Trolling lures rigging - mono or wire?
Submitted by Bush.man on Fri, 2010-01-15 09:23
I am dusting off the trolling rigs and getting ready for the back on Rottnest pelagic season.
What is everybody's preference for the type of rig they run - mono or wire?
I currently run 150lb mono down to 9/0 or 10/0 hooks underneath surface trolling skirts but someone told me I should swap to wire, less bust offs etc... but I think less visability of mono is more important than bust offs?
Does anybody have any views or tips?
I also run a heavy snap swivel from my main line so I can swap over lures quickly, does anybody do anything different?
Lamby
Posts: 3145
Date Joined: 04/08/09
Same predicament here
Same predicament here bushman, have a few lures already loaded with wire traces and some with heavy mono. Personally I am going to run mono first as I would prefer more hookups and if I lose a few so be it. If they are firing and I am losing lures/skirts then over to wire I reckon. Bit of trial and error to begin with
Alan James
Posts: 2206
Date Joined: 30/06/09
Have a look here
This site may give you some ideas. pakula.com.au Wire between hooks but mono trace / leader. Unless you are targetting toothy critters such as macks or wahoo I would run mono leaders. Generally the lighter the leader the more action you are going to have. I would also run deep diving bibbed lures with the skirted lures.
Bush.man
Posts: 22
Date Joined: 03/12/09
Thanks guys for the tips.
Thanks guys for the tips.
damo6230
Posts: 2029
Date Joined: 07/06/08
toothy critters.....
if mackies are around then most use wire...
but a swivel (if on the wire trace) will generate bubbles which mackies love hitting...... you can make your own wire trace that does not require a swivel though :)
give mono a go and then switch if you need.
best option is go dust it off and get out
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Do many of you guys pick up
Do many of you guys pick up mackies on skirts as opposed to minnows? I've only caught small tuna on skirts, so just run thinnish mono for that (havent tried trolling for macks with skirts though). On lures, i'm using some single strand (though only caught one mackie, but havent tried much)
What knot are you using to join the mono to the wire damo? Seem to always have the mono cut through the single strand for any knots i've tied (usually albright, but got some ideas for improving that).
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
unwelcome bycatch generally
on the skirts.
mackies and wahoo tend to make the skirt a little short and ineffective. Having said that, I am looking at some specific wahoo skirt lures from the states.
All of my skirts are wire to the hook with a loop to loop connection to a mono leader of about 4ft in length.
When trolling the swimming lures for mackies etc, wire leader for sure.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
I'm guessing you have the
I'm guessing you have the wire to mono connection after the head of the lure in the body of the skirt? (i.e. billfish type setup)
Alan James
Posts: 2206
Date Joined: 30/06/09
Macks
If I was targetting macks I would troll all minnows at various depths. Skirts and skip baits will work but you will get more hits if you run these on a paravane or downrigger.
Feral
Posts: 1508
Date Joined: 01/11/06
what would you run in
what would you run in exmouth ?? id love to get a billie but really dont want to be loosing to many lure to macks ?
would skirts on mono work on the top and maybe a bibbless lure under them on wire to keep the macks away from them work ?
or are the macks and billies in completly differant areas/depths ??
Alan James
Posts: 2206
Date Joined: 30/06/09
What would I run in Exmouth?
If I was targetting billies I would troll skirted lures on mono leaders and keep some distance from the reef. Wahoo and cuda tho are still going to be a menace. If targetting macks there would be a mixture of sub surface lures with short 18" wire trace and troll closer to the reefy areas. jmo.
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 01/01/70
info!
Diving lures for macs/wahoo/YFT etc both up north or local I run 100lb Richter mono wind-on leader to a ballbearing swivel, 88LB single strand stainless wire 800mm to a Richter high-tensile clip. That allows me to change over lure as required!
Superflex S/S wire is very stealthy and near-on invisiable in the water, i dont run mono whatsoever!
As for deepwer water marlin & YFT and will run Richter pusher skirts with 300lb wind-on leader!
Feral, billy water is normally out of the mac zone "in general" so mac-uped isnt generally an issue. A wahoo may come along but not that common....small price conundrum if it happens!
Mossie
Posts: 106
Date Joined: 06/01/09
For applications when
For applications when trolling in areas like tantas where you may troll in closer to the reef in shallower water ect and place some deep divers closer to bottom to possibly hit up some bottom species as well would you mix up having some wire traces on the more common mackie lures in case you hit a mack? Or for trolling for some bottom species would you use mono only ?
Oceanside Tackle
Posts: 2803
Date Joined: 23/07/09
Go wire;
All diving minnows should have single strand as demersal waters up there is still toothy waters.
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