I've been hitting a small river very close to my house lately when I don't have time to get out the boat. The river has an abundance of smallies and I've been having a good time with them. Mostly, I've used skitter pops and inline spinners.

What I've found out is the river has a abundance of northerns in it too (like most any fish holding water in MN). They've bit off about $70 worth of skitter pops in the last couple weeks. I continue to use them because the smallies love them too.

So finally I broke down and went looking for some different tackle today. Recently, the river has come down and got clearer so I decided to find some sort of plastic. I ended up with some YUM crawbugs. Knowing that the river is full of crayfish I figured they'd work and they did.

I was putting them on a 1/4oz. standup shakey head. First cast a nice pike(approx. 6-8lber.) rolled it and bit me off. Then I proceeded to catch 2 pike(a 3# and 7# approx.), one largemouth and a smallie. Also had a 20 + inch LM follow it right to shore. Oh ya, and I got bit off two more times.

Since I'm mainly trying for smallies I won't use a steel leader. I'm using 10# suffix 832 on a spinning reel. I've found that if your not going to use a steel leader it doesn't pay to use heavier line because the pike will bite through 65# braid or 20# mono just as fast and easy as 4# test. I've been having so much fun that sacrificing lures doesn't bother me too much.

Sorry, no pics

Is there a question in there? I use Cortland Toothy Critter tieable coated steel leader to deal with northerns. Bass do not care about the leader.

I'll stop at Cabelas on the way home from work today and see if they have it. Thanks.

They'll have something...look in the fly dept. first. It's plastic coated tieable steel leader. 10# size is plenty. If you're targeting huge pike, then go with heavier, but we're just trying to protect your baits, not totally beef up the system.

I use run-of-the-mill steel leaders and I haven't seen where they deter bass (or pike) bites. Give some a try (or what John recommended) and see what happens.

I catch northerns constantly and I have yet to have one bite threw 50# braid pp this year and spider wire the previous 3 years. I also don't have a issue with them on 17# flouro never any leaders cuz iv never had am issue I just check my line like I would with any fish.

Ps john where was that northland the day we were on lake alice lol I was hoping that was a nice smallie buttttttttt it was a pike

I catch northerns constantly and I have yet to have one bite threw 50# braid pp this year and spider wire the previous 3 years. I also don't have a issue with them on 17# flouro never any leaders cuz iv never had am issue I just check my line like I would with any fish.

Ps john where was that northland the day we were on lake alice lol I was hoping that was a nice smallie buttttttttt it was a pike

A lot of times the lure or presentation causes the bite off. My experience is that spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and crankbaits get bit off way less. Topwaters and plastics are ripped off regularly from me.

A lot of times the lure or presentation causes the bite off. My experience is that spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and crankbaits get bit off way less. Topwaters and plastics are ripped off regularly from me.

Yeah def not with spinners but I don't even get cut with jigs or plastics the biggest problem I have is bringing in clawless craws or tail less worms never broken lines they do turn flukes to ribbons and sink spro frogs nicely