BWCA Wire leaders Boundary Waters Fishing Forum
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
   Fishing Forum
      Wire leaders     
 Forum Sponsor

Author

Text

06/20/2022 05:45PM  
So I think this might have been addressed before but....
Do you use a wire leader for Pike and walleye? Is it more worth it so you don't loose a $10 lure?
Or does it cut down on strikes a lot?
I'll be there in August if that makes a difference.
Thanks
Tim
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next
06/20/2022 06:37PM  
I don't use a wire leader and can have problems with northerns breaking my line.
If using jigs, slip bobbers, tgo method etc. I don't use a leader. If using crank baits, jerk baits etc. I might put on a leader to keep from losing so much tackle. My personal opinion is I will catch less fish with a wire leader so it's a trade off. If using a leader spend the extra money for titanium leaders. Some people like use high test fluorocarbon line for a leader.
 
Savage Voyageur
distinguished member(14414)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished membermaster membermaster member
  
06/20/2022 07:13PM  
Do not use any kind of a leader for walleye. As far as Pike I use a thin titanium leader about 20#, Musky fishing I use a 100-120# fluorocarbon leaders.
 
Hammertime
distinguished member (275)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/20/2022 09:48PM  
If you’re targeting northerns specifically it makes sense but I have never used one in the BWCA and never will.

We get plenty of bonus northerns targeting bass and walleye and I’ve never heard of someone catching a big walleye with a leader attached (although I’m sure it has happened).

I consider the handful of lures lost over the years a worthy trade off for the added opportunity of landing a hog walleye.
 
06/20/2022 10:27PM  
“ a worthy trade off for the added opportunity of landing a hog walleye."

That’s what I’m going for this trip
 
thegildedgopher
distinguished member(1659)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/21/2022 09:27AM  
I have never used one. My recent trip gave me pause for the first time -- when targeting northern specifically it makes a lot of sense -- not just for your own good, but for the good of the fish. Consider this scenario we had on a lake near Ely:

We were trolling. Good sized pike on the line. We got it close enough to the boat to see that it had completely t-boned the lure. The two trebles were buried in either side of its mouth. Fish started flopping and rolling near the boat, cut our leader with its gill plate or teeth. Now that 30+ inch pike is swimming around with lockjaw, completely unable to open its mouth to feed. The best case scenario for that fish is a Musky eating it at this point. More likely it will starve to death. Our leader was 8 lb fluorocarbon FWIW. I realize when you're fishing there is always a chance you will have some kind of a negative impact on the resource, and we always try to do what we can to minimize the chances of that happen. I didn't feel good at all watching that fish swim away with a flicker shad trapping its mouth shut. :-/
 
eyestalker
distinguished member (117)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
06/21/2022 12:35PM  
I've had numerous occasions where ive been casting with a leader and canoe mate is jigging and when he would start catching em I'd remove whatever lure I was using and throw a jig on the leader snap. Works just fine. I always use the Eagle Claw "Micro Leaders" FWIW. They are cheap, sold right at Walmart, and I've never lost a fish by them getting cut. Normally not a leader guy unless I'm casting a spoon while prospecting for fish either?
 
cyclones30
distinguished member(4163)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
06/21/2022 12:41PM  
I don't use wire leaders if fishing for panfish or walleye. Like jig and leech or jig and plastic or slip bobber of course not.

But if I'm casting for bass/pike there's a chance I'll use a leader. I usually have a snap swivel tied on anyway for ease of switching lures so that gives me an extra half inch to inch of security. If using a spinnerbait or buzzbait, the wire also gives a lot of leeway before your line.

So I'd say in general I don't use one probably 75% of the time but will for the other quarter especially if targeting pike
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next