Hook length material

[Neil Roberts]

Dear All,
I am wondering if it would be wise to use light wire for tying on hooks when bait fishing from the beach or whether mono is generally sufficient. Opinions would be much appreciated.

Kind regards to all,

Neil Roberts.

[Robert T]

Hi Neil,


I think using wire isn't essential though I find it useful as you never know what you might get hooked into. Even a decent sized snapper will chew through your mono with ease.




Robert

[Neil Roberts]

Dear Robert,
Thanks for your note. I too have usually used a light wire generally not knowing what's out there and not knowing whether it's got teeth! However, while wating for a bite I have often wondered whether the bait presentation is as good using wire. I suppose that having turned sixty years old, that could well be another of the questions I never get to answer definitively!

All the best,
Neil.

[Robert T]

Hi Neil,


I guess tropical fish don't care a lot about bait presentation as many of them seem to be voracious predators. I only found tarpon to be picky when it comes to the choice of bait. I think their feeding habits are all governed by the prevailing conditions.


Back to the question of using wire, I often replace the wire with a good lenght of heavy mono (80/100lb) when I'm surely after tarpon or snook even though the wire doesn't seem to be a put off.


Robert

[Neil Roberts]

Dear Robert,
Thanks for your thoughts, a "soft" wire it is for me then.

Be lucky,

Neil.

[Steve Pitts]

Hi Neil

I use Tyger wire.
It's knottable and very supple.

For general lure fishing 30lb is great, but for bottom fishing I would go up to 60lb.

I agree with Robert - 80/100lb mono for tarpon as a minimum, but 50lb is ok for snook.

Cheers
Steve

[Neil Roberts]

Good morning Steve and thanks for the recommendation.

This is not something I've ever used and will give it a try. On a morning such as this, (-5C) it's certainly good to think about fishing on a warm beach up to my whatsits in a warm sea. Hope it's better where you are.

Best wishes,

Neil.

[Steve Pitts]

Hope it's better where you are.


Neil.

Nope ~ well only by one degree.

Just come back from 2 weeks in Fuerteventura, so really feeling the cold

It'll be a while before I'm up to my nuts in the Caribbean again.
Not planning a trip to Tobago next year ........ but you never know.

Cheers
Steve