CTFishTalk.com: Northern pike question - Connecticut Bass Fishing ( CT Bass Fishing ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

Bass Addict · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:38 am Post subject: Northern pike question

will a np rip right through 30lb braided?
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Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

SkeeterJim · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 2219 Location: Newington, CT

Bass Addict,

IMO I don't think a pike will snap 30 lb braid on a strike in most cases however that all depends on the condition your line is in at that moment wether it is frayed or not. However giving the oppurtunity to shake it's head enough times it can saw through the line enough to have it break. If I was targeting pike I would probably use a steel leader to prevent losing expensive baits.
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Eat, Sleep, Fish......I Love my SKEETER ZX225!!!
If I didn't have to work for a living....I'd be fishing.
If I'm not in my Skeeter then I'm in my Hobie!

Nickp · Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 708

Force of hookset is important too

I broke off 3 pike at bantam during our tourney on 30lb braid (2) and one on 65lb.... all on the jig and I guarantee every jig was down there throat- set the hook and your doing the work for um.

MikeHoncho · Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 51 Location: East Berlin

My experiences are similar to Nick's. At Champlain pike will prove this to you in short order. 30# mono is much more abrasion resistant than the braid. It doesn't slice through the weeds at all, though. 80# braid would be the way I'd go if fishing for pike and wanted to use braid. If your fishing for the LMB stick with 30 or 50 or 65# braid and bring some extra jigs and horny toads........

Bass Addict · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:36 am Post subject:

thanks for the info. I went to Bantam lake yesterday and got skunked. My buddy landed what i think was a rock bass about 5" long. The think had bright red eyes, is that normal?

I am not a fan of that lake, way to much development and boat traffic.

No pike:( The closest we came to catching a pike was when my buddy put his rod on the deck of the boat. His line was hanging in the water with a white spinnerbait on it. He was rigging his other rod and a pike came up and snatched his spinner bait off his line and swam away with it. It was pretty crazy.

He also, hit a rock and damaged his prop. We were in about 8 feet of water and out of no where he hit a rock pile that wasn't marked. It took a decent chunk out of his stainless steel prop:(
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Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

SkeeterJim · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 2219 Location: Newington, CT

Bass Addict,
Regardless of the day you guys had Bantam is an awesome bass and pike lake, one of the best I've seen in this state. I guess it was just an off-day for you guys. Sorry to hear about your prop though. SkeeterRon was there last weekend and had mentioned how Bantam's water level was lower than usual so alot of the rocks that you would normally clear were danger points.
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Eat, Sleep, Fish......I Love my SKEETER ZX225!!!
If I didn't have to work for a living....I'd be fishing.
If I'm not in my Skeeter then I'm in my Hobie!

Bass Addict · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:44 am Post subject:

skeeterjim, I talked to a local and he said the water is about 4' lower than normal. I have heard great things about that but it is not the type of lake I like to fish. I prefer lakes with less traffic and limited houses. Maybe I will give it another shot next spring.
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Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

SkeeterJim · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 2219 Location: Newington, CT

Bass Addict · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:40 am Post subject:

thanks seven, I have never seen one before. I thought he caught some kind of hellfish.
_________________
Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

admin · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:45 am Post subject:

most times i use a black 30lb steel leader with 20 -25 lb test stren.....
i have not had any problems with that.... but i think braid could get torn right up if your not lucky... for me, i would rather not worry about it....
they are some nasty boys! honestly a real pain in the butt, but i love catchin them... i cant wait to get a 10 plus pounder... most of the ones i have caught have all been like 5- 8lbs all in the housy in falls village....
I plan on hitting Kent area sometime... word is there are some monsters down that way...
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~ Marc

Just one more cast...

SkeeterRon · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 1173 Location: Newington, CT

Bass Addict,

Like SkeeterJim said, I was at Bantam this past weekend and I was shocked to see how low the water leve was. I hit a few rocks witht he trolling motor in places I never had a problem before. I think the water is more than 4' lower than normal. The two big rock by the ramp are typically under water, that goes to show you how low the water level is.

Plus the lilly pads are all but gone, go back next summer and you will love it..
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Sleep...Eat...Fish!!!!! Then do it all over again.

Bass Addict · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 2:24 pm Post subject:

Ron, I will give it another go.

Man, some of those houses on that lake are beautiful.
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Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

Just4fun · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 1389 Location: Saybrook

Braid nicks and cuts very easily on anything sharp (It's not good for rocks either..). If it goes across any of those teeth,..the pike and bait will be gone in an instant!

If you don't like the steel leader idea,..then heavyweight fluoro is your next best option! Blaine Anderson of CT Outfitters, who guides professionally for pike, uses 30# braid with a couple of feet of 30# Fluorocarbon leader on it! Cool

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"If people concentrated more on the really important things in life there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
Mark