Muskie/Pike leaders?

[fishwood75]

Larry, I've been building my own leaders for fly fishing for years. I want to do the same for my conventional fishing for Muskies/Pike. I've been playing around with seven strand wire and crimps. What do you recommend?

Fishwood75 Patrick from Altoona

[dahlberg]

HI FW
Check out the 7x7 (49 strand) wire. It's killer, very kink resistant and more flexible. As you no doubt know, be sure to use the right size sleeves and crimping tool.
best,
L

[gies340]

Larry et al -
I want to set up some pike leaders for senko and sluggos - how do I best do this? I have no clue but thought using sleeves would add too much weight. Is there a better way? I want to rig a few up for an upcoming trip to fish them both weedless and wacky. Any assistance appreciated,
Jason
Laramie, WY

[MUSKIEMIKE]

they make a new leader material thats thin wire with a plastic coating you just go through the eye twist it then hit it with a lighter and it melts itself together very tough stuff maybe someone remembers the name i saw it at a sport show last year sweet stuff very clear also

[MuskieJim]

IMO, I would use a softer, lighter material than stiffer wire. I would use the 80 lb. Seagar flourocarbon with no crimps, only polymar knots with a drop of superglue, Sambo BB swivel and Staylock snaps . Never failed me yet for finesse fishing muskies.

[gies340]

Jim - thanks for the reply - can you point me to somewhere to buy the gear you mentioned? Wyoming lacks any decent non-trout tackle shops.
Thanks!
Jason
PS - any tips or pictures of your leader and finesse rigs would be greatly appreciated.

[rick_rudder]

jason wher you fishing for muskie in wyoming?

[gies340]

Rick - I'm headed to Ontario to fish with my Father after many years of missing our annual trip. I have heard of a couple places in eastern Wyo that have some muskies but not seen one yet. Obviously, no local tackle stores short of Cabela's in Sidney to check out.

How's the fishing in SLC?
jason

[dahlberg]

Hi Guys
Actually, back in 1974 I wrote an article about "twist melting" nylon coated wire for fly leaders intended for pike and muskies, and have caught thousands of fish using them. I think if you did some research, I actually invented the idea!
Any nylon coated wire will work, and is much thinner, less obtrusive, holds up to teeth better and has less adverse affect on delicate lures than 80# flourocarbon.
Just twist and heat it with a lighter, tie a bimini on main line, connect to leader with a double uni knot.
No snaps, no swivels, no crimps. It's just a bit of a pain to "retie" your lure. I'd use 27# at the lightest, and 60# as the heaviest.
best,
L

[rick_rudder]

Jason, we have a few resevoirs around here with pike and muskie, i go just a bit north of me to pineview resevoir for the tiger muskie, really nice resevoir and some 50+ inchers have been caught.