Take Me To Your Leader, PLEASE

[jojo wilczewski]

Take me to your Leader

Good day to all.

For quite some time, this article is over 10 years old, there has been some talk about which leader material works best? Some feel that heavy mono or fluorocarbon leader can be used for pursuing fish with big sharp teeth? The fact is they do work, but they also fail. I do not think plastics should be used in pursuit of trophy Musky or Pike. When I started fishing for Esox, I did not use steel all that often. Sometimes I would use heavier mono or fluro and I remember losing ONE fish. One head shack and I lost him probably killing him. I was young and foolish ( and still am). That fish and another fish and few other points have changed my mind. 9 of the points are on most every lure we use for Esox!

First and most important is that mono and fluoro is not 100 % certain. THESE PLASTICS CAN BE CUT BY ESOX’S TEETH! It may stronger and tougher then regular mono. It mat be able to hold and land a fish with teeth ,but it is not 100% certain. A steel leader can be rubbed across an Esox’s teeth and not fail. Try that with mono, it will shred and rip. If it held it did not touch any teeth. I disagree with those that say clear water calls for clear leaders to get the strikes. Hog wash. Esox is affair of nothing, except a bigger Esox. He is the apex predator. They foollow lures right up to the boat? They hit the boat when they miss the lure?

They look at the trolling motor like it is their next meal? They foollow lure right out of the water? They look at divers with curiosity? I do not believe that the leader intimidates or scares them. I think that big swivels actually at track them and they have hit and went after my swivels before. An unnatural lure movement is much scarier to them. I am sure that we have all scared one by slowing or stopping a lure. Have you ever imagined a perch slowing or stopping when Esox is on his tail? NOT. I worry much more about lure action then a piece of wire.

Second many years ago I saw a Pike with his mouth Plugged up? He literally had a plug bait hooked across both lips. Someone was fishing without a steel leader and broke the lure off leaving this Esox with his mouth hooked shut!!! He actually looked like he was having trouble breathing? ( Talk about biting off more then you can chew.) That Esox will never eat again!!!

Also to mention damage from a hook left in a fish or on his face. Since I saw that fish I do not buy the argument that the hooks rust out either. They were very small rusty hooks the lure had fungus on it and noticing how skinny the fish was. This was a little 5 inch lure with thin wire hooks. I do not think they will rust away in time, especially a heavy wire Musky hook. Also sometimes the critters miss the lure and hit the leader. Especially when jiggin or jerkin, they zig when you zag, getting the leader caught in the mouth and will not let go. I call this a crinkled leader fish, it just happened to me again last week pike fishing. I got the fish to the boat and the lure was dangling outside the mouth???

I have taken some of my gear to the next level. Barb less. ALL of my homemade Esox flies get the barb pinched down as the bare hook gets sharpened and put in the vise." Always address your hook before you dress your hook". My small pike and musky lures get the same treatment out of the box. This also makes hook removal easier , also from your own hand. Believe me I have done it. Sometimes I even go to the next level of removing the trebles and putting on two single pinched bard hooks on my sticks. I do not get nearly as many hook ups but do get the same number of Esox foollows , strikes and more long distance releases??? Do you really want to touch all those Pike anyway??? I am not there yet for my big stuff yet. Is there such I thing as ENOUGH BIG MUSKY??? I think not.

Which leads to my third point, imagine that you use mono for years and just hooked what you think might be the bottom or a couch??? But then you hear the "tell tale intermittent drag stutter a trophy fish"??? Would you be wishing you had on a steel leader??? I think so. Would you like to fight her all the way to the boat, only to have her roll on the leader and cut it!!! Would you like to watch her swim away lassoed and you lure still in her mouth area??? I think NOT. Why take chance on a trophy or any Esox. A wise lad, who used to run the best dang Musky shop on the river, once told me that if you use steel you may or may not catch more Esox, but you not gonna lose any! Please respect one of the few natural reproducing Musky fishery’s in the world.

Make sure you " are nice to the ladies" and do the right thing to make sure they go home missing the point.

Let me take you to my Leader... I like my leaders big, strong , long and heavy as possible.

(As with most things in my life???) ALL MY LEADERS ARE SOLID WIRE!!! Jiggin and jerkin leaders 12" solid .50, 300 lb stainless wire. I like a stiff one when I twitch it??? I like Casting leaders 100lb solid wire ( piano wire) with a Haywire at both ends and a 150 lb barrel swivel. The rule of thumb for swivels and snaps is three times the main line strength.. NEVER use the brass pull-a-part ones. Trolling leaders are 200 lb wire with a Haywire twist at both ends and a 200- 1000 lb swivel. The larger swivels are not only for strength but to gather the weeds that run down the line , and keep your lure free longer, with less weed ball bailing.

Do not be afraid to make your own leaders. Always use a Haywire twist for the lighter wire, it is the only 100 % connection. You can do a barrel wrap if you are over sizing the wire, as with my jigging leaders. Some of us use the stringease snaps that we provide to the club members.

Others like me use 300 lb split rings for my jiggin and jerkin situations. They are much stronger and do not break. And they do. I take care of that by changing my snaps and my leaders more then I change my underwear! Check leaders and swivels often. If you think they are old and worn or look worn they probably are. Any crimps or bends in a leader should not be straightened , they should be trashed, since they are weakened once bent back . Like a coat hanger, bend it a couple of times and it will break. You can make hippy leaders if you desire to get attention : add beads, blades, stickers, long hair, flashers, spinners, or lead (if you need to get down). The leaders that the club provides foollow these guidelines.

I hope to have persuaded you to use SOLID STEEL leaders exclusively when you venture out into big teeth country. Which is any where in the river. Please make solid steel leaders part of the arsenal you use for a quick and safe release. Also always haves are: a bolt cutter, for your safety as much as the fish, a very large net , a long long nose or two, 60 inch floating measuring stick, heavy duty rod reel and line 50 lb minimum. By using solid steel leaders I know you will RELEASE more big Esox.

Please do what it takes to gain the trust of your Leaders....\

Making leaders with a Haywire Twist

Haywire twist & Assorted Knot Expamples

jojo out