pike opener photos

[OCDComputing]

Wow...just reading through...and you guys are making it WAY to complicated. Snap swivel tied on..and then your lure. Pike will hit on a fairly fast retrieve and usually this "just" the lure. No worries about needing a leader. I've hit most of my Pike using a Jitter Bug...and I've landed LOTS. Drives my son crazy that I hit Pike on what he considers a Bass lure. I've taken them on spoons, rapalas, spinners, top water...and have never broken off from not using a leader.

 

[John Da Silva]

Very successful with buzz baits last year even mid day for that reaction bite .. Gold blades .. Sluggo swim baits various colours... Gunna be experimenting with some husky jerks any good brands people??

 

[John Da Silva]

I use a 100 braid and make my own leaders!!!!

 

[hamiltonangler94]

I'm all ready to go

 

[instapump416]

I got my hardbaits and spinners ready (I probably only caught 2 fish on a hardbaits and none on a spinner yet)

If trout waters are bad, I'll be fishing for pike. This will be my first time fishing for pike and have no clue what to expect.

I got a 9ft ugly stick, spinning reel and 25lb power pro braid. Should that be good enough?

 

[instapump416]

When you guys say leaders, I think about fluro leaders I use for bows.

haha

 

[MarksHooked]

I love seeing pics of tackle or gear. I'll post up my stuff tomorow

 

[hamiltonangler94]

I got my hardbaits and spinners ready (I probably only caught 2 fish on a hardbaits and none on a spinner yet)
If trout waters are bad, I'll be fishing for pike. This will be my first time fishing for pike and have no clue what to expect.
I got a 9ft ugly stick, spinning reel and 25lb power pro braid. Should that be good enough?

O ya that will be more than good enough... I've caught pike in my creek close to 30 inches with a 6' light power rod. The thing with pike is that they build up lactic acid very quickly so they'll fight like crazy for the first while and tire out very quickly

 

[Kleiner]

No leader here, just 12lb mono, make sure you get a good hookset and you'll be fine 90% of the time.

Lol you don't mind losing 10% of your lures??

 

[Kit]

Lol you don't mind losing 10% of your lures??

Haha..

 

[BowSlayer]

No leader here, just 12lb mono, make sure you get a good hookset and you'll be fine 90% of the time.

i wish i could say the same, lol, anytime I'm fishing pike over 8 pounds which is a lot around here, i get rips, it stays on for like 2 minutes, takes a run, bam there goes my lure! I like steel leaders really thin and black, if I'm fishing snot rockets ill use the mono and fluro leader.

 

[instapump416]

Does 25lb power pro braid rip easy with pike?

 

[FishChaser67]

I use 15 lb mono when fishing for pike and a 4 inch leader never lost a lure yet ,, LOL

 

[miles]

Does 25lb power pro braid rip easy with pike?

You can still use a floro leader, just an 80 or 100lb one.

 

[cptpronin]

Pump,

In my experience, braid tends to shred and fray against teeth -- especially the thin stuff.

 

[Kleiner]

Wow...just reading through...and you guys are making it WAY to complicated. Snap swivel tied on..and then your lure. Pike will hit on a fairly fast retrieve and usually this "just" the lure. No worries about needing a leader. I've hit most of my Pike using a Jitter Bug...and I've landed LOTS. Drives my son crazy that I hit Pike on what he considers a Bass lure. I've taken them on spoons, rapalas, spinners, top water...and have never broken off from not using a leader.

Pike will go for anything a bass goes for that's why they can be a pain in the a$$ to the tournament bass angler. I'm surprised you've never broken off with no leader. Maybe it's got something to do with the topwater fishing you mostly do for pike and the short strike being more common in topwater??? Just speculating here... What type of line do you use??
I have landed plenty of pike with no leader when fishing for bass, but I've also lost my fair share of xraps to the toothy critters and they ain't cheap so I don't take any chances!!

 

[mikeh]

Water is still really, REALLY cold along the downtown shoreline, so I will probably start with low and slow spoons along the walls. If I get follows without strikes, I'll switch to ledgered dead minnows on a pop up float.

 

[jc53]

Does 25lb power pro braid rip easy with pike?

My setup for pike is using 20 lb braid and 2-3 ft
of 30 lb fluoro leader such as seaguar

 

[instapump416]

^^^
Thanks...I gotta buy some heavier fluro leaders.
I only have the ones for steelhead.

I'm gonna try my luck tomorrow at first light and see what works best.
And after some steelhead.

I can't wait

 

[Shmogley]

i dont know much but
"catching tons of pike" doesnt go with "havent lost any lures"

unless wire leader is involved