the great leader debate

[iceintheveins]

They should be easy to find I think in the ice fishing section of stores like sportsman's warehouse. We have tons of them here. If you cannot find them, go to customjigsandspins.com .
For trout, I like the shrimpos and ratsos in size 6. Best colors are blue glow, white glow, orange, pink glow, and chartreuse glow. Tip them with a single waxworm or maggot, and fish them on 4 pound mono.

Tyler

[rallye]

Tyler.....thanks for the steerage on the shrimpos etc.  I ordered a selection of your `hot` pics.  If they`re here in time I`ll try 11Mile this weekend and give you a report.    Jeff

[TroutFishingBear]

rallye, I used blue ratsos at vega this year (much like a shrimpo, just hangs vertically) I was catching the he!! out of the big 16-24" rainbows/cuttbows. When I used the same lures at crawford for perch, I also got a good amount of pike on them. Usually they bit off but I landed some too! Be careful, the pike like em too!

[rallye]

TFB...........  Never thought of fishing a Ratso with a steel leader! 

[BUCKSKI]

switched to the wire and have not noticed less flags, good action last time out. 8 1/2 pike and a 7 +. Will use Fluro when I get to mixed species water. Did get a nice yello w on a quick strike rigs this year. Also will be making my own rigs from sevenstand and fluro to continue the test. Have not lost af ish yet as opposed to 8 fish lost on braided 30lb. Let you know how I do this weekend getting out for 4 days to fish pike. 

[Jack Magnum]

Flourocarbon is just fine for leader material. Too many people use too much force on these fish when they are hooked. When you do get one they come right back to the hole and then make runs til they are tired. When they go to make their run just let them go. Keeping the line free of slack is the main part. Just let it run between your fingers and the fish will eventually stop then you can bring them back for another run.  Me and the guys I fish with use nothing but 30 lb. vanish. It's all about finesse. Don't horse them and you'll be fine. I've never lost one yet to bite off. I swear by it

I totally agree with using mono or flouro for leaders. I have caught thousands of pike and have lost ONLY a few. My largest was 20 lbs. Years ago when my boys were small I took advantage of using the legal amount of tips putting even numbers of wire and mono leaders. The mono got most of the strikes. I use 17 or 20 lb Trilene and if you don't horse them not a problem. I went with a fella who used my tips and he cut off more than he landed but he was PINCHING the line when he should have let it gently slide thru the index finger and thumb. Big bait is also a fallacy. OOPS !!! that would be another subject.

[toguebuster]

flouro, just bump up to 40,50 ,60, and like others have said minimize pressure and stick em quick if you can!

[iceintheveins]

Agreed Jack. As smart as Doug Stange is, I disagree when he thinks you should only use wire and that it doesn't reduce strikes. Maybe in the manitoba lakes he fishes. I agree, pike rarely bite off anyway with proper mono and letting them run when hooked. 14/6 fireline has never been bit off by a pike either. My only bite off was with 12 pound fluoro, and that was a 25" small pike this year.

Tyler

[fishinboy]

Has anybody ever used power pro or other braided lines as tip-up line?  It is very tough and abrasion-resistant.  I'd imagine that a pike couldn't bite through it; I was considering using just the line without a wire leader this year for increased flags.  I've never lost a fish when using power pro; it is very tough line.  Also, it has a very narrow diameter to pound test ratio.  Any thoughts?

[northdease]

i had a pike cut my 30 lb. power pro this summer pulling a daredevil. he had it deep and i was amazed that it got cut since it is hard for me to cut but i lost the fish and a brand new lure.

[Blaine]

Has anybody ever used power pro or other braided lines as tip-up line?

It's great for open water and for jiging rods but because of the thin line diameter, I'd stay away from it on the tip ups. You'd cut your fingers up pretty good fighting a decent fish. 50lb Power Pro is the same diameter as a 12lb mono... and it cuts like a knife through butter when ubder a load   My hands have finally healed from a season on the open water

When it comes to leader, I use 50lb Seaguar Fluoro. Another option.... Check around at your local shops, Eagle Claw makes some 24" snells with heavy fluoro and big hooks from 1/0 to 7/0. They are really intended for salt water but work great for toothy fish too.

[Icefish4Life]

When it comes to leader, I use 50lb Seaguar Fluoro.

Hi Blaine...is the heavier fluoro leader material user-friendly when it comes to tying knots, or is it pretty stiff/rigid?
Thanks.

[beerduck]

invisaleaders is what i use steel leaders but thin hard to see

[IceTroll]

Malin Boa No-Kink Titanium wire stretch leader. Will not kink, can be tied using standard knots, is very thin (30lb test is 6 to 8lb test diameter), will stretch and is virtually invisible. Anyone believing that wire reduces success better scroll through the archives and look at my Ft. Peck posts.

http://tackledirect.com/malinboanokink.html

[archbishop]

invisaleaders is what i use steel leaders but thin hard to see

those are nice beerduck, i swear by them, get lots of hits with them. on the other hand do you have a problem when you get a larger sized pike on them and they pigtail on you? i have to buy lots of them because everytime i get a big fish on the leader comes back all pigtailed?

[IceTroll]

That wont happen with Malin Boa Archbishop. Its almost impossible to kink although it can be kinked but usually not from catching a fish.