Do you use steel leaders?

[MNpurple]

When using soft plastics I never use leaders because I can afford to lose the plastics to pike, but when it comes to using hard baits (cranbaits, topwaters, rapalas, etc)I almost always have a 6-9 inch steel leader tied on. I cant handle a pike taking the bait and cutting the line and seeing $6 swim away. What do the rest of you do that target bass? Leaders, no leaders?

[goblueM]

depends on the lake. if there are a lot of pike you bet i use a leader on cranks, jig/pig, swimbaits, etc. spinnerbaits i tend not to

i still catch an awful lot of bass using a fluoro leader or a light steel leader

[mabr]

Im seriously thinking of trying them this year. I lost way to many jigs to pike last year. Im thinking of using the type you tie direct to your line. I seen them at Thorn Bros last time i was in there.

I asked the same question a while back and it seams most just put up with it. I will say I dont have many problems with cranks though its usually just worms and jigs where i have the issue.

[SledNeck]

I use leaders on x-raps, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits

[matthothand]

I don't use leaders and plan on sticking to that routine as it's worked well for me. I catch a few incidental pike but can't remember the last time they've bit me off. Quite a few that I still don't know how I got to the boat but unless it becomes a real expensive problem someday I'll keep direct tying.

[bucketmouth64]

I have not used a leader at all. Haven't had the problem of bite offs that often. Last year I had one bite off, but a few minutes later the crankbait floated to the surface. Try using braided line instead of a leader.

[BigGrassBass]

If I'm using cranks I like to tie up to a flouro leader. It seems to handle the teeth of a pike for the most part. And as always, check your line after every catch/snag.

[HellaBass]

Never use steel leaders fishing for bass

[YUM]

Never for bass. I just dont seem to get bitten off that often... maybe only a had-full of times a year.

[gritsnham]

I never use steel leaders. I think you can just use havier line with the quality of line these days. Steel leaders just kill bait action and I never lose baits to pike except on plastics for the most part. Try heavier line before you move to using wire leaders

[delmuts]

I don't use a steel one, but will tie on a flouro leader for cranks, and for frogs. Many times i will take off the snap and replace it with a split ring so i don't snag weeds as much.

[RK]

Hiya -

For vertical/finesse applications like jigworms, etc., I don't use a leader. I get bit off a lot (some of the lakes I fish are rotten with hammerhandles...) but I figure it's the price of doing business. I also buy jigworm and tube heads in 25 ct. bags... I don't use leaders with crankbaits either really, and rarely get bit off.

The one time I do use a leader on occasion is with swim jigs. Even with fluoro you can still get bit off. I use Cortland Toothy Critter wire, which is a thin, knotable material. Tie it to your main line with back to back uni-knots (3 turns on the wire, 4 on the main line), and another uni-knot to tie on the jig. You don't need much of a leader - 4 inches will do. It's just enough to keep them from getting the line through their mouth when they grab a swim jig and turn away.

The way I look at it, it isn't any less visible than braid, and with a fast-moving horizontal presentation braid doesn't seem to bother them in the least even in clear water.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[SledNeck]

I use the leaders cause I dont like losing lures to pike all the time

[MNpurple]

I use fireline crystal on most of my rigs and although tough, pike can still bite through it with relative ease. You guys that use the flouro leaders rather than the wire or steel leaders. What pound test of the flouro do you use and how long of leaders do you tie on? Does the heavy flouro hold up better to pike teeth than fireline alone?

[Ralph Wiggum]

The one time I do use a leader on occasion is with swim jigs...I use Cortland Toothy Critter wire, which is a thin, knotable material.

Thanks! I just picked up some of this over lunch.

[goblueM]

I use fireline crystal on most of my rigs and although tough, pike can still bite through it with relative ease. You guys that use the flouro leaders rather than the wire or steel leaders. What pound test of the flouro do you use and how long of leaders do you tie on? Does the heavy flouro hold up better to pike teeth than fireline alone?

i use 40 pound flouro leaders on occasion, have yet to get bit off by a pike. Haven't caught one over 30 inches on that though. Depending on what type of lure you are using, a large diameter leader can really kill bait action, so take that into consideration

[Burchoid]

Never. Even when throwing expensive baits. Steel leaders will the ruin the action of most lures, give off negative que's, and are just plain not necessary if you are actually targeting bass.

All I do is tournament fish and target bass. I have yet to run across even 1 serious bass fisherman who uses steel leaders.

On the other hand, if you are a casual fisherman on a budget, a steel leader may be right for you! Preventing a toothy critter from stealing your expensive lure may be the larger priority.

There's no right or wrong way and you can do whatever you want, but you'll find a majority saying "no way" when it comes to steel leaders and bass fishing. It may cost you more in the long run, but you have a better chance at catching more fish.

[Aaron Carrell]

Well, I definitely use leaders whenever I'm fishing waters that I know I'm just as likely to catch a pike as I am a bass. I fish alot of topwater, cranks, & spinnerbaits/chatterbaits, so I'm almost always throwing lures that Pike are just as likely to hit and just as Burchoid said, I'm on a budget and don't like to lose fish. I will say that I never use leaders if I know it severely detracts from the action of the lure, but since I'm using fast moving stuff more often than not, then I'll keep the leader on.

When I fish plastics (depends on my mood, lol) I can say that I don't think I'd ever use a leader. I'm not a big swim jig guy (yet!), but when using other jigs pitching or whatever, I just don't think the leader is justifiable.

As for types of leaders, I do really like the Terminator brand leaders, but they're so pricey I doubt I'll be getting more any time soon. I don't mind the big C brand multi-strand leaders, but I'm a firm believer in finding leaders with ball-bearing swivels. I really hate the other kinds, cause they honestly don't seem to do much good preventing line twist, etc.

If I'm fishing a tournament, a leader never gets put on my line, plain and simple. I don't want to hurt my chances at a fish that might be a little shy just to save a few $$.

[mabr]

I use Cortland Toothy Critter wire, which is a thin, knotable material. Tie it to your main line with back to back uni-knots (3 turns on the wire, 4 on the main line), and another uni-knot to tie on the jig. You don't need much of a leader - 4 inches will do. It's just enough to keep them from getting the line through their mouth when they grab a swim jig and turn away.

RK I think this is what I was talking about trying this year on Jigs. Is it fairly flexible? I seen it at Thorne Bro I think near the fly fishing stuff and it looked just like braid which is what I throw most of the time anyways when fishing a jig.

To all the others, there is no way I would even consider tying a steel leader with the ball bearings and snaps. Just way to visable IMO

[goblueM]

you'd be surprised what fish see and don't. IMO if they are going to hit a big flashy bait they probably don't care if there are 5 inches of wire in front of it

i've caught plenty of bass with huge musky leaders on. Now I'm not saying I wouldn't care more fish without a leader, but I think we give fish too much credit sometimes for seeing things

[skolvikesallday]

I fish the mississippi (pool 6) and run into a LOT of pike so I use a leader any time I can get away with it. On of my favorite lures that becomes basically useless with a leader is the good old popper. Last year I had one bit off, so I opened a brand new one...you guessed it... first cast it gets bit off.

I want to try floro leaders but cant find spools of floro anywhere for a reasonable price. I refuse to pay $25 for 2 floro leaders from gander or fleet farm.

I started using toothy critter last year and havent looked back. Never had one of my leaders fail (wish I could say the same for name brand store bought leaders) and I can customize them to whatever lenght I want, and they are a lot cheaper than store bought, even after you buy swivels etc (if you even need them with the baits you are throwing)