Wire Divers

[lkmifisherman]

I am currently putting together a pair of wiredivers for next year..I have a pair of 8.5' Okuma roller rods and a pair of 47 LC's. I am wondering if those of you that have wiredivers, spool the whole reel with wire or if you have a backer on it. If you have a backer how much of what line and how much wire do you add? Has it added to your overall catch or is it just a PITA?

I am getting cabin fever bad already and we are just heading into Feb.....

LMF :fish:

[Spoon Fed]

we catch alot of fish on wire. we have no backer i think there is 1000 yrds of wire on the reel

[plugger]

No backer, lots of fish.

[Bob's Outdoors]

I spool that reel with enough 30# mono to cover the spool a few times, just to keep the wire from slipping. the 47LCA does not have that rivet thing that Shimano so wisely puts on their spools. 1000 feet of wire fits on after that.

You can be running 400 feet of wire in the summer to get real deep, then you want to use a fairly light drag, so a big fish will get 600+ out. You don't want to be sweating your knot when that happens.

[salmon_slayer06]

The Cabelas fishing staff gave me all the info I needed on how to rig wire up. The guys told me to use a dacron backing. I spooled half the reel with dacron and the rest with stranded wire. Make sure its the stranded stuff, its what everyone uses. Than man showed me what knot to use when connecting the two. I forgot the knot, but know how to tie it. Wire is not something to take lightly. Do it right, and save headaches. Spool the wire on TIGHT! REALY TIGHT! Wear a pair of leather work gloves when spooling it on and pinch the line with thumb and finger. I love running wire, but it requires more care and attention. Never set the hook on a fish with wire. USE SNUBBERS!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD ONES! And leave the drag on the reel just loose enough its creeping out ever so slowly. I haven't done the rubber band method yet, but I heard it works. Someone else may point it out. I'm not a fan of rollers. I have a problem with the wire getting behind the roller at the tip. I'll go and set the rod and the damn wire is caught in the roller. So now I have to get that undone, and now the wire is kinked. Well, now I need to cut it and redo it. Some guys tie knots to connect the swivel, I don't. The knot is the weakest link. I use a hoop type thing and 2 crimps. I haven't lost a rig yet doing it that way. Good luck. Just trying to help. I can't wait for summer. I'm hoping for a 30 pounder this year!

[Midway97]

Lots of fish come on the wire divers.

Roller rods - If they have the gimbal butt, use it. That will help the above mentioned problem and keeps the wire on the rollers by keeping the eyes aligned with the tension (at least I've not had that problem... yet).

Tie your wire directly onto your spool ,Wrap your spool and first few wire wraps with electrical tape as it goes on. This gives your wire something to bite into to prevent slippage. No backer, 1000 feet of seven strand wire.

[Steven Arend]

You can use some type of backer but I would not recommend it. No matter what type of backer you use the wire will cut right through the knot. Like Midway said, tie the wire to the spool and rap a couple of layers of electrical tape around the spool. The wire will byte into the tape and keep it from slipping on the spool.

One more thing, go with 1000ft of wire. I have 600ft on my wire rods and in the fall I’ve had kings take just about all of that.

Steve

[fishinmachine2]

Wire is awesome when the fish are deep!! I dont reommend any backer either, go with a 1000 ft. Good Luck!!

Scott

[Jason Adam]

I wrote a quick and dirty article on wire in our clubs annual newsletter(page 6): http://www.detroitsteelheaders.org/news/DASAnnual07.pdf

[Brownsdown]

What kind of rod do you use if your not using rollers for wire.. ( plan on using it this year and just would like to know how my rig should be.

[Jason Adam]

$30 Diawa Heratland Dipsey Rod with a Twilli. If you were consistantly fishing bigger fish(Lake O) or always running the new big Magnum Dipseys, I'd maybe get something with a bigger stiffer blank like the RP2 or Captains Choice. Use a Twilli Tip on whatever you choose...

[Spanky]

Like Jason said, use a twilly tip on a heartland, good choice, and inexpensive. Just remember that that rod is ONLY to be used for wire. Never ever use it for mono again. The wire scuffs the guide inserts, and to use them for anything but wire would be catostrophic!

[res]

I read your article Jason. Great little read for a beginner like me. I started two rigs with the pro-line and mag dipsys and that really went deep in a hurry compared to my standard set ups. This sounds like and interesting option as well. This has been a great thread. Rick

[FreeTime]

The Cabelas fishing staff gave me all the info I needed on how to rig wire up. The guys told me to use a dacron backing. I spooled half the reel with dacron and the rest with stranded wire.

Personally, I would call Cabela's and ask that this employee be fired immediately. If any fish ever gets you into your backing it will be gone immediately along with your $35 of wire, $12 dipsy, and whatever is behind that! That wire will cut through my hand with no problem, a little fireline backer is no match!

The only thing behind the wire should be a few wraps of mono to hold it from slipping. I dont even use this, I wrap the reel with a few turns of duct tape and then tie on the 1000 ft of wire. The wire bites right into the duct tape and it will never spin. I fish alot of wire both with Dipsy's and drop weightballs, there is no business with backer on a wire rod.

Dave

[lkmifisherman]

Well now you all have me in a canundrum....I also have a pair of 9'6 Heartlands with twilis in them...along with the Okuma rollers...I am going to check out the roller tips and see if I will have a problem with them letting the wire slip in.. If it will, I will look into ways of shimming them to prevent this...IDo any of you still use mono divers or it is all wire and braid?..Thanks for all the great info...


LMF :fish:

[paulywood]

I had one rod setup with wire last year. I lost 2 dipsey/spindoctor/fly combos because the wire hung up in the rollers. That wire doesn't last long with a fish hammering on it and there is no give. This year I am setting up 2 wire rods with Heartlands and twilli's like Jason suggested. The roller rod will never be used on my boat again.

[Bob's Outdoors]

I use braid when I am not using wire, and I only use wire down deep. High divers and many times low divers are braid.

[FreeTime]

I have braided divers as well and they attain just about the same depth as the wire, I do think the wire provides a different effect though.

Its just my opinion, but I think backing the wire with braid is a bad idea.

Dave

[Steven Arend]

Some people will tell you that wire dives deeper then braid but 30lb wire dives the same depth as 30lb braid. I feel the same about the wire as Dave (thefishdog) I feel the wire provides a different effect. I’ll run wire and braid on the same side with the wire as my low diver and the braid as the high diver.

Oh and try not to get the lines crossed, the braid will lose every time.:rant:

Steve

[DonP]

Oh and try not to get the lines crossed, the braid will lose every time.
Somewhere's in this statement... there just HAS to be a "Life with Steven Arend" story!! :D

[salmon_slayer06]

wire has no blow back. fireline or any other braid floats and has blowback. Wire when used correctly is the best method for catching deep kings. Wire is just plain awesome. It works all the time when other methods die off. Braid can work too, but having all that blowback means you need to put more line out and causes the dipsy to swing to the back of the boat even when on 3 or 3 1/2. I know what I'm talking about.

[Jason Adam]

Well now you all have me in a canundrum....I also have a pair of 9'6 Heartlands with twilis in them...along with the Okuma rollers...I am going to check out the roller tips and see if I will have a problem with them letting the wire slip in.. If it will, I will look into ways of shimming them to prevent this...IDo any of you still use mono divers or it is all wire and braid?..Thanks for all the great info...


I'm all wire. 8 of them this year...

[Jason Adam]

wire has no blow back. fireline or any other braid floats and has blowback. Wire when used correctly is the best method for catching deep kings. Wire is just plain awesome. It works all the time when other methods die off. Braid can work too, but having all that blowback means you need to put more line out and causes the dipsy to swing to the back of the boat even when on 3 or 3 1/2. I know what I'm talking about.

I'm not so sure about this statement. How does wire have "no blow back". Simple physics would say that he wire traveling through the water has to provide SOME resistance(i.e. blowback). "It works all the time when other methods die off" is a bit of a strech as well. I've spend alot of time with wire in the water. It works great, but its not magic....

[Steven Arend]

Blow Back has nothing to do with whether the line floats or sinks it's all based on surface area of the line. 30lb wire and 30lb braid is the same dia. and has the same blow back were as 30lb mono has a larger dia. which causes more blow back and this is way mono does not achieves the deeper depths.

Steve

[adjusted3]

I am not so sure about you statement Salmon slayer06.

Wire is silky smooth and will cut thru the water. Braid on the other hand will have a bit more resistance because of the fibers, but like Steve said, the books indicate taht they run the same depths. Actually, wire will run about 10-15% deeper but we are talking a few feet here over 80 in depth. Any line out will have blow back.....but thinner dia and smoothness is the key.

Now, as far as the dipsy swinging to the back of the boat? Unless you are setting the starboard on the port side, or vice-versa.....Speed will actually make the dipsy rise to the respective side. Where they swing to the back of the boat is the strong cross currents that are present at depth.

Now that said-

Regardless, I thought I would never see the need for wire. This past year I invested in a 9 1/2 foot Heartland with twilly and a Okuma 30 line counter. By far one of my better productive rods in the boat. Wire on the low divers, braid on the high divers.

Mark

[fishinmachine2]

Blow Back has nothing to do with whether the line floats or sinks it's all based on surface area of the line. 30lb wire and 30lb braid is the same dia. and has the same blow back were as 30lb mono has a larger dia. which causes more blow back and this is way mono does not achieves the deeper depths.

Steve

EXACTLY!!!!! If you put wire and a braid line side by side with both being the same lb test they will have the same blow back.

Scott

[lkmifisherman]

I can't help but think that the wire diver is going to go deeper for 2 reasons. 1 because the cofficient of drag of the wire is going to be less at it is smoother. 2ndly for the added weight that wire is going to add...But then I won't know that for sure til I run my wire..

But if it runs the same then why do so many have braid and wire? And some even have mono as well....I am not saying the braid won't but if it does, it would seem that the braid would have much more blowback then the wire. And more blowback would mean more line out. And the more line out would mean a hookset that wasn't as solid as with wire...This is looking at things (in my opinion) logically...I know logic flies out the window when you are chasing something that has the brain the size of a chicpea....


LMF :fish:

[salmon_slayer06]

I know wire has a faster sink rate than mono and much faster than a braid line. I know it doesn't make a difference to you guys but when you are in a situation where you are trying to reach a certain depth with the least amount of line out... wire WILL ALWAYS WORK better than any other line. Fireline will work too but it has its limits. You need to walk the dipsy out so it tracks correctly or it'll wind up straight behind the boat and your spread looks like crap in the water and chances are a fish ins't going to hit it. Boat control, trolling direction, current speed, wind play a huge factor and how everything runs in the water. Fireline actually develops flat spots in the line. It creates more drag than you would think. P-line makes a braid that is more round and has less drag. I never used it but I assume it would work a bit better. These are all just small details.

[Priority1]

PRESENTATION is what all this boils down to. Whatever presentation works on a particular day is the way to go.

I'm not trying to sell my presentation, :) but I prefer to keep the wire on the riggers, the braid on the dipsys, and mono on my high long lead slidedivers. LMAO This is a GR8 thread, with so many view points.:lol:

[tdejong302]

Is there a specific 7 strand wire that I am looking for. Any suggestions on finding best prices for rod/reel wire. thanks

[Midway97]

Is there a specific 7 strand wire that I am looking for. Any suggestions on finding best prices for rod/reel wire. thanks

If you can make the Fishing show in Flint (Birch Run March 3-5th) put on by the Steelheaders, you can probably find a good deal on a wire rig. Of course I'm prejuduced, but Fishdog has very competitive prices on just the wire or the whole rig, whatever you need.

[tdejong302]

For those who might be as lost as I am on this 7 strand wire. I have found after doing much digging elsewhere that the most common name is Malin 7 strand stainless steel wire. I don't know if other companies offer this wire however Malin was the most common name I found. Now to get ready for spring fishing.

[Steven Arend]

A few more brands are Mason and American.

Steve

[Jason Adam]

Just make sure you dont get "coated" wire...

I recomend the Malin 30lb 7 strand. I have been told the American 30lb is a little smaller dia., but havent verified that personally.

[tdejong302]

Thanks this newbee to 7 strand wire appreciates the info. :evil:

[Hunt4Ever]

Is there a specific 7 strand wire that I am looking for. Any suggestions on finding best prices for rod/reel wire. thanks

I ue this one.

http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/store/Malin_Multistrand_Wire_Line.htm

[Hunt4Ever]

Oh and try not to get the lines crossed, the braid will lose every time.:rant:

Steve

I started running a wire diver last year. It didn't produce fish all the time but I did have a couple of days when it was the only rod really on fire.

You don't have to run it long before you figure out that running a wire rig is like running a knife through the water. ANYTHING touches it and it is bye-bye. I've even seen it put some pretty big gashes in fish.

I'll keep it on my boat but my PowerPro dipsy did better and I'm going to add another one of those this year.