Leaders for pickerel

[dsaavedra]

What is everyone using as leaders for pickerel fishing?

In the stained waters around here, I typically use straight braid for all my fishing - I've never seen a need to use mono or fluorocarbon leaders to reduce visibility. But those toothy pickerel make quick work of 20lb braid. I've heard fluorocarbon is more resistant to teeth and abrasion... one of my friends assured me I wouldn't get a clean bite-off using a fluorocarbon leader and it would hold up well so long as I checked it for nicks. So I tied on 15lb fluorocarbon leader for one trip and the first bite I get, I go to set the hook and it's a clean bite off!

Losing so many weighted screw-lock swimbait hooks was starting to get expensive ($7 for a 3 pack!) so I sought out another solution. I bought this single strand stainless steel leader in the lightest gauge they offer: https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/amer...el-leader-wire The leader has 27 pound breaking strength and is only 0.011" in diameter (roughly the diameter of 12lb test mono and only a few thousands of an inch thicker than the 20lb braid I use). Using a haywire twist, I pre-rigged several swimbait hooks, a couple X-raps and Husky Jerks, and a spinner or two with ~6" of steel leader. I can just grab what I need, tie my braid onto the loop I put in the end, and start fishing. This is FAR less bulky than the braided leaders that come pre-assembled with a swivel at one end and a clip at the other.

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Is it overkill? Almost certainly. But I like the peace of mind of not having to worry about getting bit off and it's sleek enough that I don't feel like I'm missing out on bites because of it. The wire is a dark brown color which is reduces visibility in the stained waters we have. So far I've fished with these leaders on one trip and hooked up with 3 pickerel in about an hour, though I only landed one, so the fish don't seem to mind them either. My only concern (remains to be seen if it's a valid concern or not) is that the wire might get kinked beyond usability after a particularly feisty pickerel or two start thrashing around in the kayak while still on the line. Time will tell, but so far I'm pleased with my $3 experiment.

[J.A. Veil]

Good luck with your new leader material. I hope you will report back telling us how it performs.

The setup I use on all my pickerel fishing rods is: 10-lb braid with a short (6" to 15") 20-lb mono leader. Since early summer, I have caught several hundred pickerel from sub-10" to two over 24". I do not use a landing net. I think I have had 1 or 2 leader breakoffs in all that time. I don't know how light you can go on the leaders. Since I already have a spool of 20-lb braid, and it works, I will stick with that.

[Mark]

Dave,

I use mono, not fluorocarbon leaders for all of my fishing.

For pickerels I use 30 or 40 pound mono leaders. I've caught them with 20 pound but I've been bitten off too many times with 20 or I've noticed they've chewed up the 20 relatively fast.

First thing, pickerels are not leader shy. Most of the fish we catch locally in our kayaks are not. But pickerels especially are not concerned with leaders. They typically approach our lures from behind. I doubt they see the leader. If they do, they certainly do not have the brain power to distinguish it from other detritus floating in the water.

I do believe that how you fish for picks determines the survivability of your leaders. I have caught them as a by-catch while perch fishing with jig spinners and jigs with Mr. Twisters. In those cases, I rarely get bit off even though I am using light mono leaders. I think the reason for that is that I retrieve those perch lures at mostly a steady pace. It's simply cast and retrieve. Pickerels chase them from behind and hit them while the lures are moving. Usually I lip hook them in the upper or lower jaw. Their sharp teeth may not even contact the leader.

Also, I've noticed that small pickerels, the ones we call hammer handles, rarely bite through a mono leader 20 pounds and under regardless of how I catch them. I think in general their mouth is just too small to matter. But when you get to pickerels that are 18 to 20 inches and over, it's a different story.

And that brings me to this point. I target pickerel two ways: One with a fly rod, which is my favorite way. Two with a weedless paddletail on a spinning rod using the method I believe you described -- a screw-lock hook.

Here's a photo of that setup:

Fluke2 (2).jpg

That's what I use in spring through the fall when vegetation is thick. The screw-lock hookpoint is buried into the paddletail so that I can thread the lure through the pads or hydrilla where the picks are hiding. The beads help to deflect the vegetation. The leader is 30 pound mono. I've used 40, but frankly, it's a little difficult to connect 40 pound mono to the 15 pound braid that is on my spinning reel. So I mostly use 30. I was bitten off once last year using the above setup. I'm reasonably certain it was big pickerel. I've used the above for snakeheads and they have not severed the line yet. I have to catch more of them for that to happen I suspect.

On a flyrod I use either floating or intermediate (slow sinking) line. When I use floating line, I use an 8 foot leader that culminates in a 30 pound tippet after two segments of 50 and 40 pound mono. I like the 30 pound tippet because it turns over big streamers on the cast nicely. On the intermediate, I use a straight piece of 40 pound mono about 5 feet long for a leader. Again, the 40 pound is durable and turns big flies over on the cast nicely. Another thing, I can actually, untie and re-tie the loop knot I use for the 40 pound leader if I change flies. I do not have to cut the leader.

Here's a typical streamer I throw at pickerels:

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Now, here's a closer look at a 30 pound leader after I've caught a few picks with it:

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The yellow arrows I put on the photo are places where picks have started to nick the leader. Notice that some are far from the fly itself. That's because pickerels often take a fly (or my paddletail) in the corners of their mouth rather than on their lips. I believe I know why and I'll explain that shortly.

I know from experience that the above leader, though nicked is still strong enough to use for many more fish. But I do check the leaders during outings every couple of fish and change them or cut them back when necessary. Believe me, mono will take a lot of punishment before breaking.

Note that I also catch pickerels on the surface on fly rod poppers in the spring and summer. In those cases I use 30 pound tippet on floating fly line.

I mentioned how my hooking of pickerels often deviates from when I retrieve perch lures as opposed to flies and paddletails. I believe it has to do with my method of fishing. I fish much slower when I fly rod for pickerel or toss weedless paddletails at them. My retrieves may be two short quick strips of the fly line and then a pause. I do the same with paddletails -- crank, crank, pause with the spinning reel. Many times, the hit comes during the pause. I believe that pause not only attracts the pickerel but it gives them more time to engulf the lure or fly and in the case of larger picks, their teeth actually contact the leader. I think that's where the nicks and scratches come from.

They'll also miss the lure or fly on occasion. I recall one rising to a popper. It bit and missed. It completely severed my line leaving the popper floating near the shoreline where I had cast it. I paddled over, extended my tippet and retied the popper for more action.

So I think your steel leader approach will work but it I don't think it's necessary. Mono works fine and I'm sure it's cheaper.

As to them thrashing around boat side, indeed they do. I mentioned in another post that I finally succumbed to using a net this fall. What a difference maker that has been. I have not lost one pickerel at the gunwale since doing so. The other thing I have noticed is how lightly many picks are hooked anyway. I hit them hard on the fly. I do a strip strike. I stick them hard with the spinning rod. But their jaws are bony. More than once, my hook has fallen out of the pick's mouth as soon as I relieved the pressure on the line by netting it. And I have to say I'm very good at keeping my hook points sharp. I see now why I've lost so many at the boat prior to using a net.

Good luck with your system. I look forward to hearing how it works.

Also, please keep us posted about St. Mary's Lake. I do want to visit there again this year.

[dsaavedra]

I do the same with paddletails -- crank, crank, pause with the spinning reel. Many times, the hit comes during the pause. I believe that pause not only attracts the pickerel but it gives them more time to engulf the lure or fly and in the case of larger picks, their teeth actually contact the leader. I think that's where the nicks and scratches come from.

I think this assessment is spot on. When I'm targeting pickerel I usually reel the paddle tail in as slow as possible and occasionally kill the retrieve to allow the lure to drop. Strikes come on the drop quite often. Sometimes they seem to hit the lure from the side, or maybe they just turn sideways immediately after striking from behind. Either way, when this happens I think it runs the line/leader across their teeth and causes nicks or cut offs too.

I have some 30lb mono that I'll try out when the 30 foot spool of wire I bought runs out or if I find some reason not to like it... (so far so good though!)

I've caught tons of pickerel in my time fishing, but usually from lakes/ponds while targeting bass. Occasionally in the rivers/creeks while targeting perch. This season is my first time specifically targeting pickerel...around Thanksgiving I bought a new kayak and, naturally, want to use it 24/7 so cold water pickerel fishing has been scratching that itch. So far it's been a lot of fun!

[Slobber Bob]

I do believe that how you fish for picks determines the survivability of your leaders. I have caught them as a by-catch while perch fishing with jig spinners and jigs with Mr. Twisters. In those cases, I rarely get bit off even though I am using light mono leaders. I think the reason for that is that I retrieve those perch lures at mostly a steady pace. It's simply cast and retrieve. Pickerels chase them from behind and hit them while the lures are moving. Usually I lip hook them in the upper or lower jaw. Their sharp teeth may not even contact the leader.

My experiences fishing the Pocomoke River in the wintertime are about the same. I hook pickerel left and right while targeting yellow perch and crappies using a tandem jig, soft plastic, and minnow rig with 6 lb. test mono and rarely is a pickerel hooked anywhere but near the edge of it mouth or snout where my line is never really in jeopardy of being cut. I don't think I've been cut off by a pickerel the last 2 years. Even dead sticking a single jig and minnow under a bobber I've never had issues with cut leaders using the same 6 lb. mono.

I probably just jinxed myself though

[Tim Elliott]

The only time that I can recall being bit off by a pickerel was about two years ago fishing for perch in the fall. I was using 4 lb mono so it was expected.

When specifically targeting pickerel, I use a very similar set up to John’s, 10lb braid with a 20lb fluorocarbon leader. I have yet to break off, but if an offering is slightly deeper in their jaw, do expect some fraying just above the knot. In that case, I simply retie the knot to prevent any further damage.

As Mark has mentioned, pickerel are not leader shy. However, the west side tributaries where I typically fish are crystal clear during the winter time thanks to cold temps lowering the populations of phytoplankton and zooplankton. With that being said, pickerel do have incredible eye sight, which they use in conjunction with their lateral line and sensors in their lower jaw to locate and hone in on their prey.

And don’t hesitate to give us an update on how the wire leader works for you!

[dsaavedra]

Just got back from a trip on the Severn, the leaders did well again. There was one fish that hooked right in the roof of the mouth, pretty far back. I'm certain that would have cut me off if I were using braid, or frayed a mono/fluoro leader enough to require a re-tie. The wire was unscathed. All in all I got 3 pickerel in the boat, lost one mid-fight, and missed a strike from one (I think I caught this one a couple casts later though). I'd call this another success.

One thing I did find slightly annoying was the wire leader would sometimes get stuck behind/under the spring lock on my swimbait hook. the loop on the haywire twist gives it the freedom to move around the hook eye quite a bit. In the future I think I'll make that loop a little tighter to the hook eye so this doesn't happen as much.

[Mark]

... In the future I think I'll make that loop a little tighter to the hook eye so this doesn't happen as much.

I think I know the problem you are describing. That can happen with mono loop knots too. I try to avoid it by burying the screw-lock deep into the paddletail. I'll even nip off a small portion of the nose end off of a paddletail to provide a wider area of plastic to insert the screw. Even so, some adjustments to re-tighten the screw are necessary during an outing after fish hit the lure.

Whatever you do, keep a loop connection to the lure even if the loop is smaller. I believe the freedom of lure movement provided by the loop, especially when the bait turns sideways during a pause in the retrieve, is a great attractor for pickerel.