Fluorocarbon pike traces

[Andy_1984]

First, No, No, No and NO! is my opinion on them.

 

A little heated debate on them has started over on the Cyril Chauquet topic here: http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/4718096-cyril-chauquet/

 

Hoping our more experienced pike anglers can shed a little light on this. I feel im hitting a brick wall on that topic.

 

Am I completely bonkers & unreasonable?. Phone, don't answer that.

[Phone]

Andy,

 

Yes

 

Your friend Fred

[Ken L]

I use both hard mono and fluorocarbon in the 70 - 150lb ranges for leaders when fishing in the tropics so I get to see how it deals with heavy abrasion (a 35lb grouper amongst oyster covered rock type abraision) and at the top end of that range, these lines are tough.

 

Having said that not only would I not trust them against a pike's teeth but I can't think of a single advantage that mono or fluorocarbon of that thickness (1mm+) would have over say 40lb wire.

It's very visible, you can barely knot it and it's prone to shape memory.

[Dales]

Andy, don't worry you are not bonkers. It's the rest of the world who are bonkers.

 

Ken, why do you use Fluro leaders in the tropics when there are a thousand and one more oppurtunities of hooking toothy critters, sharp gill plated fish etc and then not Trust them for Pike?

 

Why not use wire when fishing in the tropics?

[Anderoo]

I use flourocarbon as a matter of course when lure fishing for zander and perch (and bait fishing for perch), in the knowledge that if a pike comes along a bite-off is possible. It's a calculated risk, if the risk of pike is high then I have to default to the lightest wire I can reasonably get away with. I wouldn't use anything other than wire if fishing specifically for pike though, I can't see any advantage in not doing so.

 

With the lure fishing, accidental pike are pretty rare, and those I do hook are usually landed OK. Size of lure and/or where it's fished go a very long way to avoid pike.

 

However, if I thought that a heavy flourocarbon trace would result in increased catches with minimal risk, I'd definitely experiment with it.

[Dales]

Must be the Pike Police day off :-) or maybe the more rounded Anglers on AN don't go apoplectic at any deviation from the excepted norms of predator fishing. Post this sort of thread on a species specific forum and they would explode with the zealotry zeal not seen since the spanish inquisition.

 

I have always found Anglers Net to have a higher number of anglers who speak from experience then many other forums (mainly the species specif ones) who just trawl out percieved wisdom that they have been indoctrinated in rather then speak from experience or challenge excepted norms.

 

Try posting about Perch or Zander fishing of any method on a Pike Forum with out your wire trace and the Pike Luddites will descend from on high to bash you with the PAC bible.

[Andy_1984]

It's only 10am give em time to wake up Dales.

 

Use google mate you will see the stuff is no good for pike, It really doesn't sound good I reckon enough people have experimented with it and have come to the conclusion wire is better.

 

They are Pike ffs, stop thinking like a carp angler.

[Anderoo]

Andy, what are your view on using flouro for other species like zander and perch, where there's a chance of also hooking pike?

[Dales]

Andy but are the people who have problems with fluro the same people who crack off, have there wire traces break etc? As this does happen to many Pike anglers otherwise we would not encounter Pike with tackle in them.

 

Don't get me wrong I love wire and use it and am not trying to encourage any one to change but I do have a major problem with the attitude that the UK way we fish "with wire trace" is the only correct way to do it and the assumption that everyone else (mainly overseas anglers) must be wrong.

 

Google will also turn up loads of anglers mainly abroad (shifty lot those foreigners) who use Fluro without any problems or within an acceptable tolerance. And there is a whole world of difference from using 8lb ESP Flurocarbon and 200lb Seaguar Fluro. I suspect many who do have problems with fluro if targeting Pike are using way to light stuff. Plus the bite offs from Trout, Zander and Perch anglers using light fluro often get used as evidence to bash fluro for Piking. But then again they should know better and use a wire trace :-)

[Andy_1984]

No Zander here in Scotland Anderoo so really don't know much about them, though ive never had any problems catching big perch on 30lb wire so I would have no problem recommending someone use wire when targeting perch were pike are present. If the catch rate falls as a result of that then so be it.

 

Dales I don't want to get into poor trace quality or bad knots, It's the properties of fluoro I'm annoyed at.

 

Also the comments ive read about even 150lb Fluoro getting frayed is frightening, what happens when you're in a long drawn out battle with an energetic 30lb+ Scottish pike and not a minute or 2 with a low double.