Muskie leaders?

[Scoot]

What's the ideal muskie leader to use? Do people usually go with the piano wire routine or are more people using something lighter and less visible? In a recent post someone mentioned using 80 lb. Vanish leaders- anybody try this? What's a good, strong relatively invisible option?
Scoot

[Pig_sticka]

i just stick with my regular muskie line, and have never had a fish break it yet. braided dacron in the 25-30lb area. i dont fish them a ton but it has worked so far.

[TomWehler]

I make my own leaders of Seven Strand 150 LB wire.
Also the 180 Seven Strand Single wire.
Ball bearing swivels and #125 Rossco Snaps.
Never had any trouble with fish not want to eat any lure?
Fished with two people useing the floralcarbon Leaders and out fished them 6 to 1 last year.
Saves me Big money makeing my own as I go through about 50 to 70 a season.
Plus its fun to catch a slob on something you made.

I would never suggest NOT useing a leader.
Seen people lose to many Big buck lures.
They go the way side due to cheap product, old product or NO Leader!
Musky all fight and roll up different and if you don't have some steel, your chewed!

T.

[MuskyMark]

Hey Tom. I recently started thinking about the $ I'd save by tying my own leaders, and it sounds like a lot of guys do it. Any tips on how to get started? Where do you buy your leader components? Trying to find ways to kill time 'till we see soft water again! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mark

[TomWehler]

Musky Mark

You will save money!
It is way cool when you land a fish on something you made.
Makes you feel good in the gut while your useing them also.

I get most of my stuff at Thorne Bros in Fridley, but do get some stuff at Rollie & Helens on-line Musky shop.
They happen to be having a 10% sale untill feb. 28th on everything in the book.
www.muskyshop.com
Good crimper is a must as I learned over the years as with any tool you get what you pay for.
An eye tool is also a good thing to have for bending the wire in hard wire leaders.
Many kinds out there and they all work, some longer than others.
I use the ones that lay flat and you can hold them in your hand better.
dubro makes a easy one too.
Small and cmpact to carry in the boat if you wish.
Good wire, snaps and swivels cost little and your set.
Need a small wire cutter also, but you can get that at a hardware store.

Look at a few of the store bought ones and get an idea what you like and what will work for your style of fishing and your set bud.

Have fun finding the items and away you go.

Good luck.

Musky Tom wehler

Musky guide to the Rock -n- Roll famous and also the common man!

[TomWehler]

MuskyMark

Da!

Don't forget the little sleeves that make it all work or hold the loops together.
They are numbered to match the Seven Strand wire.

I forgot to mention them?

Joe bucher has a slip knot he uses on his Wire leaders.
It took me a while to figure it out, but it is worth learning.

It tightens down on it self with pressuer.
Then loosens up a bit at rest.
No sleeve to fail or wire to get cut by bending at the sleeve?

Might want to try your hand at that one also.
That will surly keep you bizzy and make you dizzy for a while?

T.

[guideman]

Hey Guys,
Unless your fishing ultra clear water I would forget about using floracarbon on a muskie rig. I was given an oppotunity
to use F/C by a sponsor a few years ago and I had lures cut off by rocks.

Muskie fishing with 12" lures, is not a finess presentation, I have been using
single 125# wire for many years, it as yet to keep a hungry ski from eating.

I also use Titainium,it's a good choice
if you only fish muskie's ocassionaly,
because they last forever.
They also excell with small baits, jigs and bucktails, because of their great flexibilty.

As far as going without a leader, you have just been very lucky my friend.

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Ace guide service.
Beautiful Lake Vermilion.
aceguideservice.com
[email protected]

[MuskyMark]

Tom,

Thanks for all the info. Appreciate your help. I think I'm ready to roll (or twist).

Good luck this year on Big V.

Mark

[stephendawg]

One other thing to remember with musky and terminal tackle...
The catch-and-release ethic is the norm. Your choice of terminal tackle may make the diffrerence between successfully releasing a fish or watching it swim into a cabbage bed with you 10" bait stuck to the side of it's face. Dead fish for sure....not to mention the lost bait and added disappointment.

food for thought....
Dawg

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