Using wire leaders with braided line?

Using wire leaders with braided line?

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The Question

Hi Gord,

I finally converted to braided line for most of my reels, and it’s been great. I especially like your tip about using paired Uni-Knots to tie the main braided line to a few feet of fluorocarbon for a leader. But now I have a questions about your system: When using wire leaders for pike do you tie the braid right to the leader? Or do you still need that fluoro? Also, if I choose instead to use very heavy mono as a pike leader, what knot should I use to tie it to my braid?

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Thanks,

Dave Archibald
Welland, Ontario

The Answer

I’m glad you tried using braided line with a fluorocarbon leader. It is such a great combination—and those back-to-back uni-knots are so easy to tie. But when you’re fishing for pike with a wire leader, just tie your main braided line directly to the eye of the leader. There is no need to attach the flurorcarbon.

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As a matter of fact, anytime the water is dark, muddy or stained, you can also tie your main braid directly to your jig or lure. I know a lot of bass and walleye pros who always tie direct, especially when they are using lighter (6 to 10 pound test) braided and gel-spun line.

By the way, on your upcoming pike fishing trip, you might want to try some tieable stainless steel leader material. It is made by American Wire and is called Surflon Supreme. It comes in various weights—I most commonly use the 13-pound test strength. The stuff is a little expensive, but a $20 spool will last you a season.

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Cut your desired length of leader, and then tie it to your main line braid using the same back-to-back uni-knots you use with fluorocarbon leaders. The tieable stainless steel wire is extremely thin and almost invisible. I use it all the time as “insurance” when I am bass fishing with premium lures in pike-infested waters.

Regarding heavy monofilament leaders, I do that often as well, and I always use the same back-to-back uni-knots. That is the nice thing about the uni-knot—it is so versatile!

A friend,

Gord Pyzer