Wire Lining

Wire lining is a way to get a lure to the bottom of the bay or ocean, in deep water and strong current, and control that lure around pilings and rocks (structure). It also works well in open water, without structure, where one wants to present a lure deep, near the bottom.

The lure is often a bucktail and pork rind (weight is not significant) or a spoon. The lure is attached to a three-way swivel with a 50 to 80 pound monofilament leader, about 25 to 30 feet long. Another arm of the swivel is attached to the wire fishing line. Off the third arm of the swivel, a 2 to 3 foot piece of monofilament is attached to a sinker. We use a rather stiff trolling rod which has roller guides from top to bottom, because wire eats everything else up. The reels are 330 GT Penn level winds, spooled with 60 lb braided wire (about 600 feet). Wire, particularly when new, tends to get bird's nests. The wire, when allowed to leave the reel, must be controlled by the thumb to prevent backlash. I recommend allowing out a yard or two at a time until one feels the sinker (20-32 ounces) hit the bottom. Then allow out a yard or two more as discretion allows.

The advantage of wire is that there is no stretch as with monofilament, which has 30%. With wire, one feels everything the sinker and lure touches. This immediately telegraphs back to the angler either to let line out or to rapidly reel it in. If you get hung up on structure, the wire gives you a chance to retrieve the lure and sinker (sometimes). With other lines, the sharp shells on the structure will cut the line immediately.

This technique is not for everyone, it requires practice at boat handling and controlling the wire. We lose a lot of sinkers and lures (which we make ourselves). It is work, not really sportsmanlike, but it produces fish, often when nothing else will. My crew swear by it and if I could only take one rig with me fishing, it would be a wire line rig. I can fish for many species, wire is great for wreck fishing and we use it to troll for flounder, trout, bluefish, and striped bass. We primarily troll at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in Virginia. Bob Allen, 6-15-99