To Steel or Not to Steel

As an unsponsored, avid pike angler, funding my addiction to pike fishing can become difficult at times. I’m an average family man who can’t afford to constantly lose lures, much less expensive swimbaits.   Being active with a few of the local fishing websites, my email is readily available to pretty much anyone and the most common question I get is,  “Do I use a steel leader for pike? “  The answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no.    

The biggest reason behind using a steel leader is I can’t afford to lose expensive lures.  Coming in at a close second, would be if and when you get bit off, that large bait can hurt the odds of that fish surviving.  Think about it, swimbait hooks aren’t exactly thin.  Those two factors, along with confidence can go a long way in helping someone tie one on. 

Flipping the coin to the other side of the spectrum, if you talk to Colorado’s, “Top Dogs” in the pike world, they will argue the case of not using steel.  These guys who know their pike fishing will talk about action of the lure being altered because of the stiff steal which is a very valid argument. Not to mention that the weight will also alter the direction of the lure while suspended or hurt the suspension all together.  Another con would be that the leader material becomes visible to the fish and makes the presentation more un-natural thus resulting in less hook ups.    The advice from these guys is not to be taken lightly.  They have caught more pike in a season then most of us will see in a lifetime. 

Before fully committing to whether or not you should use steel leaders, you may actually have to look at your skill level. I don’t care how expensive your gear is or how far you can cast a Kastmaster. That’s not what makes an angler. I’m talking about keeping a fish under control during a fight and handling that fish properly and safely for a safe return to the water. Catching a fish on a rocky shoreline, landing the fish only to be bit off and dropped head first into the rocks is not doing the fish any favors.  So take some time to consider all the factors that come into play.  Anglers that are new to the sport may not have the quickest hook set or be prepared to handle a larger fish might run into some issues with being bit off.  If you fall into this category, then I would suggest tying on a steel leader.  Then after a few outings, hopefully some fish to show for it, you can decide on whether or not you want to continue using them. 

Years back, a good friend and I got in a heated conversation about this exact topic.  We came to the conclusion that the only way to settle the disagreement was to go out and do a test.  The 2 day testing period went like this.  Both of us show up with the same lures.  One guy fishes with steel and the other fishes without.  ( In this case he went with straight braid with a fluoro leader )  We fished 2 days with high/bright/steady conditions.  We each threw the same lures in similar locations.  I dominated with a steel leader attached with a 9-5 pike victory.  Then on the next day of testing, he crushed me with an 8-3 victory without a steel leader.  (I will tell you he got bit off twice in the experiment.)  Finally, an actual experiment that will determine what works better right?  Nope, results were a stalemate. We had no hard evidence stating who was right. 

So what’s the answer to the question, to steel or not to steel?   After many years of experimenting with both, I would say get out and try each for yourself.  It eventually will boil down to your style of fishing and your level of confidence.