In article , Gandalf
wrote:

Anyone got any idea on making your own pike traces. It seems it is all out
there to buy but has anyone done it and can they let me know the basic costs

I never have trusted commercial pike traces.

I'm still using a couple of bulk spools of monel I bought when I was about
15 ... I reckon the 14lb test will run out and have to be replaced within a
decade but the 20lb spool should see me out.

( I can not browse my local angling store so you get in a position where you
feel obliged to buy ).

I hate that sort of store. Are there no others within reach?

I did note the trebles seems expensive at nearly £5 a pair which seemed odd
as a premade trace is only £2.75.

It's *much* cheaper to buy hooks by the box - 1000 commercial long line
hooks for under 50ukp I noticed when I was in a *commercial* (not yachty)
chandler the other day. I have the remains of a 25 box of #2 trebles here
with a 3.75 ukp price sticker still on it...

While you're at it consider switching to single large circle hooks for
live/deadbaiting - once I've finished the current boxes of trebles I don't
think I'll be buying more for trace making (I'll carry on with trebles on
lures though.) I'll be looking for 100's circles rsn - the chandler above
had 1000 stainless 7/0 circle hooks for 75ukp but that's both a little large
and too many for me atm - it suggests a guide of around 6-8ukp/100 for
plain steel circles a couple of sizes smaller - and I don't use stainless
hooks anywhere where lost hooks might endanger those who come after. If I
lose it I want it to rust away.

So any gems of wisdom would be greatly appreciated please.

Gems? Not sure, this is what I do:

I use solid monel. You might like to look out for soft 'knottable' wire - a
chum swears by it but I don't like it for multi-hook rigs. With monel I
make a haywire twist. Beware, cut monel has a chisel end and unless turned
away shreds fingers.

(view this in a fixed width fount)
__
(__\\\\-\-\-\-\-------
close open

Make a loop, trapping hook eye, split ring, swivel or whatever is required.
Make 4 close turns followed by 4 open turns - that's all you need.
To make up a multi hook trace with eyed trebles just pass the wire once
through the eye - at the waterside position the hook to suit the bait and
then wrap the wire round the shank 4 times. (Eyeless trebles need whipping
with fine wire, or kevlar and varnish.)

For flyfishing you need a rigid hook connection so thread the wire through
the eye of the hook, take it around the end of the weld and back through the
eye going the other way, twist as before. Dress the fly after wiring.

Do not let monel kink. (Other way to 'cut' monel - make single twist kink,
pull hard, open kink, pull wire apart with bare hands. This leaves the
other sort of nasty, sharp, sticking up, point.)

Hth, cheerio,

--
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