We actually did quite well for lakers while using leaders this past spring.  In the past, I've gone without, and the pike always made me pay for it.  But this year, we used wire leaders and it didn't seem to affect the bite at all.  Toward the end of the trip, I got greedy and took my leader off.  Yup- Mr. Toothy came and took my blue/orange husky jerk that had accounted for dozens of fish. 

If the fish were pressured, the leader might lead to less bites. But we didn't have that problem.

Mark

On the topic of leaders...This year I started to use leader material known as tieable wire. You can find it in the fly fishing section of Cabelas. The nice thing is it comes in a few different Lb. tests and it is really soft and flexible. What I did is tied a 18 inch piece to a few different lures (you can use any knot you like) and then made a good loop at the other end. To switch lures just cut your main line and tie on to another leader/lure. Lures mantain a good action but are protected from toothy gators.

If the fishing hot and heavy the titanium is the way to go. You can catch repeated toothy fish without them bending or kinking.

One word of caution though, I have had the Bass Pro brands literally fall apart when I went to just snug the knot down. I would of been hopping mad to have spent top $$ on leader and lure and then had it fail on a whopper. I returned them pronto.

I've been using 130lb floro carbon leaders with good results so far.

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Have you tried those ultra-flexible Titanium leaders?
I use them when I'm traveling and have my heavy rod/line combo out.
I've caught Lakers with Double Loon spinner rig and Minnow type stick baits using them.

that fire tiger rap in the spring is a deadly wicked tool.  Several years I cleaned out the local sports store of all #7, 9, and 11's....floating.  Still have a mess of 'em.  But every spring trip we loose many to the muskies.  Can't put on a leader if you want some trout.

Haven't fished lakers in BWCA, but have done it extensively in the Q.  Go early in the season while the water is still cold.  Troll body baits (Rapalas, Bombers, etc.) around the shorelines.  My 9 year old caught many of them this past spring.  He used the same lure all week- a medium-sized fire tiger Rapala Husky jerk.  He still has the lure, even though it is all torn up with teeth marks.  We even caught a few lakers casting lures from shore.

Mark

I have great times with the walleye drag and the set up I am speaking of...nice up and down on the retrieve...

the only time i have ever used a rock hopper is when trolling. the retrieve speed to keep it upright and working properly is too high for just cast & retrieve in my taste. plus i feel you need a fairly decent sized lure running behind the rig to keep the mainline tight so the wire stays vertical.

if you are talking about trolling a rock hopper with a floating jighead thats a different story but one with a similar ending. when trolling, the floating jighead gets pulled too fast and basically runs straight behind the rock hopper. basically you would be better off with a regular hook because it was twist less. floating jigheads generally have a pretty awkward eyelit-to-hook shank angle that doesnt bode well to cast and retrieve fishing. its basically just a cast and let sit presentation like a slip bobber.

What about Suttons?

Jaximus...I have a notion about fishing a rock hopper and floating jighead combo on the bottom for a bit now....ever done that, anyone?

I remember the size of the leech I found in the last Laker's gut.

I have tried the three way with a dropper to the weight, Spro hardware, and keel style sinkers...the source of the line twist IMHO opinion is derived from the spinning reel itself in my case. That's  what induced the acquisition of the smallest, lightest, functional, and affordable (key) line counter; it also allowed for weight and line out recipes to get to specific depths. Diving planes are also a possibility as is traditional baitcasting reel; it just that I am breaking those planes in the pack.

Anyone making bismuth keel weight yet?

If I would would yah be interested?