Leader for Pike Fishing

I'm going to Canada in a month, I've got my 7-0 MH rods set up with 40# Powerpro, what pound test leaders should I use? I pike fish in WI all the time, but I've never tangled with a fish over 32", and for those I just use 12# Trilene with no leader at all, but I'm assuming I'll tangle with a lot of over 36" fish in the lake I'm going to, and I don't want to lose a monster of a lifetime.

Well, we had a very successful trip to Lake Wabigoon. I started the trip using some #30 Berkley leaders, but I had 2 failures with those, 1 broke where it went through the split ring on a large musky (lower 50's), and 1 pulled out of the crimp on a good pike (upper 30's). We said enough of that and ended up driving to Bobby's in Vermillion Bay and bought a bunch of Bucher musky leaders (along with replacing the Buchertails we lost). The failures ended and the heavier leaders did nothing to slow down the esox bite.

if you don't want to tie your own, spro makes single strand titanium leaders that have worked well for me. i have also used their 80# fluoro leaders, and they hold up quite well. i've never had one bitten or broken off.

I've had good luck with the single strand titanium lately. You have to tie your own leaders but its not hard and the stuff is so light that it doesn't impede lure action like a heavy steel leader with a barrel swivel will. Either tie it directly to your lure or put a cross lock swivel on the end. 95% of the time that I'm pike fishing I'm using muskie tackle so I go with a 12" solid 120 lb wire leader with a cross lock swivel on the end. I've found that the only time a lighter leader or a fluoro leader is superior is when you're live bait fishing. Good luck out there.

Use steel leaders with welded ring ball bearing swivels and cross lock snaps. The leaders should be at least as long as your biggest bait. Longer leaders making casting difficult. Pike are NOT line shy. I would not take a chance using heavy mono or floro leaders.

I would go with nylon coated 12 to 18 in leader and at least 50 lbs test. I would check them half way through the day and change leaders every day.

P.S. Good Luck to you, To get a good idea of how your selected line will hold up it can be tested. To test differn't lines against tooth abraision and fish weights take a 6 to 8 foot section of your line tie a heavy object to it that is no less than 10 pounds and no more than 20 pounds ( a round weight lifting bell or disc works good for this ). Tie it securely to both the weight and your support. Suspend it at least 2 feet from the ground. Test the strength of the line against the weight of the fish by pushing and pulling the weight appropriatly make sure your feet are clear. After the line has been stressed and stretched leave it hanging vertical and take a sharp knife and just touch the seration of the blade to the line, Be sure not to try to cut the line. Remember your only simulating the line contacting the teeth of the fish. Carefully repeat touching the knife to line at an angle. This will tell you what your selected line will hold up against.

Growing up fishing the canadian border I have seen huge pike on a regular basis, it's the teeth you've got to worry about not necessarily the strength of the fish. Even a small pike can cut you in a second if it takes the bait anywhere near your line. I have seen them cut steel leaders at an angle so I know nothings fool proof.

Get some wire leaders as a back up. Maybe a bunch of stronger ones for cheap. Then get a few nice floro ones. Or you can tie your own. You could always get a small spool of 60 pound mono and just tie direct to the lure.