Wife and I are headed up to Snow Bay June 24. I am taking some tail dancers for some trolling. My wish is for the wife to hook up with a nice size laker, walleye, or northern. I know the fish will be deep and we will be trolling the 30 ft deep Rapalas.

I do have a question for those of you who troll with baits this size,do you ever use a wire leader? Just in case you get a bite from that 40 inch northern? I would hate to lose an expensive bait to one of those toothy critters!

Bruce

Any thing with a bill gets a wire leader!

That being said...my biggest pike to date came on a tube with 8lb test....go figure.

I caught a nice laker while trolling one of those Mepps spinners with the fake minnow. Can't remember what they are called. I wasn't using a leader with that one and it was pretty deep in the throat.

AMan try a big Dr Spoon. Add a couple split shots and long line it. You can get down 50 ft. It's a longer spoon so you have a better shot with big pike.

Sure, use a leader, I don't think lakers a leader-shy (much).

Always use a high quality ball bearing swivel when trolling spoons and spinners.

I make my own leaders using 50lb test fluorocarbon. You can buy "short" spools of 40yds. Tie a 40lb snap swivel to one end, and a 40lb barrel swivel to the other. I make them about 3 ft long. They are a lot less visible then a wire leader. Never been bit off.

greenman what kind of a knot to you use , isnt #50 flourocarbon kind of stiff ? thanks for a reply

I've always felt that you lose some action and some diving depth with a wire leader. I've rarely been bit off with a good sized rap. Usually their teeth are on the body of the lure, not the line.

Just my two cents.

quote shock: "greenman what kind of a knot to you use , isnt #50 flourocarbon kind of stiff ? thanks for a reply"

My bad, no knot. I use those little metal connector sleeves (tubes) that you put your line in and crimp them.

shock here's a picture of one.

verynice i like that alot. i've been useing 30# on my tip ups. thanks greenman