I was just digging through my dad's tackle box the other day and I found his stash of leaders. They were all very nice Sampo leaders with ball bearing swivels, but they were all only 6" long. They all were marked with clearance stickers, which I am sure is why my dad bought them.

This reminded me of a trip about 15 years ago. I was in the stern, slowly paddling down the shore and he was casting a #11 orange jointed Rapala using one of his 6" leaders. He made a long cast towards the shore, but angled a little backwards. By the time his retrieve got his lure close to the canoe it was behind me in the back of the canoe. The orange Rapala caught my eye just as it was running past me. Right then, not three feet from me, a very large pike appeared behind the bait, accelerated and sucked it in. I remember this like it was yesterday, It seemed like it was in slow motion.

Sounds picture perfect right, well, here is where the 6" leader comes in. That pike sucked in the #11 jointed Rapala and the leader and sliced through the line before my dad even knew he had a fish. He knew it was very large by the way that I was acting. It was easily over 40". My best guess was closer to 48".

I told my dad that he should be using a longer leader, and I really wish that he had. This is why I would never use a six inch leader fishing for pike in the BWCA, Quetico, Woodland Caribou or anywhere else for that matter.

Now the question, does anyone out there use short leaders like this? What length and pound test leaders do you use while pike fishing?

I always use a 24 inch titanium leader. A big Northern or Musky has a chance of biting off with anything shorter then that.

Yea 6" is flirting with disaster. I'm sort of good with 9"

I think wallee's 24" is a bit much. I also think that 24"of line hanging off your rod tip is a safety issue in a tandem canoe as well.

Have you ever looked into building your own leaders? The titanium Knot2Kinky leader material is available in diameters much smaller than what you would purchase commercially made. I would not hesitate to add them to walleye crank baits for example in the 14lb test diameter which is scary thin and very discreet. Add your own components.........maybe you could clip the sampo swivels off what you have and use those and make 9" to 12" leaders?

I now use 12”- 18” Titanium leaders. They are crazy expensive but they are just the ticket. I also have a spool of leader material that I make them out of. A six inch leader only protects from the teeth, not the sharp gill plates when they roll.

I typically use 9” but have used 5” without issues. That being said, I use these when targeting smallies in pikey waters...not really targeting pike.

Savage Voyageur: "I now use 12”- 18” Titanium leaders. A six inch leader only protects from the teeth, not the sharp gill plates when they roll. "

An excellent point SV. Perhaps 12" would be about right. Still easy enough to cast.

I have come to terms with 12" being long enough. I used to make my own leaders with sevenstrand wire. I might need to look into getting some titanium wire.

mastertangler: "Yea 6" is flirting with disaster. I'm sort of good with 9"


I think wallee's 24" is a bit much. I also think that 24"of line hanging off your rod tip is a safety issue in a tandem canoe as well.


Have you ever looked into building your own leaders? The titanium Knot2Kinky leader material is available in diameters much smaller than what you would purchase commercially made. I would not hesitate to add them to walleye crank baits for example in the 14lb test diameter which is scary thin and very discreet. Add your own components.........maybe you could clip the sampo swivels off what you have and use those and make 9" to 12" leaders? "

Ditto that Knot2Kinky is awesome, and affordable. And, if you want 'scary thin and very discreet', then try their 6 lb test. Comes in 15 or 30 foot lengths, tie it whatever length you wish.

Daisy-chain a couple of them together. You now have 12” with an extra swivel. They can dance, jump, and roll to your hearts content.

Thought of another thing I hated about the 6”steel leaders I used to use. They are heavier and thicker than titanium and they bend and kink at the slightest thing. I threw all of my steel ones away.

all thou i prefer a 12"-18" leader , being free 6" will work , if they kink up put a new one on.

barehook: "

mastertangler: "Yea 6" is flirting with disaster. I'm sort of good with 9"



I think wallee's 24" is a bit much. I also think that 24"of line hanging off your rod tip is a safety issue in a tandem canoe as well.



Have you ever looked into building your own leaders? The titanium Knot2Kinky leader material is available in diameters much smaller than what you would purchase commercially made. I would not hesitate to add them to walleye crank baits for example in the 14lb test diameter which is scary thin and very discreet. Add your own components.........maybe you could clip the sampo swivels off what you have and use those and make 9" to 12" leaders? "

Ditto that Knot2Kinky is awesome, and affordable. And, if you want 'scary thin and very discreet', then try their 6 lb test. Comes in 15 or 30 foot lengths, tie it whatever length you wish."

Dang! I didn't even know it came in 6lb test. That would be perhaps a bit to light?? I know the 14lb test is much thinner than what you can buy commercially made. Add in some small cross lock snaps and a tiny Spro barrel swivel and its one heck of a set up fully capable of fooling even walleye with no problems (generally speaking > dark water OK)

mastertangler: "

barehook: "

mastertangler: "Yea 6" is flirting with disaster. I'm sort of good with 9"



I think wallee's 24" is a bit much. I also think that 24"of line hanging off your rod tip is a safety issue in a tandem canoe as well.



Have you ever looked into building your own leaders? The titanium Knot2Kinky leader material is available in diameters much smaller than what you would purchase commercially made. I would not hesitate to add them to walleye crank baits for example in the 14lb test diameter which is scary thin and very discreet. Add your own components.........maybe you could clip the sampo swivels off what you have and use those and make 9" to 12" leaders? "

Ditto that Knot2Kinky is awesome, and affordable. And, if you want 'scary thin and very discreet', then try their 6 lb test. Comes in 15 or 30 foot lengths, tie it whatever length you wish."

Dang! I didn't even know it came in 6lb test. That would be perhaps a bit to light?? I know the 14lb test is much thinner than what you can buy commercially made. Add in some small cross lock snaps and a tiny Spro barrel swivel and its one heck of a set up fully capable of fooling even walleye with no problems (generally speaking > dark water OK)"

On their website they show 6 lb, 12 lb, 18 lb., all in 15 or 30 foot lengths.

mastertangler: "Yea 6" is flirting with disaster. I'm sort of good with 9"


I think wallee's 24" is a bit much. I also think that 24"of line hanging off your rod tip is a safety issue in a tandem canoe as well. I don’t think so... when I was a small child , the owner of Timbuktu marina was Dick Lavine. His father was a avid big Northern Pike fisherman. He would catch many, many 20 + pound Pike in a season. He told me never to use a leader shorter then 24 inch. I tend to listen to people who are great at what they do....


Have you ever looked into building your own leaders? The titanium Knot2Kinky leader material is available in diameters much smaller than what you would purchase commercially made. I would not hesitate to add them to walleye crank baits for example in the 14lb test diameter which is scary thin and very discreet. Add your own components.........maybe you could clip the sampo swivels off what you have and use those and make 9" to 12" leaders? "

When I was a small child spending much time on Lake Vermilion the owner of Timbuktu resort was Dick Lavine. His father, which would of been in his 70’s at the time was a avid big pike fisherman. He caught many every summer over 20 pounds. He told me to never use any leader shorter then 24 inch if you are targeting the big ones.... I tend to follow what the experts say, and he truly was a expert at catching MASSIVE PIKE...

walllee: "When I was a small child spending much time on Lake Vermilion the owner of Timbuktu resort was Dick Lavine. His father, which would of been in his 70’s at the time was a avid big pike fisherman. He caught many every summer over 20 pounds. He told me to never use any leader shorter then 24 inch if you are targeting the big ones.... I tend to follow what the experts say, and he truly was a expert at catching MASSIVE PIKE..."

Yes it does usually pay dividends to listen to captains and guides. As the old saying goes, "when all else fails listen to the captain".

My only concern Wallee, would be the casting situation while sitting in a canoe with a 24" leader. Might not be so easy and might be rather hazardous as well.
Do you not find it difficult to toss stuff on a 24" leader while sitting?

I rarely fish with a leader as I am usually just throwing a jig for walleyes...

mastertangler: "

walllee: "When I was a small child spending much time on Lake Vermilion the owner of Timbuktu resort was Dick Lavine. His father, which would of been in his 70’s at the time was a avid big pike fisherman. He caught many every summer over 20 pounds. He told me to never use any leader shorter then 24 inch if you are targeting the big ones.... I tend to follow what the experts say, and he truly was a expert at catching MASSIVE PIKE..."

Yes it does usually pay dividends to listen to captains and guides. As the old saying goes, "when all else fails listen to the captain".


My only concern Wallee, would be the casting situation while sitting in a canoe with a 24" leader. Might not be so easy and might be rather hazardous as well.
Do you not find it difficult to toss stuff on a 24" leader while sitting? "

No, not at all , as long as you have a well balanced rod and reel combination.

I've had no problems with 6" leaders, but I'm usually throwing artificial lures for pike. A size 5 Mepps inline spinner has the treble a the back of the lure, anyway. If I was using baitfish to target pike I would consider 9"-12" leaders.

In the classic book "How to win friends and influence people" one of the big no-no's was telling people they are wrong. I never really bought in but I have finally come to the conclusion (after a couple of decades) that the author might just be right. Good thing I have always considered the whole friends thing a bit overrated anyway (you have to call them, feed them etc ;-)

6" is to short and 24" is to long IMO. 9" to 12" is manageable in a canoe and should provide protection for the majority of even good pike. Bigger lures with erratic movement such as large spoons and big glide type baits you probably would want 14". Trolling bigger baits and 24" would be a good choice, why not? Titanium is much preferred and quality pre made leaders are avaliable and even though they are expensive (expect to pay about $9 each) they will last provided you tie good knots and have fresh line. My only issue with them is they are not particularly discreet when in use with smaller walleye type lures. Do NOT use cheaper commercially mass produced wire leaders or you will be sorry.

If you are running walleye type lures or smaller more finesse style pike baits then you can do no better than building your own leaders with Knot2Kinky in lighter lb tests for a very discreet presentation which will still take walleye but offer a good margin of safety. I like 14lb test or perhaps 12 for insurance with walleye type offerings using small cross lock snaps and tiny spro power swivels. Be sure to test your work.

But I would guess, that many anglers, myself included, don't use wire unless they are specifically targeting pike and still land the majority of pike encountered. But I have had a few heartbreakers which may of turned out differently had i had a trace of that skinny Knot2Kinky wire on. Certainly a case can be made for using it even when walleye fishing.