Steel leaders - do they catch more walleye?

[jdsgrog]

Re: Steel leaders - do they catch more walleye?

never use steel leaders for walleye. use 6-8 pound test. use 6" steel leaders for pike, but depends on what lure I'm using.

 

[rightcoastrob]

Re: Steel leaders - do they catch more walleye?

I fish on lake erie 5 to 8 lb eyes are the norm.I used to run no leaders just a 15 lb mono leader...And they would catch fish also they get nicks in them and next strike at a 3+ mph troll and your lures gone.So i switched to a thin black wire leader 4 inchs long.small spoons and plugs troll fine.Id only run leaders for trolling.I use 2 and 4 lb test to ice fish them and never loose then due to a cut line...Long as you retie after each one.

 

[MudSkunk]

Re: Steel leaders - do they catch more walleye?

i use 30 pound mono type line a lot for a short leader. i primarily fish for catfish and catch a good deal of walleye pike muski bowfin. i use wire leader at times and there isnt much diff that i have noticed catch rates seem about the same. everything bites on cutbait worms and minnows. bass dont seem to care about leaders at all far as i have seen.

 

[Bob1958]

Re: Steel leaders - do they catch more walleye?

Never use wire....the lunkers that my bite off the line are too few and far between, and the others (15-20 inches) are too finicky as it is. I use 8-pd test (I like the Pro-Bass), sliding barrel sinker with small split and trailing crawler with the tail inflated with air. Conditions need to be perfect to get good action, but cloudy mid-afternoon with a light chop seems to work best for me. Speed and depth has to be near-perfect.

 

[guidecam]

Re: Steel leaders - do they catch more walleye?

For jigging or bottom bouncers no way on earth would I use a steel leader.

Last summer at a famous walleye lake called Gunisao I was catching trophy walleye in 4-8 ft of water at the end of June using a Rapala X-Rap. I was blown away at how well they worked even using steel leaders.

The first day shows us using steel leaders and x-raps,
http://www.youtube.com/guidecam#p/u/0/VfeWbjbCoa0

This year I'm going to rig Seaguar 80lb custom made mono leaders. We have to use something heavy as we can catch a trophy northern at any time in shallow water this time of year.

My question ... should I use black or aluminum sleeves for my leaders??? I'm really stuck on which would be better.

I would also NEVER use braided line direct to any lure when fishing for walleye. Way too easy for walleye to see.