Tyger wire
- Thread starter Hem
- Start date
Dustin Chromers
Legend
There's certainly many products. The one that works the best by far for my is knot too kinky. I use a perfection loop at both ends. It's light, has stretch, and won't send a fly nose down on the pause. I'm my experience a paused fly that suspends is a good strike trigger. It's cheap and available as well.
The T.O. Show
Steelhead
Knot 2 Kinky is what I use. We've also caught plenty of tigers with bite leaders tied with 80-100lb fluoro.
Personally, I never have. I kinda go back and forth between fluoro and wire. I subscribe to the Brad Bohen (one of THE OGs of musky fly fishing) school of thought that fluoro isn't the big evil thing that many of the younger guides are all of the sudden preaching. I also fish flies that won't ever stay lodged in a fish (barbless & predominantly singles). Because their teeth are designed for grabbing and holding rather than sawing, I feel like it's less of an issue than say something like barracuda. That's not to say it'll never happen, but it's highly unlikely. Anecdotally, it seems I have more action with fluoro than wire in the crystal clear waters of Merwin. All that said, some of my flies are rigged with wire (Beadalon black .018) and some with fluoro. It's nor something that I personally am going to lose sleep over (apparently it's currently a controversial thing within the midwest musky world).
Hem
Life of the Party
Michaels pretty thin on wire. Bought the only spool of black .015 Beadalon.
Tried deadlifting 25 lbs with a perfection loop on both ends. Snapped with tension.
Picked up 15 lbs. It lifted 15 lbs off the ground, stretched the wire and held for a few seconds , then snapped.
Otherwise seems to tie pretty well and doesn't kink badly. Like the black much better than Tyger but 7 strands vs 21 a difference.
Tried deadlifting 25 lbs with a perfection loop on both ends. Snapped with tension.
Picked up 15 lbs. It lifted 15 lbs off the ground, stretched the wire and held for a few seconds , then snapped.
Otherwise seems to tie pretty well and doesn't kink badly. Like the black much better than Tyger but 7 strands vs 21 a difference.
Hem
Life of the Party
I actually think the .015 would work for most of the pike I catch. Dead lifting plates is extreme. But in the chance I hook a big female...think I should be better prepared.
The T.O. Show
Steelhead
No I've never seen it fail, just check it after each fish and if it's frayed then swap it out. I prefer wire because it's basically invisible. I don't think these fish are leader shy at all if they are worked up and want to eat. But muskies will drive you insane, so it's better for your mental health to not have to consider that your bite leader might have flared the fish
No I've never seen it fail, just check it after each fish and if it's frayed then swap it out. I prefer wire because it's basically invisible. I don't think these fish are leader shy at all if they are worked up and want to eat. But muskies will drive you insane, so it's better for your mental health to not have to consider that your bite leader might have flared the fish
Seems like wire wouldn’t be invisible. Did you mean you prefer fluoro?
SF
Hem
Life of the Party
Heavy flouro is pretty obvious.Seems like wire wouldn’t be invisible. Did you mean you prefer fluoro?
SF
Triploidjunkie
Life of the Party
For several years I used nothing but 70lb braid because it's so much easier to work with. You do have to check it after every fish, but I've only had to cut it and retie once from fraying.
Hem
Life of the Party
Others probably more savy with the options. I have mostly used, as indicated ,Tyger wire for pike. Great product, but it wasn't perfect. It would kink with certain knots and I felt the stainless steel , even though coated, still was slightly reflective. I tried heavy flouro in 20-40lb class and had pike gnaw through it. Mono weed guard on some big flies also trashed. Heavier flouro works like others have said but keep on eye on it for wear. I still think it is visible in certain water / light conditions.
Most times the pike don't care. Sometimes they do.
Since I take two trips a year, the pressure is on to figure things out rapidly, so maybe my take is skewed. But typically I catch enough fish to test my leader durability etc.
I am in the process of ordering new options thanks to the recommendations of members.
I will say I am encouraged that Beadalon has options in black which may just be the ticket. Price point is good, too.
@Hem - a bit of thread drift: This thread is so timely since I've recently acquired some very nice musky flies (thanks again, Randall!). I hadn't really even thought about connecting the fly to the line and leader. I guess I better think about it.
After I got the flies from Clarkman, I was looking in one of my far too many cubbyholes where I store stuff and found a bag of pike flies, this is one:
"Wrench"(1) (I think he was from Libby?) sent me this fly with a note about using a perfection loop to attach the wire to my leader. The wire appears to be coated stranded stainless steel.
(1) I don't remember Wrench's name (John??), he was on one other long since gone forum and often wrote about carp angling.
After I got the flies from Clarkman, I was looking in one of my far too many cubbyholes where I store stuff and found a bag of pike flies, this is one:
"Wrench"(1) (I think he was from Libby?) sent me this fly with a note about using a perfection loop to attach the wire to my leader. The wire appears to be coated stranded stainless steel.
(1) I don't remember Wrench's name (John??), he was on one other long since gone forum and often wrote about carp angling.
Dr. Magill
Life of the Party
What about the Rio bite wire?
Is that stuff any good?
I use it but cannot attest to its strength as I have yet to get an eat.
It knots well and a perfection loop is pretty easy
Is that stuff any good?
I use it but cannot attest to its strength as I have yet to get an eat.
It knots well and a perfection loop is pretty easy
Hem
Life of the Party
My leaders are basic. Tied some scrap Tyger wire on for the pic. I carry two 10 wghts. One has a floating Coldwater Outbound Short, the other a intermediate sinking pike line. Both have heavy head sections. As a result of the heavy head I keep my leaders fairly short...and simple, usually 40lb flouro /5 ft tied to the ring, with 8" of wire from ring to fly. Since I am on foot, and usually fishing in wind, the shorter leader is safer to cast, let the head do the work for my distance ability.
This fly is money for where I fish. Depending on the mood of the fish I usually fish with a loop to fly, but if I find myself changing flies alot sometimes I get lazy and shortcut to a minimal twist clinch. Both work fine . I have tried a swivel such as in your pic but I feel it sometimes turns the fly unnaturally to the side.
Where I fish in the spring the water condition is usually stirred up, visibility is marginal. I want to get the attention of the fish, but frequently they follow the fly in close. Haven't felt leader length or make up is a hindrance. That said, it will be interesting to see if there is any obvious change in results by using black wire . Barry's pike fly pictured.
This fly is money for where I fish. Depending on the mood of the fish I usually fish with a loop to fly, but if I find myself changing flies alot sometimes I get lazy and shortcut to a minimal twist clinch. Both work fine . I have tried a swivel such as in your pic but I feel it sometimes turns the fly unnaturally to the side.
Where I fish in the spring the water condition is usually stirred up, visibility is marginal. I want to get the attention of the fish, but frequently they follow the fly in close. Haven't felt leader length or make up is a hindrance. That said, it will be interesting to see if there is any obvious change in results by using black wire . Barry's pike fly pictured.