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{April 2008} 

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May 2004

The Northern Pike (Esox Lucius) is a fish most fishermen prize as a tough and worthy game fish.  Without a doubt, the Northern Pike is a voracious predator consuming three to four times its weight during the course of a year.  One of the most proficient methods of catching a pike is to use a spinnerbait.  Most spinnerbaits are made of heavy gage wire in a shape called an R-bend. When fishing for pike many people tie the spinnerbait direct to their monofilament line at the top of the R-bend.  The possibility of a “big” pike biting off a spinnerbait tied direct to monofilament is high and a metal leader is recommended to reduce that risk.  The problem with this procedure is when the leader is clipped direct to the R-bend of the spinnerbait it can slide up and down the two arms of the spinnerbait during casting.  The constant casting of a fouled spinnerbait is certainly annoying and doesn’t catch very many fish.  I have a suggestion that easily overcomes this troublesome problem, check out the pictures. 

Disconnect the leader from the spinnerbait.  Position a “tight-fitting" split ring (size 2 in most cases) over the top of the R-bend of the spinnerbait. Using a split ring that is to large will defeat this pointer as it will slid up and down the two arms of the spinnerbait.)  Reconnect the leader snap in the opening above the split ring and lock it closed.  If done properly the split ring won’t allow the leader to slide down either arm of the spinnerbait.  Look at the pictures to be sure your split ring is in the right position and that your leader is connected above the ring.