pike leader with flashers

[pa-iceman]

I tie my own leaders for tipup fishing for pike.   I been thinking about adding beads and a spoon or some type of flasher.  I was wondering how many people that fish with live shinners use beads and/or some type on spoon or flasher on their leaders.

[Noon]

I haven't personally tried this but i think its a great idea. A lot of the pike, pickerel, and musky i have caught in open water have been on lures with spoons. Even just a spoon, a bead and a nightcrawler have been killer. So i say go for it and post some pics 

[Iceassin]

Why not? Tie a small willow leaf, or the like, between 2 shorter leaders with beads, swivels, clevices, etc. Anything to create a little spin and flash... can't hurt. Esox should be along here in a few with his take on the subject.

[kayl]

I always use blade and beads. Chartreuse is always good to me, silver has been ok too.

[esox_xtm]

Of course I'll chip in! Since we get 3 lines in WI I've always got some beads hanging. Sometimes 2 out of 3 right out of the gate. If they work better, everything gets 'em. If not I minimize. Never got into blades for some reason. I guess my thought is they really don't get a chance to actually spin, just kinda flippy flop around. Maybe that's not so bad but I can't say. Seen some really goofy stuff folks use, in my opinion and no disrespect to anyone here that may use something similar, like a #3 or 4 blade with a giant clevis. Never saw that one particular guy ever get a flag on that rig but he always fished it. That said I do believe there are some applications for blades with live bait. I'd envision a couple smaller blades that can clicky clack together sometimes making a little sound with a bit of flash. Actually built a couple of prototypes but have yet to get 'em wet.

Standard bead set up is three to four 4 - 6mm beads. Got a ton of colors but there's always at least one glow bead in the bunch. Orange does very well followed by chartreuse and hot pink. In the pic below top rig has 4 x 4mm beads with 2 glow in the middle. the bottom 2x 6mm with a 4mm glow. Often I don't think you need a lot. Just a bit to stand out and make them curious. Both hooks are #10s, the bottom one just looks bigger due to the camera angle.

[Adironzach]

Esox, what line do you typically use for your leaders? Always curious to see what everyone likes to roll with

[Tuma]

I have some pike leaders with blades on them and two trouble hooks.  I don’t think the blades helped out but at the time it was done to comply with the MN fishing laws.  Since then MN has changed the laws and I have not used them.

[esox_xtm]

Esox, what line do you typically use for your leaders? Always curious to see what everyone likes to roll with

Mouse around a bit and you'll find I'm a pretty dedicated wire guy. Play with plastic some, got some stranded Ti to try this year, zero confidence in any superline (braid or fused) so day in, day out it's 20# uncoated wire, no crimp connection, #10 Eagle Claw 974 and SPRO Power Swivels.

[kasilofchrisn]

I make my own quick-strike rigs and on many of them I add a bead(s) and/or even a small spinner blade.
Usually a pretty small blade just to add a little flash every time it's jigged.
Even on a tip up I think a small blade can help as every time you lift it to clean the whole out or do a bait check it's going to do a little fluttering.
Live bait isn't legal where I live so a dead Herring or hooligan (smelt) is what we've always used for Pike.
And often times I'll get a strike shortly after cleaning the ice out of the holes.
I'm guessing that little bit of movement really helps draw them in and convinces them to strike.

[kasilofchrisn]

Here are some examples of quick strikes that I've made these are made using nylon coated wire and crimps.
Properly crimped these will not pull out even on large fish.
I typically use #6 or #8 trebles for all sizes of Pike.
Some of these quickstrikes have two legs and some of them I have two hooks on one length of wire.
As you can see some of them have small propeller blades that will spin when jigged vertically one has a Colorado blade and one has some very small probably  00 size Willow leaf blades just to add a little flicker.

[Iceassin]

For this season I have converted back to a coated 13# leader after trying 7 single strand last year. I dunno...I just like the subtleness of this one. Lakes I fish typically don't give up many pike over 10 pounds so...I will be putting a few beads on though ala esox_xtm. 😉

[Salmonquest]

FWIW I added glow beads this year. I put larger ones above my swivel and two smaller ones above the hook. I only did this with one and so far it has produced the most and biggest pike. I'm curious if the trend will continue.

[esox_xtm]

I don't believe there are many ideas that are out of bounds. Pike and bling go together like taters n gravy. I've been thinking about those smile blades, a couple of small blades (like fairy wings) clapping around as the minnow swims, even some tinsel or flashabou or a curly tail hung out to wave the "dinner's ready" flag.

Only one I never got comfortable with was the guy that hung a #3 red/white Colorado from a clevis on his rig. Always had one of his three lines with that on and never saw him get a flag but he was convinced it was going to produce the giant.

I do think it's best to keep the attractors close to the bait. Pike notorious for bashing flash just 'cause they wanna.

[Iceassin]

I don't believe there are many ideas that are out of bounds. Pike and bling go together like taters n gravy. I've been thinking about those smile blades, a couple of small blades (like fairy wings) clapping around as the minnow swims, even some tinsel or flashabou or a curly tail hung out to wave the "dinner's ready" flag.

Only one I never got comfortable with was the guy that hung a #3 red/white Colorado from a clevis on his rig. Always had one of his three lines with that on and never saw him get a flag but he was convinced it was going to produce the giant.

I do think it's best to keep the attractors close to the bait. Pike notorious for bashing flash just 'cause they wanna.

That last sentence nailed it. My most recent pike was on a 13# coated leader,  #8 treble with a 9" sucker minnow attached...and he inhaled it!!!. It was only 22" ...but still. Same setup last year when I iced a 13# , 36 incher. Pike eat when they are hungry and angry...period. And they mean business when they hit it. Put anything down that hole with a good chunk of meat...and maybe a little flash...
WHAM!!! Dinner time 😉