Tie able leaders

[Covey]

Anybody ever use toothy critters tie able leaders before? Im looking for a knot that would work without kinking the line, any ideas?

[BPBOB]

Google "Tyger knot" - It works well- tighten carefully.

[Covey]

Thanks

[wbliceman]

Anybody ever use toothy critters tie able leaders before? Im looking for a knot that would work without kinking the line, any ideas?

On youtube search lee's leader rig.. It should be uploaded by bigfish 365 he has a good one too..

[Hawg]

The knot instructions are with it aren't they? Maybe I got it off utube also but that stuff is great for areas where northerns lurk with your target fish. Definatly not cheap. We use it in our mixed species league when you have to try to catch a bass on purpose and the northerns are a huge bonus.

[mainbutter]

I don't use toothy critter, but I do use 25lb fluoro as a tie-able leader material. If you considered using fluoro, I just use uni knots and back to back uni knots for various connections.

[bobbymalone]

I've always wondered about fluoro... why? Northern don't seem to be scared of a little steel.

and steel won't be cut.

[mainbutter]

Mostly it's that I don't like how the metal affects the action of my lures. I can choose to tie on a large crankbait, spoon, or inline spinner and be just fine with a steel leader. However if I want to use senkos (they ARE a pike catcher!) plastic swimbaits, and most topwaters, I get better performance with 25lb fluoro.

I've never had a fluoro leader fail. I've had steel leaders fail (at the swivel, had to have been a bad batch cuz they were all from the same package). Statistics so far say that fluoro gives me BETTER bite protection.

On knots, I especially like to keep an untightened loop in my uni knots at the connection to the lure, it lets many lures have a wider and more erratic action when worked.

[Covey]

I bought a spool of 20lb flouro last year and the first northern that hit my swim bait cut me off. Toothy critters works great for fishing for multiple species.

[20lbSloughShark]

I have tried many leader materials and for fish with teeth (pike, muskie, etc.) it is perfect, hence "toothy critter". I always have both 35# and 50#, both work fine. I have tried every knot in the book, just give up. Steel can't be knotted strong, I buy cabelas sevenstrand brand leader ties. A packet costing about $5 gives you 100 ties, and will last 30-50 feet of leader material. Toothy critter only comes in 8 foot length, so leader ties are very cheap. I think size A3 is for 35#, and 50# can be squeezed in an A3 or the A4 is perfect. I just use a big pliers to clamp them. I still cant believe the number of people that swear by mono. I use 80-100# mono sometimes, but any pike with teeth will cut though 30# or less mono with one head shake; their teeth are longer than the line is thick. I go entire seasons on wire leader, but only 1 of any size on mono. Also the color of toothy critter seems to be very camouflage and not very shiny. I have had every kind of fish on my Quickstirke rigs I make from bullheads, to bass, to pike, and even a dogfish. Minnesota just changed their laws on quick strikes. Before a spinner within 3" of your hook was good enough. Now you can have 3 hooks on a line, a treble is 1 hook. The catch is the front hook cannot be more than 9" stretched out from the back hook (top of hook eyelet). If you have any more question on rigs, toothy critter, or leader ties, let me know.

edit: buy high quality ball bearing swivels, with solid rings, not split rings. Barrel swivels are bigger weaker, and split rings go bad quick.

[RK]

Hiya -

Love Toothy Critter. Great stuff.

I tie a 3-turn Uni-knot. Cinch it down carefully and it won't kink at all. Never had one fail. I usually tie direct to my main line without a swivel using an Albright knot. Sometimes have to double the main line if it's thin diameter.

RK

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Ive had so many knots fail using Cortland Toothy Critter that I just gave it up. I almost lost more lures on hooksets and just casting than bite-offs. My dad still uses it but crimps it which kind of defeats the purpose of a tie able leader.

[50inchpig]

take a lighter and warm up your knots just a bit so the coating on the wire melts and that'll solve most knot failure problems.