Tieable wire leaders

[kerryd15]

For those that have used the tie able leaders, what brand and test weight are you using? and how do you like it. thinking in the 20# range.

[southender]

A little more info would be helpful, what are you fishing for? What size rod and reel are you using? Personally I use crimps on all my leaders. I just don't trust the tieable style leaders, but that is just me.

[kerryd15]

I'm just looking for a leader without all the hardware. I just got back from canada and lost a bunch of tackle because I forgot my leaders. Doing some looking and they make a titanium and a stainless steel bite proof leader that you can tie with a regular knot. I thought this might be worth trying around here when throwing big swimbaits. I fish mostly walleye, but there are northern and musky in some of the lakes I fish. I thought maybe someone has tried them and if they lower the walleye catch if tied direct. It could save a fish of a lifetime.

[leechlake]

another thought.

I was getting bit off from time to time on my 8 pound mono fishing walleyes. I added a 10 pound test length of flouro with a swivel and 30 inches of flouro and have all but eliminated any bite offs and I don't think it's lowered my catch rate at the same time.

You may need to beef up to more than 10 but it's another idea without having to spook any walleyes.

[20lbSloughShark]

I have caught walleye on my 50# fluorocarbon, but it definitely puts off the big, smart walleye, and 10# will certainly get bit off the first time a big one hits. 50# is strong enough to hold up to any pike or muskie... once. Retie if you feel any nicks. However, smaller walleye are not that smart, same with all fish, and you can catch walleye on a steel leader. I recommend 20# Cortland Toothy Critter, it is the thinnest for its strength i have found, and is overall a great product. Search in the pike section, jack penny explained well how to tie a coated steel leader. Basically you take about 2" and twist it around itself a bunch of times, and run a lighter over it briefly, but do not let it catch on fire. The connection is stronger than the steel itself, and I feel crimps actually weaken the steel. And don't be afraid that you wont catch big walleye anymore, they are not as smart as everyone makes them out to be. Whats more important is having confidence in your gear.

[CANOPY SAM]

I don't know if the material is still available, but I have a couple pretty old spools of rubbed-coated wire leader material. This stuff is really pliable, and you simply wrap the ends a few times, melt it together with a small flame, and it's strong and virtually unbreakable.

Again, I'm not sure you can still get this stuff, but I love it. You can quickly create leaders of your own with as little, or as much hardware as you need, or no hardware at all. I've set up a few big jigs, spinnerbaits, spoons, etc., with just a short piece of leader material (no hardware), maybe a 6-inch leader tied directly to the bait, and I just keep a half dozen of them ready to go.

The leader material is black, rubber-coated, braided wire. I used to be able to buy it in 100 yd spools in various tensile strengths. Maybe it's still out there? I bought three different sizes about 25 years ago, and haven't had to buy anymore since.

I've used the bulk of the material for rigging tip-ups for ice-fishing big pike, but it works in pretty much any application.

[RK]

Hiya -

I use Cortland Toothy Critter. Knot2kinky is good as well. As far as size, depends on what I'm doing. If I'm jigging for walleyes with plastics I use 10 or 15#, for example. For bass jigs, etc., it's usually 20.

You don't need a long leader - 3 or 4" is usually enough to prevent the vast majority of bite-offs. 10# wire is very thin, and I don't think any more visible than braid or even green monofilament. If you're fishing slow with live bait you might see a drop in bites, and I usually just deal with the fact that I'm going to lose a few jigs in that case, and buy plain jigs in 25 ct bags...

Attach the wire to your line using an Albright Knot, then tie it to your lure with whatever knot you usually use. I use a 4-turn Uni knot most often. Very simple, and a clean connection all around that doesn't pick up a lot of weeds or gunk.

[RockBass16]

Gotta tag onto the Toothy Critter: it works great - try it on tip-ups too.

[20lbSloughShark]

Just wanted to add, you can tie it directly to jigs to reduce visibility, but I suggest putting a split ring on the jig and tying to that to give the jig movement. If your going to be using crank baits, or anything that will be retrieved, I suggest using a snap, I like duo-lock snaps. I like my leaders longer around 12", fluorocarbon around 18" (or longer on tip ups), mostly so I can re tie them. I also use a swivel to attach the leader to my line, and is especially important if you are using something that spins, like a spinner rig, inline spinner, etc..

[Neighbor_guy]

another vote for toothy critter.

I only use it for tying snells on tip ups with circle hooks. but if it works well there, I have to imagine it would work for open water as well.

[kerryd15]

Thanks for the info. I was looking at toothy critter and not2kinky. In canada I was jigging 5 inch hollow bellys and the walleye were pounding on them, the northerns loved them also. I had 20# 8/32 which didn't do anything. I had another rod with 20# florocarbon the best for biteoffs was 20# spiderwire. But they all got bit off frequently and they don't give those big baits away or the jigheads for them.

[20lbSloughShark]

I've always had mixed thoughts on braided line in terms of bite protection. It has good abrasion resistance, but seems to cut extremely easy with a knife. I imagine it is also luck, but I have heard good things about braided line being the best for teeth out of the three major types of line (against most thinking). Its then I realize that it is as visible as steel, and you might as well use steel and nearly guarantee line integrity.

[kerryd15]

The one nice thing with braid was i did come home with the same bottom bouncer I tied on the first day. I used a leather glove and wrapped the line around my hand to pull the bouncer out of the rocks. It has a few scars.

[goose89]

Tygerwire.

[RK]

Thanks for the info. I was looking at toothy critter and not2kinky. In canada I was jigging 5 inch hollow bellys and the walleye were pounding on them, the northerns loved them also. I had 20# 8/32 which didn't do anything. I had another rod with 20# florocarbon the best for biteoffs was 20# spiderwire. But they all got bit off frequently and they don't give those big baits away or the jigheads for them.

That's exactly the circumstances where I like using knotable wire. With a reaction bait like a power minnow, hollow belly minnow, etc., the wire won't make a bit of difference to the walleyes, but pike love the things, and they tend to head hunt when they hit bigger baits. Sometimes you don't even feel anything when you get bit off. The jig is just gone.

Even fairly heavy braid can be cut by teeth pretty easily. I lose a few frogs and flipping jigs a year to bite-offs, and that's using 65# braid. Same with fluoro, unless you're talking #60 or better, and even then it gets shredded, but might not get cut all the way through.

Braid to wire is a very easy connection with an Albright knot, or you can use a swivel (Spro swivels are great -- even the 60# swivels are tiny). Like I said, I only use a 4" or so leader, but longer won't hurt either, and gives you some re-ties before you need a new leader.