Musky Fishing
Musky Leaders
3/23/11 @ 2:52 PM
Opinions on Musky leaders please. I have typically, rather almost exclusively used solid (piano wire) wire leaders I make myself. I don't like stranded leaders because of the crimps; they tend to catch weeds. Now I hear that fluorocarbon is another way to go. If anyone uses these, what lb test do you use and what knot do you find works best?
Displaying 1 to 15 of 39 posts
Tim - The weight rating of the line has zero to do with how easily it can be cut, it's a straight line pull strength rating. Take a pocket knife and put it in your work bench vise blade up. Then take a chunk of your 80 lb Power Pro and a chunk of 80 lb Fluoro and run each over the blade edge with the same amount of force and you'll see what we're talking about. Both have the same pound test rating or straight line break strength but the Fluoro will be much tougher to slice through.
Bottom line is you need a leader. Which type depends on the who, what, where, when, why and how of your musky fishing experience. Read through all the posts on this thread for suggestions.
Tim Aye don't blame ditto. He didn't make these rules up. These muskies are one tough critter and it not going to be easy or cheap. Being in this for nearly 30 yrs with a wall full of muskie baits and the other covered with gear, I know what I'm talking about. Leaderd have a function and when use properly will help the action of certain baits, some will hinder. I know been there many times over. If you just want something to yank on some string, then please do stick with perch jerking, but if you want something like a train smashing your bait at boatside, then muskies are king.
I start off the season using 100 lb test tug of war leaders from Rollie and Helens musky shop. They have everything you need in a good floro leader. Crimps are bad, that is where they will break under shock test. Need to get leaders with a nail knot. For small light weight baits you can use stay lock snaps. Stay lock snaps are the best on the market since they are the hardest for a fish or from inertia to open up unwanted. Have had stay locks open up but usually on large baits so for the majority of the stuff that I use I use 130 lb tug of war leaders with a solid ring. Reason for the solid ring is that I split ring my baits for better action or easier on and off. I have found that if you just use a stay lock your split ring can work around the snap and fly off. Have had it happen twice and caught several other lures where the split ring is worked half way around the snap. The solid ring is thicker than the snap so the split ring will not work around it. least I have had no problems. For bite offs, I have put several hundred muskies in the boat on floro and not have had a bite off, but it can happen. Had one last year that should have broke but luckily got off before it broke the leader. Have heard several stories. So yes there can be a down side but I feel it is better especially on clear water. If you tie your own you can always go 6" solid wire to floro so you get 6" cut proof if you ever get head hit and then go 9-12" floro if your worried. Some people who use real small stuff direct tie their leader on a 6'8' floro and then either use a swivel or direct tie their bait.
chivemaster 40 to 60 # floro will tie easily. I know Lee Tauchen on his web site has a nail type knot he ties and that will work for 40 to 60 as well. Just type in 3ws dot leetauchen dot com and look for a link to the tips section and its on the bottom of the tips page. That should be all you need. Make sure you don't horse any with that light of a leader, but I'm guessing that you will be throwing it on a lighter rod with lighter line as well.
I am wanting to make or buy a leader that wont spook bass but has a chance of handling a musky. I have tried 100+ lb. fluro musky leaders, but the hardware that connects to the lure is often too big for the lures i use. I have used thin wire leaders too but my bass catch rate goes way down.
I was thinking about trying 40 to 60 lb. fluro. I haven't found fluro leaders sold in that lb. test so i figure i have to make them. Thoughts on any of this?
Those fish have very sharp teeth, no question about it and fluoro can get cut. That's why wire have been used for so many years. It won't get cut by anything the fish has. It may fail due to a kink, crimp, or hardware failure, but you can have quality by getting those leaders and lures brand leaders. I am telling you they are the best to resist kinks and the crimps will never pull out. The guy uses a machine to crimp properly and never over or under crimps them. It the same technology used to make steering cable for rudders on small aircraft. You know they don't like to have a crimp fail. The leaders are rated for the hardware as the crimps and wire is stronger than the swivels and snaps. They cost just a few pennies more..... but well worth the the cost. i have used only 2 leaders all season (on two poles) and they have held up as I will use them another season at least.
I've used fluorocarbon leaders for everything except sucker rigs the past few years. Never had an issue with fluoro. Then the other day, my buddy was using a brand new 150 lb fluoro leader with a large jerkbait. A fish hit the head of the bait about 15 feet from the boat and did several headshakes and cut cleanly through the leader. Luckily the bait popped loose and floated up, but it got me thinking about how much I actually trust fluorocarbon when it is under pressure and being dragged across razor sharp teeth. Anyone else ever get bit off on 130 or 150lb?
I am a little more old school I guess. I have been using 100# monofilament for many years. It is light, flexible and durable. I have not had a leader break. I tie it to the swivel and snap with a Crawford Figure eight knot. works well with surface, bucktails and with the dating type jerk baits.
CH
Displaying 1 to 15 of 39 posts
