You know Jax I don't really lose as many lures to pike as you might think. Hard baits can be a little different than soft plastics where they seem to just inhale everything and nip you off. I probably catch 70% of my pike bites that pop a crank. Perhaps it is because I am partial to a longish crank especially for walleyes. Although my fav fell out of production (the large fat rap in perch on 6 lb test).

SD made a ton of good points IMHO. Being aware of how much noise is generated by waves and surf can effect lure choice for sure.

Invisileaders.......is that an oxymoron? I want you to have 3 lures that you are willing to "expend", no leader! Preferably large deep divers. I trolled last summer the first week of July on Basswood day and night. I lost zero (as in 0) lures to pike using 6 and 8lb mono exclusively. My average walleye was right at 5lbs. I caught very few under 4lbs and my biggest was 6.5..........The point being you can fish for walleye or you can fish for pike but it's counterproductive IMO to try and cover all your bases with the addition of a leader for fear of losing a lure.

Now what's up with using FC at night? Then you can get by with rope for line. I usually tie a uni knot for my FC to Power pro connection but it can be rather delicate work in the lighter pound tests. Plus without the stretch of a long piece of mono which acts like a shock absorber, it's surprising how easily a 3' section of light FC will part ways with you. On my last off shore trip a guy turned me onto a knot called a "slim beauty". I liked it very much. Looks to be supreme. I was tying it with 80lb test........I will be interested to experiment with it on lighter line. Check it out.

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