When trolling a crankbait for muskies or northerns do you use a wire leader? I know a leader hinders the swimming action of a crankbait, but so do the teeth on one of these fish when they bite a lure off. At what point is line heavy enough to not really need a leader? Any recommendations?
Thanks,
Dave
Even with using 80lb Power Pro, I still use a leader. Don’t want to take that chance of losing the big one. I stick to the leaders that are ply able, they swim way better then the other ones. I believe mine are Eagle Claw. They are solid black which also helps with the fish not seeing them.
just personal preference – for pike, I quit using leaders when I switched to braided lines. I inspect often for fraying etc., but have never had a bite off with PP.
when trolling for muskies i use a 3ft long, 7 strand wire leader. one of the reasons for using a 3ft long leader is that when weeds catch on your line and slide down to the bait, they will cut while sliding on the 7 strand. some more reasons are, teeth, gill covers. muskies will roll and the line often times will be wrapped around the fish 3 or 4 times or more. in my opinion when trolling the large baits, a leader does not affect the action of the bait. when casting i use a solid wire leader anywhere from 12in to 18in long. when trolling smaller cranks for walleye i either tie directly to the bait or use a small snap without a swivel. take it for what it’s worth and try it a few different ways and see what works out best for you……….tom f
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