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tanvat
member (8)member
  
01/13/2025 03:44PM  
I'll be a first-time Quetico tripper this June, with no canoe country fishing experience, save a single fly-in trip to Woodland Caribou years ago. I just used 8 pound mono on that trip and only sawed off a couple pike in 4 days.

The fishing focus will be on walleye and smallmouth, and pike will (I hope) be an inevitable bycatch. Do most of you with lots of Quetico/BWCA fishing experience fish straight mono (or braid) forego a wire leader or do you use a wire leader even when fishing for bass and walleye?
 
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moosedoggie
distinguished member (207)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/13/2025 05:24PM  
If I'm fishing plastics, I use straight fluorocarbon. When I have a $12 Whopper Plopper on, I use a titanium leader that I make myself.
 
MichiganMan
distinguished member (257)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/13/2025 08:42PM  
It took me awhile, but I eventually realized that I needed to use leaders in Quetico. I tend to use fairly light line, and I got sick of getting ripped off by the taxman, including several trophy sized pike. Quetico fish see so little pressure that they are not line or leader shy.
 
Jackfish
Moderator
distinguished member(8027)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished memberpower member
  
01/13/2025 09:46PM  
When jigging, I direct tie 8# mono to the jig. When casting or trolling crankbaits (typically the same rod), I use 12# mono with a 12" steel leader. Never had an issue that I can remember.
 
01/14/2025 08:23AM  
I don't use a leader unless i'm specifically targeting pike...which I never do, so I never use a leader. Just 6 lb mono. It's been years since I lost a fish to line cut.

I also check the line after every fish and re-tie if I feel the line is compromised in any way.
 
grizzlyadams
senior member (91)senior membersenior member
  
01/14/2025 08:41AM  
I used to use steel leaders but a couple years ago I switched to flourocarbon. I feel like I catch more fish with the flourocarbon leaders. I always have a leader tied on when I fish in the BWCA.
 
tanvat
member (8)member
  
01/14/2025 09:00AM  
Thanks so much for the responses. Sounds like it might be a fun experiment on my trip to try no leader, some wire, and then say some 20# flouro to see if there is any difference in catching. Of course, given my lack of canoe country fishing experience, the results may be random due my lack of knowledge. Plan to focus on moving water b/c creeks and rivers here in the Ozarks are my home waters.
 
grizzlyadams
senior member (91)senior membersenior member
  
01/14/2025 09:05AM  
I've always had luck casting into the pools at the bottom of rapids. Good luck!
 
01/14/2025 04:51PM  
I'm neither an expert nor a multi-rod guy...just one rod for all comers. About 4 years ago I switched to Braid with a 20# fluoro leader. I have about one break-off per year (three 5-8 day trips annually) and catch all four BWCAQ species including a few large pike. No break-offs and lots of fish in Woodland Caribou in July '24.
 
01/15/2025 09:40AM  
I target mostly walleye and lake trout, but end up catching my fair share of northern pike anyway. I have some homemade titanium leaders with me but it's been years since I felt the need to tie one on my line. For me I us the K.I.S.S. principal in canoe country and just rock straight braided line 12-20lb. Braid is so much stronger and thinner than mono, and with no line stretch, transmits bite sensations to your rod better, so you can achieve quicker hooksets with fewer inhaled lures. When I'm jigging for walleye I don't worry much about losing a jig to a northern. Trolling for LT, usually pike don't inhale the bait like they might with a more stationary bait, so you can often land them without being bitten off. Retie often, as your line will fray and become weakened.

Like I said, I do keep some leaders on hand, I just rarely use them. Some waters seem to have more pike than others, so you may need to change tactics.
 
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