Walleyes & Wire Leaders

[IceDweller]

Does anyone ever have any luck catching Walleyes on Peck with wire leaders or quick strike rigs on your tip-ups? Do the Wallys tend to be leader shy with wire leaders? Just wondering because I like targeting Walleyes, but like catching Pike too & have lost some pike in the past using flouro or mono leaders.

[Mizayikaa]

I almost always use quick strikes under tip ups at Peck.  I don't catch as many Walleye as I could otherwise but I catch some and loose almost no Northerns.  I think it's a six of one half a dozen of another deal.  Jig the Eyes with Flouro.

[IceDweller]

I almost always use quick strikes under tip ups at Peck.  I don't catch as many Walleye as I could otherwise but I catch some and loose almost no Northerns.  I think it's a six of one half a dozen of another deal.  Jig the Eyes with Flouro.

Good thoughts Mizayikaa, I appreciate your feedback!

[Mizayikaa]

You bet.  Good luck.

[esox_xtm]

Not on Peck or even in MT but I did an experiment last weekend. We were on Little Bay de Noc off Lake Michigan. The chase was primarily for walleye. Half our rigs were the recommended fluorocarbon and the other was 20# uncoated wire. A slow bite didn't help but the results were eye opening. All the flags we had and all 3 walleyes (1 each day) were caught on the wire rigs. Fluoro never even had a flag.

Now, that doesn't prove anything except that wire is NOT patently evil. Maybe the fluoro rigs in those holes would have been as good. Never know. There's lots of variables that go into the presentation.

Bottom line, make it another "experiment" and see what happens.

I hold some sneaking opinions, some of which I've made public and some I hold to myself. I keep "counter-punching" just to find the truth. Whatever that is...

[wirehairman]

Titanium leaders. Best of both worlds.

[IceDweller]

Thanks for the additional feedback guys! Esox, tha is pretty crazy, sure wouldn't have expected those results, but I like hearing that! It's always a psychological battle for me because I want to target Walleyes primarily, but don't want to lose those Pike & there can be quite a bit of overlap in their habitats on Peck from my experience. I am going to primarily use wire I've decided, but have a couple flouros for experiment sake too. & I'll be jigging with flouro as well.

[esox_xtm]

Titanium leaders. Best of both worlds.

How you figure that? Ti is nothing like fluoro. Just another metal, like steel.

Folks like it because they think it's easy to work with and it is. Steel is just as easy (or easier) if you know the trick. Between steel and Ti, steel is much cheaper and Ti won't kink. Take your pick.

[wirehairman]

How you figure that? Ti is nothing like fluoro. Just another metal, like steel.

Folks like it because they think it's easy to work with and it is. Steel is just as easy (or easier) if you know the trick. Between steel and Ti, steel is much cheaper and Ti won't kink. Take your pick.

I personally like the titanium leaders because they are almost invisible with their smaller diameter but are as durable as steel.  Side by side comparison with fluoro or steel, I catch more walleye and have never had a pike bite through the leader.

[HWeber]

Find some 15 pound uncoated steel. Imo titanium and higher pound fluro are too stiff.

[fritz2324]

How you figure that? Ti is nothing like fluoro. Just another metal, like steel.

Folks like it because they think it's easy to work with and it is. Steel is just as easy (or easier) if you know the trick. Between steel and Ti, steel is much cheaper and Ti won't kink. Take your pick.

If you don’t mind me asking. What’s the trick?

[esox_xtm]

Where do I start? OK, first 20# uncoated steel is thinner than 18# Knot2Kinky Ti (.011 vs .012 direct from websites). There is no such thing as invisibility. Certainly plastic is clear but still not invisible (that part can get deep). Steel vs. Ti is same/same.

Anecdotal evidence - "I catch more blah-blah-blah with blah-blah-blah is really just, well, blah-blah-blah. Not scientific, maybe you got the hot hole, maybe everyone else's hands stink, maybe, just maybe you're right but you can't really prove it. I know, high tech plastic or exotic metal is sexy. So what? I spent last weekend targeting walleyes fishing against the fluoro crowd. Who had all the flags and caught the few fish that actually ate on a tough bite? The steel guys. Is wire magic? Nope, but it sure ain't evil. I didn't expect that outcome, it just happened.

IF you are targeting pike with plastic, regardless of your experience or "skill" (read good fortune) you are compromised. If you are targeting other species than pike/pickerel/muskies then live with the occasional bite off.

I dislike Ti on a number of levels. It tends to be not as flexible as a similar diameter steel. Even though you can "tie" it. It also stretches, visibly. Try it. Take a length and grab both ends and pull. It really stretches and it's kinda fun. But that can be a problem. Every stretch fatigues the section and eventually it will give way without warning. At least with plastic or steel you can see/feel the nicks or kinks. I'd rather be able to assess and replace preemptively than lose the one I "really wanted". Besides, it costs a lot more than steel making most folks less likely to replace before failure because they want their "money's worth".

Now for the goodies fritz: working with uncoated steel is dirt easy. Been doin' it for decades and it is rock solid. Here's some details: https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=243422.msg2468614#msg2468614

I know. I'll still be the odd guy out, the guy stuck in the past, the guy that refuses to "get with the program". No matter. I'll still go and catch fish. Y'alls do what you like. You will anyway.

[Mizayikaa]

To make a short unanswered question long.

[esox_xtm]

To make a short unanswered question long.

Sorta but not really. Addressed a few comments in that but you're right, I can be a bit verbose. The answer was there. Here it is again:

"Now for the goodies fritz: working with uncoated steel is dirt easy. Been doin' it for decades and it is rock solid. Here's some details: https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=243422.msg2468614#msg2468614"

[Mizayikaa]

Guess I missed it somehow the first time. My apologies.