2013 Episode Synopsis
by Charlie Wray

Episode 233: Leadcore Walleye & Freedom Pike

Today, the Mercury Marine Destination starts us in Lake Erie near Dunnville, Ontario for Walleye, then some Pike action with a new swimbait head that features a very unique design that allows you to change hooks.

Built for big water fun, time to get back in the Crestliner 2150 Sportfish. If you are looking for a big water boat that is still very trailer friendly, look at the Crestliner Sportfish 2150 SST. This is the largest of the Crestliner fleet and handles the big water comfortably. The SST (Space Saver Transom) extends the length of the boat allowing more usable space in the boat, and giving a large splash well that will keep even the largest waves from entering the boat. The SST also gives a perfect place to store the sun top when not in use with a hinged area that hides the cover completely. Crestliner boats are completely welded and this 2150 Sportfish even has toe rails for balance when fighting or rigging in the big water, something not often found in many aluminum boats. This Crestliner is rated for the 300 hp Mercury Verado that powers this craft, and while designed for long demanding runs or day after day trolling, with the slow speeds needed today with worm harnesses, it is the high thrust Mercury 9.9 hp Pro Kicker that idles along whisper quiet today.

Early in the season, most don't recognize that the Walleye are suspended high up in the water column, and even over 50 and 60 foot depths, 20 feet down is the ticket today. Small clip on planer boards are needed to get away from the boat in this clear water fishery, and 4 colours of Western Filament leadcore is perfect to get down the 20 feet needed without bulky snap weights or divers. Western Filament has just come out with an incredible breakthrough in leadcore, the new Microlead is 30% smaller than previous lines and 3 times stronger. This equals a few very important factors. You don't need the large reels associated with leadcore fishing, and since this one is made with a Spectra braid outer coating, it is thinner, stronger and doesn't wear like the older leadcore lines, absolutely wonderful, and still has the 5 foot per colour sink rate of the older heavier lines.

Make no mistake about it, even though the Microlead is thinner, it is still very visible in the clear waters, and Charlie is sure to still use a 50 foot lead of 15 lb test Seaguar Fluorocarbon leader material. The Seaguar Fluorocarbon has the same refraction index as water, so when in water, it looks like water and is virtually invisible to the fish, even the line shy Walleye. This is the same leader material Charlie also re-ties all his harnesses with, and today it is the very flashy Northland's Mr. Walleye Crawler Hauler. Not only do they come in a wide selection of colours, they are very reflective and designed by professional Walleye anglers to catch more Walleye.

Not only does Charlie re-tie with Seaguar, but makes sure he adds a Mustad Ultra Point KVD or Triple Grip treble at the end of the harness. These hooks have a point that is angled back in toward the shank of the hook, so when it is in, it is in to stay. It has much more holding power and less of a chance of being thrown by a head shaking Walleye at boatside, and we have all been there and watched one swim out of sight, just out of reach from the net. Rods for Great Lakes Walleye using leadcore are a little specific. A soft tip, but still plenty of flexible backbone is perfect for this, as not to rip hooks out, and still handle the extra weight of leadcore and the pull of the boards. Okuma has a wide range of rods for this application and the new Blue Diamond rods are ideal.

This is when a little customizing to your boat comes in handy as well. The same Cannon track system and adjustable Cannon rod holders used for downrigging, are now easily adjusted in a second for the upright position for the boards to track well away from the boat. How do you attach leadcore to your mainline or leaders? Well, a simple double Uni knot works with this tough thin Microlead, or you can use a small Mustad swivel if you wish. The Wide Mouth levelwind on the Okuma Line Counter reels are designed for this.

Pike fishing in the North for the second part of this episode. Pike have extremely tough mouths and rows of impenetrable rows of teeth the hook needs to scrap across before finding a fleshy part to hold to. Designed for hook setting power, the Okuma C3 Carbon Cone Concept rods, light but incredibly powerful. Matched up with the Okuma Serrano 11 ball bearing baitcasting reel with heavy duty brass gearing, and you are ready to do some hook setting damage, especially with the durable Seaguar Kanzen braided lines. The Seaguar Kanzen is thin diameter braid in a tight high density weave that gives this braided line durability, even in extreme situations.

Today was a test for the new Freedom Hydra swimbait head. The Freedom jig heads are currently available in four different styles and several different weights. The Rouge is a football shaped jig, the Zodiac is similar to a ball head jig, the Stealth is a flipping jig /stand up head with the line tied directly on the nose for a weed free presentation, and the Hydra is a swimbait head. When matched up to a 5 inch plastic swimbait, the action was incredible. The plastic wobbles naturally and the Freedom head comes alive and flashes back and forth. There is one outstanding feature with all Freedom jig heads, they are designed in such a way, that hooks can be interchangeable. With a simple twist, one hook can come off, and another on, either to replace a worn out or damaged hook, or a different style hook altogether depending on how you plan to use it.

This same loop that allows you to interchange hooks, also gives another advantage, the action is incredible. Since the hook moves freely and not locked solidly into the head like on other jigs, it allows the plastics to look more lifelike. The hologram head on the Freedom moves and shakes one way as the plastic shad shakes another and the entire presentation looks alive. It looks so alive, that all the hits were directed toward the Freedom Hydra head, obvious from all the scratches. So obvious and hit so hard, this presentation was completely engulfed.

Charlie normally loves thick Seaguar leaders in most situations like this, even for Pike and Muskie, but with this presentation being engulfed completely, wire was needed to eliminate frequent re-tying. Tuf-Leader is an amazing wire by Western Filament that ties incredibly easy with any simple knot. This is a braided stainless steel wire with a spectra core. Very easy to tie, flexible, soft enough to grab to maneuver fish at boat side, and doesn't kink like single strand wire. Absolutely perfect for this situation, and using a loop knot to tie on the Freedom, allows the plastic shad and Freedom head to swim naturally.

When dealing with plastics, you must keep in mind that hook sets need to punch the hook through the plastic, and also have enough force to stick into the tough boney mouth of the Pike as well. Mustad Ultra Point hooks are about as sharp as you can get, directly from the package without sharpening, and the 6/0 Big Mouth Tube Hooks were ideal for this. With the size of the Pike this set up was attracting, there was no time to mess around. The incredibly sharp Mustad Ultra Point hooks provided a solid hookup with every hook set, and stayed sharp, fish after fish, despite the abuse these hooks had to take in the boney, tooth filled mouth of these monster Pike.

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