IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Northern Pike => Topic started by: 1Badboy on Jan 30, 2012, 05:13 PM
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hey guys ,
thinking of switching to flouro , seems thats what everyone is using and havent had much luck with steel lately ...
i m somewhat new to pike fishing and started with heavy mono (was told it would work) , then i had a few break-offs and so switched to steel...it seems i m getting less action (although not positive , action is slow at best anyway) , so thinking about flouro...thoughts and opinions ?
whats the good stuff ?
what should i be looking for in line ?
what depths are people having luck at ?
any help would be greatly appreciated !
Have fish for trout all my life and now have decided to make the switch , so i m not completely green to fishing ;)
thanks !
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fish florocarbon all the time and it has upped the # of bites i get in a day.
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Floro will def increase your flags, use at least 30lb seaguar is the best I have used without any breakoffs
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Just bought some 50lb Trilene big game 100% flourocarbon, and tyin up some rigs right now.
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I personally would not use Fleuro for a pike leader; I've seen too many bite-offs on it. If you want flexibility use titanium leaders or make your own rig with titanium wire. It doesn't kink or take a set like conventional nylon coated steel does, and lasts a long time ... so long, in fact, that you have to watch the terminal tackle because it wears out, and will break, before the line does.
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definitely recommend fluro for a leader, make sure you get the leader material and not the regular line (less memory and tougher)... i use seaguar blue 40lb fluro leader material and am loving it
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(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n604/iceshantyshack/IMG_1373.jpg)
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n604/iceshantyshack/IMG_1371.jpg)
(http://i1142.photobucket.com/albums/n604/iceshantyshack/IMG_1372.jpg)
Heres 1 of 5 I made
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Had a big fish splice my flouro before
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i use striper 3/0 flouro leader....it's got some length which is good, and all you have to do is loop it through itself after you thread it through your barrell swivel. easy change over if you don't have a seperate set of tackle for each species.
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I am using 60 lb fluro. Tough stuff. Ft
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Who are these people that claim bite offs with Floro? I have used the Floro leaders for years musky fishing and always use at least a 6 foot piece for a leader on tip ups. I have never lost a fish due to using it. I would even go further and say that if I did lose one or two big deal. With the increas in my catches since using it I would never change.
WS
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Well I'm one of those guys that witnessed two nice pike lost last season using fluorocarbon. I'll stick with steel or titanium. I haven't noticed any less strikes. The freshness of the bait seems to
be more important as far as strikes go.
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Plastic.........I've experimented over the years and usually been disappointed. Been cut off on 25# fluoro and barely felt the fish. Had 35# superline sliced and diced 12 ways from Sunday. I keep going back to my uncoated steel stranded. Cheap, easy to work with and cut proof. Let's be clear: pike, though large, generally don't "break off", they cut off. Very different. The additional pound test for fluoro and heavy mono are not to keep from breaking but to provide insurance of some strength having been nicked or cut part way. Yes, that will happen.
That said one of my regular fishing buddies has very good luck with 50# fluoro. I've seen it enough to be intrigued though I've never been significantly outfished by it. I would consider the 50# a bare minimum.
I picked up some 60# Ande this year and will be giving it a test run. My initial reaction to the product is how stiffly it fishes compared to the 20# wire I usually use. There may also be a weight consideration, especially if you choose to crimp rather than tie. I also balk at the price of the stuff, again I often fish right beside it and other than the "novelty" I just don't see that the cost is justified by a commensurate increase in success. I know there are many of you that feel that way and I'm not trying to stir the pot.......
Just my opinions based on my experiences. User mileage may vary...............
/m
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I have tied up some flouo leaders, and some steel( Berkley). We go out on tipup trips. There may be 4-7 of us. At 3 tipups each, that makes for a lot of potential flags,so we have all agreed to do them 50/50 , fl & steel,, every other tipup, to see if we definetly see a difference. One of the guys use fl., and circle hooks, and has a good catch ratio. He checks the leaders every fish, says that is key. I have never witnessed a cut off yet. Also, in my search for higher lb of flouro you guys are finding, I can only find up to 20lb. Bass pro, Gander, tackle shops. Where are you guys finding this lg. # of flouro? I have never seen 30, much less 50 or up. and the frind who has been using flouro, only uses 20 also.
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You will most likely find the heavier fluro in the salt water section or just order it online
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http://www.thornebros.com/shop/pc/Seaguar-Fluorocarbon-Leader-Line-303p24936.htm
If you look in the Minnesota section above you will see that Thorne Brothers is a new sponser. I always use the heavier Fluorocarbon for my leader material. Maybe that is why so many have bite offs.
WS
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Whopper Stopper, wondering what strength range of fluoro you're using?
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60-80#.
I also use Big Tooth Tackle quick strike rigs if the water is stained and circle hooks if clear.
WS
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I usually stick with 40. Your risk of getting bit off is not much different since the line is pretty hard and sometimes pike can be a little line-shy so lighter the line usually equals more flags.
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I fish both...definitely see more smaller strikes on flouro but the big boys don't seem to care as much
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I go with 20# fluro even thought only have been broken off twice, sometimes i up grade to a maximum of 30# fluro if im fishing a derby.
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I use 80lb Seagaur for trolling muskies in the open water season. I use 40lb fluoro for leaders fly fishing for pike and have caught tons with no cut offs (many with the fly right down their throats so you couldn't see it). I also use 40lb as my material for spinner rigs - again no cut offs. I use the 40lb so as to maximize catch rate for walleyes - if I was only concerned about pike/muskies, I'd use 65 or 80lb all the time.
With Flouro there is a HUGE difference in brands. Also make sure you are using fluoro leader and not fluoro mainline as someone mentioned above. Stuff like Vanish is garbage. I like Seaugaur. About 80% of all fluoro brands (the real 100% fluoro leader material) are made in the Seagaur factory and relabled....The best stuff is more expensive...
Another good brand is Maxima.
Fluoro will always catch more fish than steel however, and though I have caught a lot of pike with no bite offs, if I was concerned about never, ever losing a fish to a bite off, and didn't mind not catching as many, then steel would be the choice.
Moonman.
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There is no difference. Ive been using a mixture of hand made leaders some with 50# Seagaurd leader material and some with 50# steel leaders i bought from a local shop. 3 years and I see no difference between steel and floro. Now add some beads, blades or bucktail and you'll see an increase in your flags on steel or floro
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There is no difference. Ive been using a mixture of hand made leaders some with 50# Seagaurd leader material and some with 50# steel leaders i bought from a local shop. 3 years and I see no difference between steel and floro. Now add some beads, blades or bucktail and you'll see an increase in your flags on steel or floro
100%
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I have had no break offs with 25lb. P line. I have been experimenting with 20lb. and am liking it, its easier to work with. But like what somebody already said above, check your leader after every fish. Even steel leaders with a kink will break off. Fluorocarbon leader is the only way to go, its upped my catch rates dramatically!!!!!!!!
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oh please do u people really think pike are leader shy? steel leaders all the way
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Hi there. I started using flouro this season with great results so far.
I think brand is a matter of preference but like many things... You get what
You pay for to some extent. Knock wood, no failures with 30 pound. I also like
That you can vary the color based on water clarity. I use smoke colored line for
Stained and merkey water, and clear for water with less coloration. Only complaint is
Line memory. Good fishing!
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oh please do u people really think pike are leader shy? steel leaders all the way
Fish some lakes that are heavily pressured...you'll come to the dark side! lol
dbd :tipup:
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Hi there. I started using flouro this season with great results so far.
I think brand is a matter of preference but like many things... You get what
You pay for to some extent. Knock wood, no failures with 30 pound. I also like
That you can vary the color based on water clarity. I use smoke colored line for
Stained and merkey water, and clear for water with less coloration. Only complaint is
Line memory. Good fishing!
I sure hope your not paying top dollar for line color and stuff like that for pike. Pike are what I call trash fish, you could use a dog leash as a leader and still get hits.
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I sure hope your not paying top dollar for line color and stuff like that for pike. Pike are what I call trash fish, you could use a dog leash as a leader and still get hits.
Well stay off the Northern Pike board. I for one love fishing Pike. Nothing beats fighting a 20 lber and seeing it flash at the hole. My biggest was caught on a steel leader with beads and red and white willow blade 12" above the bait.
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Well stay off the Northern Pike board. I for one love fishing Pike. Nothing beats fighting a 20 lber and seeing it flash at the hole. My biggest was caught on a steel leader with beads and red and white willow blade 12" above the bait.
never said I didn't like fishing for pike, all I said was they were trash fish meaning they will hit just about anything and they are one of the easiest fish to catch. Plus they destroy ecosystems.
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all we use is 20# florocarbon. have had some bite offs, maybe 6 or 8 in 5 years. but the # of flags has more than covered that. get me flags if i lose one or two a season its ok. its fishing not catching. use circle hooks too. most times the hook is right in the corner of the jaw.
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Floro all the way. I switched to Seaguar 40 - 50lb years ago from using steel and it really upped my bite. I used to use steel back in the day. Garbage. It doesnt have the hook flex and it accounted for tons of lost fish from failure to hook set. I rarely have bite offs with the floro. Many of the bite offs happen when people go to haul a big fish up the hole by pulling hard on the line. When the fish goes from weightless to weight hanging down on the line on their teeth is when I see the break offs. Get the gaff! No problems. ;D ;D :tipup:
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HIGHER POUND TEST OF FLOUROCARBON IS EASYIER TO SEE THEN SMALLER POUND TEST WIRE
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never said I didn't like fishing for pike, all I said was they were trash fish meaning they will hit just about anything and they are one of the easiest fish to catch. Plus they destroy ecosystems.
ROTFLMAO, just nonsense The Great Northern Pike are top dog thats the bottom line, Northerns keep a lot of lakes in check.. Most of your best perch and crappie lakes have Northerns in them.... Without the pike everyone would be complaining of stunted perch and other pannies that are highly sought after....
Considering pike have extremely good eyesight ill take wild guess that any pike previously experiencing be yanked through the ice after trying to eat something with a big black metal wire hanging off it will probably commit it to some kind of danger memory, i mean i do alot of brown trout fishing and i can say unequivocaly they can be extremely line shy and they are know to have great eyesight...
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ROTFLMAO, just nonsense The Great Northern Pike are top dog thats the bottom line, Northerns keep a lot of lakes in check.. Most of your best perch and crappie lakes have Northerns in them.... Without the pike everyone would be complaining of stunted perch and other pannies that are highly sought after....
Considering pike have extremely good eyesight ill take wild guess that any pike previously experiencing be yanked through the ice after trying to eat something with a big black metal wire hanging off it will probably commit it to some kind of danger memory, i mean i do alot of brown trout fishing and i can say unequivocaly they can be extremely line shy and they are know to have great eyesight...
haha keep the fisheriey in check, that's a laugh. and I would hardly call a perch and crappie lake a fisherie. Most all crappie and perch get feed to the eagles up here. When I said they destroy Ecosysyems I was talking about fish that take some skill to catch like salmon, native Brookies, and touge.
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I like fishing pike lakes that have trout in them. Trout make big hungry pike happy.
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:cookoo:
I like fishing pike lakes that have trout in them. Trout make big hungry pike happy.
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I was talking about fish that take some skill to catch like salmon, native Brookies, and touge.
So apparently catching big pike takes no skill??? ??? ??? :cookoo:
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So apparently catching big pike takes no skill??? ??? ??? :cookoo:
yes, that is correct
I mean obviously every thing takes some skill but compared to other fish there is very little skill involved to catch pike.
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We all know Mainers have a profound hatred for northerns, but please go back to your Maine or Trout forum, and stop trash talkin a fish many of us on this forum love. I don't go over to your fav forums and trash talk, so don't do it over here.
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We all know Mainers have a profound hatred for northerns, but please go back to your Maine or Trout forum, and stop trash talkin a fish many of us on this forum love. I don't go over to your fav forums and trash talk, so don't do it over here.
not trash talking just stating facts.
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Your instigating, and it isn't appreciated. Started off as an inforative thread, and is turning into another BS thread with your comments.
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Your instigating, and it isn't appreciated. Started off as an inforative thread, and is turning into another BS thread with your comments.
again, I'm not saying bs, I'm stating facts.
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yes, that is correct
I mean obviously every thing takes some skill but compared to other fish there is very little skill involved to catch pike.
So completely untrue, pike spread out in a lake, ( llsalmon) which i have spent a lot of time fishing for, tend to congregate or stack,many times ive almost felt bad targeting them because they were so easy to target, brook trout ill give ya that they can be a tough nut to crack...
Any way my point to that comment is when you have to target a wider scope of water how is that easier?
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So completely untrue, pike spread out in a lake, ( llsalmon) which i have spent a lot of time fishing for, tend to congregate or stack,many times ive almost felt bad targeting them because they were so easy to target, brook trout ill give ya that they can be a tough nut to crack...
Any way my point to that comment is when you have to target a wider scope of water how is that easier?
that's interesting, I have found brook trout much easier to target than salmon. although there is a huge difference between native brook trout and stocked brook trout. natives can be tough.
I find that pike will hit just about everything and are everywhere in the water colum at any depth. my first time fishing for them me and my brother caught 4 in 3 hours on live shiners, the biggest being 5lbs 26 inches.
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yes, that is correct
I mean obviously every thing takes some skill but compared to other fish there is very little skill involved to catch pike.
I think you are entitled to your opinions on tackle and game fish. However, as sportsmen we should respect all animals and their place in an ecosystem. From zooplankton to the muskie and everything in between we are all conservationists and advocates for our fisheries. It doesn't need repeating that the Northern is an impressive top predator and plays an important roll in the waters they inhabit.
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me and my brother caught 4 in 3 hours on live shiners, the biggest being 5lbs 26 inches.
I agree with you catching bait size northern wouldn't be too hard. Now target 20 # + and see how you do. A little different game. I also do some sight fishing in 8 foot and less water. Many times a bigger northen will just come in and stare at the bait. I have changed up with a jig and a fat head and it was like flipping on a light switch. But to each their own YMMV.
WS
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Guys, this kid is 15 years old and obliviously knows everything there is to know about fishing :-\
bass slayen...now that's funny
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I agree with you catching bait size northern wouldn't be too hard. Now target 20 # + and see how you do. A little different game. I also do some sight fishing in 8 foot and less water. Many times a bigger northen will just come in and stare at the bait. I have changed up with a jig and a fat head and it was like flipping on a light switch. But to each their own YMMV.
WS
WS
small pike, big pike. it's all luck
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Does anyone tie their rig directly onto their dacron line without a Flourocarbon leader? If so.... how is your luck?
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My rigs are my leaders , both steel and flouro and I tie the tipup line to the barrel swivel on each of my rigs
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Who are these people that claim bite offs with Floro? I have used the Floro leaders for years musky fishing and always use at least a 6 foot piece for a leader on tip ups. I have never lost a fish due to using it. I would even go further and say that if I did lose one or two big deal. With the increas in my catches since using it I would never change.
WS
I have only one question for you - What size lures do you use when you musky fish?
If you are like most musky fishermen, you use mostly large lures. Very seldom do those lures end up entirely inside the fish's mouth. Try fishing with a #5 mepps, or some other small lure and see how that works.
Wire is more visible to the fish. You will probably get fewer strikes some days using it. Your "even further" statement acknowledges both the increased number of strikes and the higher probability of bite-offs.
It's your decision whether to use wire or not, but if I've hooked that "super monster", I'd certainly want to be using wire.
In the end, it's about enjoying the time you spend fishing. Make your decisions based on the best information you can find. Have fun out there!
Good luck!
Chip
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This stuff makes me smile..........
I just came back from a weekend on a gin clear lake with a die hard fluoro fishin' buddy. Willard's been on plastic since before I started ice fishing in the 80's. I outfished him (the plastic leadered local) 4:1. Out fished his pal 12:1. 75% of the fish out of one hole.
I gotta believe it's like real estate: location, location, location. If they want it, they'll eat it.
As an aside: none of this "gotta have invisible leader" stuff fits into my logic module. If fish are leader shy, why aren't they hook shy. If they know that leaders are "dangerous" why wouldn't they learn that hooks are the real danger? Just a question that I can't answer............... ???
/m
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I've been fishing Fluoro leaders for about 10 years, and I certainly don't go heavy. 20-30#, checking carefully for nicks after every release.
Been cut off a grand total of 1 time. Frankly, the only Pike that are going to cut you off are the Pike in the lower end of the spectrum. I can't begin to count how many 40" Pike we've caught in Canada on 6-8# mono, back trolling for eyes.
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I use both, Fluorocarbon when there are walleye available as well as pike. I have had cut offs several times. When fishing just pike I only use wire. I have however had wire snaps straightened out by big pike before also.
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I just purchased some 40lb seagar fluoro leader for rigging my tip-ups for pike. Was this a good choice? Also do you guys tie this directly to the braided tip up line? I typically fish for northerns in 5-12 FOW so I was planning on tying about 5-6ft of leader directly to the braided line. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks fellas!
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I think 5-6' is a bit much for pike. I use 12-18". That way i can store it along the arms of the tip up so it doesn't have memory. I also add a barrel swivel to the end of the leader.
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Pike can be aggressive sometimes I think they would hit a tow strap with a real sharp fork on it! ;D
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I just purchased some 40lb seagar fluoro leader for rigging my tip-ups for pike. Was this a good choice? Also do you guys tie this directly to the braided tip up line? I typically fish for northerns in 5-12 FOW so I was planning on tying about 5-6ft of leader directly to the braided line. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks fellas!
Gosh that's wayyy too much. As said 12"-18" is perfect.
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I sure hope your not paying top dollar for line color and stuff like that for pike. Pike are what I call trash fish, you could use a dog leash as a leader and still get hits.
Pike trash fish ?! Surely you jest.
Seriously. Pike are the perfect fish! Where to start...
Aggressive, beautiful, tasty (better tasting than walleye for one ).
Exciting day of fishing...great fight, pictures that rock and nice white thick, huge fillets.
Pike are second to none! Whats more to want?
And they are not ALWAYS easy to catch, but hell, if they are that easy to catch, even better, that makes the perfect fish even more perfect! Who the heck wants to go fishing all day and catch nothing?!
PS. I won't leave home without a fluro leader-for all species! I out fish my partners regularly with with fluro. (It has to be the fluro because it ain't me!)
FT
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Gosh that's wayyy too much. As said 12"-18" is perfect.
So you do 12-18 inches directly to the tip-up line?
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So you do 12-18 inches directly to the tip-up line?
I fish a lot of the same fisheries as you stickandstring and I usually use 4' of 15 lbs flouro tied to a barrel swivel then to the tip up line and it has worked well for me. I have caught 20+ lbs pike on it and have had no problems. Fished Fort Peck a couple of weeks ago and out of 30+ flags only had one break off and it was do to the line being caught up on the spool of the tip up so there was no line for the fish to take. I know there are a lot of guys talking about all these break offs but I haven't experienced it, not saying it doesn't happen. I will usually switch my leader down to 8 lbs flouro as darkness approaches to target the walleye and have actually caught a few decent sized pike on it with out any problems. You may not be able to wuff the fish in using flouro and might have to actually fight them a bit but to me that's most of the fun anyways! ;D
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So you do 12-18 inches directly to the tip-up line?
Yes line to a ball bearing swivel ( always smooth) then 12" of fluro. Same for musky on summer. Works slick. FT
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I use Seagur 40# Flouro for pike and I like it, Although I don't notice much difference between that and berkley big game mono. One thing I don't do is tie the stuff. Im all about presentation and a knot with 40# is too sloppy IMO. I use Malin single barrel sleeves for and crimp them. Never had a problem. I use Size 6-8 trebles and the walleye still hit the 4-8 inch bait as well, so do the trout and any other fish worthy of my baits.
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I use 20 pound Berkley Pro grade fluoro.
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I am a fluoro guy all the way. I catch pike from 30" - 36" almost every trip and sometimes bigger. Pike can bite fluoro off, I have had it happen. That being said, it's RARE. I have ONE bite off in the last three years. Fluoro definitely gets more strikes in clear water. I use #20 P - Line fluoro LEADER material. In murky or heavily stained water, go with thin Cortland toothy critter wire. Don't have to worry about bite offs at all then, but it will reduce strikes unless the visibility of the water is low.