and another more line shy fish like walleye.

If pike are the only fish targeted, and they are of a giant size in the lake I would feel safer with steel or better yet a titanium leader in 30lb test.

If there are other around I would go with a heavy fluorocarbon like the others recommended.

Also, if you are using hooks like circle hooks where the line is not near the mouth as much fluorocarbon would be good, but, if they are really taking it the steel or titanium may help bite offs.

No matter which ones you use fish can cut the line on the edge of the ice too.
I have had that happen a few times.

WW

[captain54]

20 or 30lb braided,with 20 in.steel leader quick strike setup.I like size 8 and 6 trebles.The end treble is crimped(goes in fore head of bait) the back treble slide to fit the bait and is hooked in the meaty part behind the dorsal fin.I used shoter leader before,but a pike over 40 inches can swallow alot of leader.