Wahoo wire length

[BTH284]

Been making piano wire leaders up the past few weeks for wahoo season. No, they don't rust up in my neck of the woods for at least a month. I know because the last 2 years I have left a coil out on my deck this time of year to see how long it would take to rust. At least a month before rust would show up. Sorry to digress.

Have been making them 14-15' then coastloc them to 12' of 60 lb clear mono which is tied to the main line (hi vis). I do this with the clear to try and keep everything stealthy with the shorter wire leader. But I can still keep track of my lines by seeing the hi vis and it is not touching the water. Only clear mono and wire in the water.

I know most of the guys use 18'. The reason I have been making shorter than 18' is it gives me more room in the pit to keep things organized and safe while leadering a fish to the boat and try to keep as little wire as possible underfoot.

Do you think shorter than 18' but more than 14' is a bad thing?

Planer baits I use 7 foot of wire stiff rigged haywire to the hook. Allows the leader to come right to the tip of the rod and need minimal wraps.

[WAHOONBOX]

GOOD QUESTION BRIAN

I PERSONALLY SPEAK OF 18 FT WIRE LEADERS BECAUSE IT WAS HOW I WAS TAUGHT.......AND I DO THE TAKE WRAPS METHOD WITH AN 18 FT LEADER
I HAVE ALSO LOST WAHOOS EVEN WITH 18FT WIRE LEADER WHEN THEY COME INTO ATTACK THE BAIT AND COME TOWARDS THE LEADER HEAD FIRST AND CUT THE MONO LEADING TO THE SNAP SWIVEL...EVEN 25 FT IN FRONT OF THE LURE/BAIT

BUT ...SMALL BOAT FISHING.....I WOULD SAY 10-14 FT WOULD GET ER DONE

JUST MY THOUGHTS HERE


BUT FROM A COCKPIT WITH A FIGHTING CHAIR...I LIKE THE 18 FT

[Glenn W]

Been making piano wire leaders up the past few weeks for wahoo season. No, they don't rust up in my neck of the woods for at least a month. I know because the last 2 years I have left a coil out on my deck this time of year to see how long it would take to rust. At least a month before rust would show up. Sorry to digress.

Have been making them 14-15' then coastloc them to 12' of 60 lb clear mono which is tied to the main line (hi vis). I do this with the clear to try and keep everything stealthy with the shorter wire leader. But I can still keep track of my lines by seeing the hi vis and it is not touching the water. Only clear mono and wire in the water.

I know most of the guys use 18'. The reason I have been making shorter than 18' is it gives me more room in the pit to keep things organized and safe while leadering a fish to the boat and try to keep as little wire as possible underfoot.

Do you think shorter than 18' but more than 14' is a bad thing?

Planer baits I use 7 foot of wire stiff rigged haywire to the hook. Allows the leader to come right to the tip of the rod and need minimal wraps.

I'd rather have one fewer bite during the day than lose a stud muffin while trying to wire. If you are more comfortable with 14' wire, then I'd say that is your best bet.
Another option, that I don't do cause it's a PIA is to use a Spro wind on and a long wire. I trash a rig after every fish so you would have to crimp on a new rig each time. I still use a 20' wire cause that's how I was taught, but I think a 14' ought to be fine. One way to check is to experiment. Run longer on one side and shorter on the other for a couple trips and keep track if there is a noticible difference

[WAHOONBOX]

THIS THREAD WILL BE ALL TARHEEL.............TRUST ME.

[BTH284]

When the small boat thread started, I figured this one would be a good idea for people to chime in on since we are in the heat of the wahoo season here off NC. Thanks for the replies and ideas so far fellas.

[mikelpl]

At this time of the year fishing the Carolina Coast would you pull all piano wire or a combination of wire and mono?

[Glenn W]

At this time of the year fishing the Carolina Coast would you pull all piano wire or a combination of wire and mono?

It's wire time baby---I will sometimes put a dink rod on the right flat for a Saildog cause Wahoo's generally don't hit the flats all that well in the Fall--- except last year when I got more Wahoo bites on the flats one day than anywhere else.. All in all, run wire. A Sail will come up on a wire rig in a NY minute and Mahi don't give a rip.

[BTH284]

The sails are not wire shy at all Mike. I do put out a wahoo proofed mono naked on my flat this time of year like Glenn said. I may even put wahoo proofed mono naked right near my Ilander chain teaser too to see if the sails will come to it. I still got the sail itch bad! If i pull the rasta squid chain, then the bait beside it will be on wire.

[WahooKing]

I have a different system...We high speed troll artificials...My high speed rig consist of trolling sinker molded on 3' of rigged cable...attached to....15' 400# mono shock leader or 30' cable shock leader......attached to....3-4' cable lure leader.

I prefer the cable shocks over the mono because it easier on the hands for wiring, no kinks and coils very nicely on the deck of a boat.

We use 3-4' of 480# lure leader for two reasons...

1 - When a Wahoo is hooked, the fish runs off with the lure against it's body...A lure on a longer leader will trail behind the fish and become a target for the next wahoo in line for lunch...Usually, resulting in the first fish being cut off at the leader.

2 - When a Wahoo is boated, he slides right into the box...4' lure leader included....Attach another prerigged 4' lure leader and fish...no time wasted....Once fish is dead in box and bite has slowed down, we retrieve lure, leader and hook rig.

[fish4bills]

I'm gonna step out here and voice a different opinion on fishing wire.

I make my leaders no more than 6-8 ft. long. I was taught this way.

Over the years I have strayed and experimented with longer wire leaders but found no evidence in my log that my bite #'s increased. I did find that more fish made it to the box using shorter leaders. The transition from the fish being on the reel to the fish meeting the gaff is much more fluid decreasing your chances of it shaking or pulling off from the pressure of taking wraps.

Also, when using shorter leaders, the skirt is not hanging out 20 ft. away from the fish that you are fighting inviting another hoo to take a bite.

The key is stealth. I believe that wire diameter, streamlined haywires, and small swivels are more important to getting wahoo bites that length of leaders.