does anyone throw light spinners (1/8oz) with wire leaders. If so does it affect the action of it at all. just curious because i been going for pickerel latley and i have lost a couple of spinners on bite-offs and i lost a 20+ incher today. thanks for any help.

To fish a bait that small, you will probably need to make your own wire leaders as most of the commercially available ones are way too heavy. I would recommend using a tieable, non kinking wire such as Knot2kinky titanium wire in a fairly small diameter. While Pickerel are not present in my home waters, I frequently encounter small northern pike when fishing for walleye and crappie that cause the same problem.

in this situation, I try and find a superline (I.E. spiderwire) with the same diameter as your spooled line as usually you avoid the problems with heavy or oversized lines taking away action of the lure, and although it will not resolve the problem completely, the strength of the last foot or 2 will be up to 4 times the strength, without a variance in the way it is fished. in this pattern it is easier to create a uni-uni knot, or other similar end to end knot and not require additional terminal tackle. odds are by the time the superline gives, you would lose the fish from your main line breaking at its peak strength anyway. the situation I use this for a lot is when fishing 6 lb test and vibrax spinners for smallies, the similar diameter is something like 20 lb test, and these toothy critters have a hard time biting through them. this way also your uni knot can be a veriable distance from the spinner, leaving plenty os space if you are targeting wary crappies or something and may spook from a knot in the line. may not be the best idea, definitely are many ways to go about it, but this seems to work for me. Hope it helps.

The problem with northern pike, and I would figure pickerel also, is not the teeth, but the disturbing habit they have of rolling, which invariably puts the line against the sharp gill covers cutting the line. I am just not sure a 20# test braid is up to this, even though it may survive the teeth.Some angles will double the braid, making it a bit harder for the fish to break off. The smallest Knot2Kinky wire is 25# test, which should be close to, if not smaller diameter of braid and reasonably close in flexibility. It can be tied with a standard clinch knot. Pleasr do not compare smallmouth to the pike family in terms of teeth!

the problem with the pickerel is sometimes they get the spinner down there deep in their mouth and they try and go deeper in the water and at that downward angle as it goes deeper it runs across their teeth and cuts.

I personally don't like wire leaders. I think they do help with larger or toothy fish, but I don't like to see the visable wire leader in front of my baits or lures. I just use heavier line usually. If I am on a streak of 3 or more that I lost due to not haveing a wire leader, I put a small one on. No more than 4 - 12 inches.

Seems that most of those responding to this thread are thinking of the old fashioned premade wire leaders like the Steelon Leaders. I make my own wire leaders from tieable wire which is much thinner. I am currently using a leader I made for small pike out of 14# test AFW tieable wire and the diameter is only that of a 14# braid like Fireline.

Pegsguy where do you get your #14 wire from.

I bought it at a local tackle shop. When I restock, which will be soon, I am going to purchase the Knot2Kinky titanium wire instead. It is reported to be even smaller in dia for the same test and not as prone to kinking. It is a bit more than the regular wire, but probably worth it.

thanks

i finally figured something out. I was throwing #20 wire leader today and i caught a 14" pickerel on it and didn't have any bite-offs .

Glad to hear it, congrats. I use titanium less kinks, but more expensive.

As far as effecting the action yes it will to a degree you have a lot of different choices as far as leader materiel goes  which will play into the action part  . Mono , fluorocarbon, single strand wire , stranded wire ,  But the payoff is less lost fish and perhaps a fish not running around with a lure in its mouth . I also recommend getting a Knipex side cutter to cut the hook off if need be.