@MT, i usually run 8 inch invisileaders by southbend with black hardware. sometimes ill run powerpro straight to the hypersnaps. (i have red powerpro and i usually fish in lakes with a bit of murk to the water) on the fireline rods (smoke fireline) i run invisileaders as well. i was experimenting with just snaps this spring and had a 50" range muskie slice my 14lb fireline on the bait inhale. i was sight fishing and had him hit on a 4" ringworm... its frustrating because sometimes my scissors dont even want to cut the stuff.

i want to experiment with a 2-3 foot fluorocarbon leader this year but for that i want to wait till after dark when the pike but really shuts down.

as for running my lures on the bottom, i really only am comfortable with taildancers hitting bottom because they have a very solid bill section although i did curl that one under pretty well. the rest of the lures just seem too  lightly constructed on the bills leading edge to grind on rock. i cringe everytime i hit bottom, then hold my breath in hopes of a strike. i ran the first ever rapala i owned into the bottom and broke the lip off of the perch pattern original floater.

@JChief... is it sad that i have, in my written budget, $10 a week set aside for fishing lures?

@Snow_Dog, i completely agree with the one rattler and one silent one. thats how my boat buddy and have i have trolled the past 5 trips up there. usually the rattle one gets the hits for us though