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Steel crinelles
For a long time, steel leaders were the only solution for pike fishing. They come in 7 and 49 strands, with the advantage that the latter are often thinner and, above all, more supple.
While they are undoubtedly effective, they have been overlooked for their lack of stealth. However, they remain a good option for lure fishing, especially in murky waters where discretion is not a priority.
Armored braids
Steel-reinforced braids appeared two decades ago and have the same lack-of-discretion disadvantage as steel crinelles. They are also a little more fragile than their predecessors, and have a slight shape memory that requires regular replacement.
However, they come in rolls (from 3 to 5 metres), are easy to tie and very flexible. For 20 to 30 cm leaders, after a touch of discretion and the use of small lures, this is the ideal accessory.
Fluorocarbon
Fluorocarbon offers many advantages, starting with its discretion, given that it is transparent and therefore "invisible" in water, despite the large diameters used.
Moreover, if it is used in diameters greater than 70/100 for pike, it is not for its discretion, but for its resistance to abrasion and thus avoid cuts. Nylon, and even more so braid, is very sensitive to abrasion and cuts, and doesn't last long in a pike's mouth.
In large diameters, fluorocarbon is a rigid material. While this is an advantage for animating certain lures such as jerkbaits, or does not hinder the presentation of large lures, it is less true for smaller ones.
Titanium
Titanium is a new material that combines a number of advantages, not least its strength and flexibility in the smallest diameters.
On the other hand, it's rather expensive, complicated to tie and not necessarily very discreet.
There are ready-to-use leaders with a swivel on one side and a staple on the other, which allow you to set up quickly and efficiently. Those available in larger diameters are particularly stiff for jerkbait fishing, as they facilitate and amplify lateral deviations.
