Rigging lures on a wire bite leader?

[Angus Hulme]

How do you guys do it? I know you don't have to use wire with only GT's in mind, but if for example you're fishing an area that is thick with wahoo or spaniards, or even targeting mackerel with stickbait presentations, how would you approach the use of wire to avoid getting snipped off? Would a swivel between the mono leader and the wire bite section be necessary, or is there a way you could eliminate the bulk of additional terminals? Any tips, methods, or diagrams would be great.

Cheers
Angus

[Aaron Concord]

Angus,

Single strand 'piano wire' is the easiest to work with.
Cable needs proper cutters, crimps etc.
I have a black swivel (either ball bearing or crane) attached via a haywire twist/barrel roll connection at one end and a solid jig ring at the other, around 45cm in total lenght.
Attach a heavy split ring to the solid ring as a means to attach your lures.

I find that sinking stick baits work best with wire. Floaters can tumble and foul it up too often...just my 2 cents worth.

Aaron.

[Brandon Khoo]

with floating stickbaits, I simply tie the mono leader straight on - I don't do any type of bite leader because I feel that the leader becomes too visible to the fish. With wire, that would be even more so.

The morale of the story is don't use floating stickbaits when there are wahoo, barracuda or spaniards around!     I've said it before and I'll say it again - wahoo are such bloody mongrel things. The only reason for their existence is to steal expensive lures. I have noticed they have a particular liking for Sea Frogs, Hammerheads and especially, Orion Bigfoots. Come to think of it, it seems every toothy creature in the sea loves Bigfoots. I'll probably raise a sea monster one day.

Even when they don't steal the popper, one strike from a big wahoo and that lure will never be the same.   

Did I mention I don't like them?

[Greg Burt]

Sounds like they might like you  , Brandon the Wahoo Magnet, now I now why you carry so many lures

[Andrew Woodley-Page]

Spaniards seemed to like the craftbait GT3 and real baits too didnt they! Bloody things!

with floating stickbaits, I simply tie the mono leader straight on - I don't do any type of bite leader because I feel that the leader becomes too visible to the fish. With wire, that would be even more so.

The morale of the story is don't use floating stickbaits when there are wahoo, barracuda or spaniards around!     I've said it before and I'll say it again - wahoo are such bloody mongrel things. The only reason for their existence is to steal expensive lures. I have noticed they have a particular liking for Sea Frogs, Hammerheads and especially, Orion Bigfoots. Come to think of it, it seems every toothy creature in the sea loves Bigfoots. I'll probably raise a sea monster one day.

Even when they don't steal the popper, one strike from a big wahoo and that lure will never be the same.   

Did I mention I don't like them?

[Brandon Khoo]

that's right - they terrorised you on those!   

[Angus Hulme]

Thanks for your responses guys.

Aaron, yep that was the way I privately suspected would be best when I asked the question, but figured I'd get some feedback before committing to that strategy. The thing is, the areas that I will be fishing in a few weeks time (Whitsunday region) are known mackerel hotspots, and often GTs and spaniards are feeding on the same schools of fusiliers at the same time, so the chances of encountering toothy critters are very high.

Brandon, I can see why you hate those toothy beasts. But the stickbaits I've made for this trip are all floaters, so if I was to take your advice and not use them when there could be spaniards around, well, the lures wouldn't even get a swim!

Cheers
Angus

[David Sharples]

The only reason for their existence is to steal expensive lures. I have noticed they have a particular liking for Sea Frogs, Hammerheads and especially, Orion Bigfoots. Come to think of it, it seems every toothy creature in the sea loves Bigfoots. I'll probably raise a sea monster one day.

Even when they don't steal the popper, one strike from a big wahoo and that lure will never be the same.   

Did I mention I don't like them?
[/quote]

Know all about the Orion Bigfoot thing, lost two of these to spaniards in Oman and had a third pretty much destroyed by one strike. Also had an Ebipop clipped off but luckily the fish missed the hooks and it stayed floating...

You only realise just how strong GT gear is when you start hooking 20-25kg spaniards and just winch them in. My friend even had a 38kg one on my Hots Gipang 83H that took no line whatsoever.

[Brandon Khoo]

nah, it just means that those mongrel popper stealing things have no heart!   

[Dmitrii Novgorodtcev]

with floating stickbaits, I simply tie the mono leader straight on - I don't do any type of bite leader because I feel that the leader becomes too visible to the fish. With wire, that would be even more so.

Does it mean that it is ok to use wire or bite leaders with sinking stickbaits? Won't it be visible in that case? And what tactics do you use in places with sharp-toothed things?

[Brandon Khoo]

well, i can't say it is ok or not. It is just that if the leader is visible and the fish are finicky, then it may be the difference between a strike or not.
If toothy creatures are around, I generally just take my chances or use a segment of kevlar. Wahoo and spaniards can still slice through the kevlar though but it provides a bit more protection

[Dmitrii Novgorodtcev]

If not visibility, do you think wire affects stickbait action somehow?

If toothy creatures are around, I generally just take my chances or use a segment of kevlar. Wahoo and spaniards can still slice through the kevlar though but it provides a bit more protection

Is it hollow kevlar which goes over leader end before the lure? or you just tie it between leader and the lure?

[Brandon Khoo]

I hadn't thought of that much because I don't use wire