Making Pike Traces Part 2 Spinning Traces

[Andrew Burgess]

Spinning Trace

Traces for lure fishing are very simple affairs. A snap link at one end and a swivel at the other.



For plugs and spoons that don’t actually spin the swivel can be done away with a strong bronze ring used in it place.



However for spinning baits like bar spoons a ball bearing swivel is essential in order to avoid the bugbear of the line twist. Lures traces are recommended to anything upwards of six inches long, although twelve inches is far more sensible minimum. As in all piking it is wise to use the longest wire trace you can. However, the action of some lures will be adversely affected by a long trace so a compromise will to be struck.

Choice of snap link can also affect a lure’s action. Try to choose one with a round bend to allow lures to swing from side to side. Berkeley Cross Loks or Fox Safe Lok Links are two good ones which lock securely. Beware of snap that open out the drop of a hat as they will lose you lures!

[Andrew Burgess]

For making spinning traces the tackle items to get are

Fox Trace Blade/cutter
Fox Easy Twist Trace Wire – 30lb B.S.
Fox Easy Twist Twiddling Stick or a forceps will do.
Fox Trace Crimp Covers
Fox Power Swivels in size 5 , 7, 10
Fox Safe-Lok Swivel in Size 1 or
Fox Safe-lok Size 1

or get something in which you prefer. In this case I am using Fox ;D

In all my spinning traces are made up in 30lbs B.S. Wire trace

The lures traces are recommended to anything upwards of six inches long, although twelve inches is far more sensible minimum. As in all piking it is wise to use the longest wire trace you can.

Now get the work board and start doing the follow thing I am about to do



Cut a lenght of wire at 15" long (this will be shorter when it is finish)



Right heat up the first 3/4" of the wire, this will soften the wire and help to twist it in later stages.





Once you have heated the wire at the start of where you have heat the wire make a bend in the wire.



Please note the pointed end of the Fox Crimp Cover must go in first like this



Then the Fox Power Swivel Number 5 which I did use here will also threaded down the wire. After that make the bend in the wire where you have heated the wire like this.



There are two ways of tying the wire to the swivel. In the diagram below the top one in the loop version which look easy but really hard to do. But once you get the hand of it then you will see how easy it looks.

The second one below where you thread the wire twice through the eye which is simpler to do. In my case this is the one I prefer to do.



As you make a choice on which way to thread the swivel to the wire.

Then place the Fox Twiddling stick in the swivel eye like this



Starting turning the twiddling stick up towards you and carry on twisting(about 20times) until there a nicely neat coil wrap around the main trace like this



Trim off any excess wire from the coil and apply the trace crimp cover over the swivel like this





Right that is one end done and you repeat the same instructions on the other end apart from you dont put a swivel on that end. You must put one of the Fox Safe-lok or a Fox Safe-Lok Swivel on the end of that!



And in this case I am using the Fox Safe-Lok Swivel and pull the crimp cover in place similar to this



And that is it ;D Your first spinning trace

[BUDGIE]

Nice article Andrew.

These days I only use "supple" wire traces like you show for spoons most of my lure fishing is now done using solid wire traces.Several reasons for this With the larrger Jerk baits I use a supple trace can be dammaged by the violent way these are worked.Also with spinner bait type lures they stop tangling on the cast.

When I do use supple wire for traces I tend to use a lot higher breaking strain wire than I do for bait fishing,around 30-40.I find this behaves better with less chance of kinking.Dont seem to put the fish off!

[Andrew Burgess]

Yes Budgie it is down to "How you prefer" in what braking strain to use but as I said before to you that I never had any serious problem with my wire only few kinks but that is always a common when piking.

In my veiw that all wire trace do kinks or damaged in someways.

Come to think about this there was once a wire called QED which did claim it was virtually kink free which was a craze in the last twenty years but sadly I never got hold of any! and the QED wire was too expensive to put into mass production.

So other Pikers have to see what resorce in the wire makes and there never been anyone near as QED. So it is up to what brands they do find suitable for all piking situtaion. So in my case Fox easy twist wire is best to me while your is the Marlin Steel!

As Budgie

Jerk baits I use a supple trace can be dammaged by the violent way these are worked

Yes but those jerkbait trace if I am right are made from heavy breaking strain of 50lb+ or titanium wire trace which is no good for paternoster work, deadbaiting and light spinning work!

[BUDGIE]

You seem to have misunderstood my post Andrew.I am only talking about lure fishing or spinning traces if thats what you want to call them.The wire I use for bait fishing is totally unsuitable for lures due to its fine diameter,suppleness and breaking strain.In fact all the qualities that make it such a good choice for bait make it a bad one for lures.

You are also getting a bit confused over jerk bait traces.These are solid wire not titainium.Titainium is the latest material used to construct muti strand wires.It is very strong and very supple.Most supple wire going.Therefore no good for jerk baiting. Any supple wire (except some of the really thick nylon coated ones) kink and tangle when you jerk bait regardless of brand,Fox or Marlin Steel or whatever! Remember most of the baits I use are over 4ozs many being closer to 6!To get one of these to move you need to hit that rod hard even with braid.When I first started using these monster lures (many years back before all the modern interest and readily avaiable information) I had trces break not only due to tangles and kinks but just with the sheer force of working the lure.

"In my veiw that all wire trace do kinks or damaged in someways. "

Solid ones dont!

"QED" used to be readily available frm Harris angling.As you say it was a bit expensive (er as most things from them used to be!) It was an "old fashioned" wire and although it DID kink like any other supple wire (not that it was that supple!) due to its nature (it was like old barge rope!) you could quite easily take the kink out of it without any damage.

Please dont think I am criticising your article as Im not. It makes perfect sense and I am sure will help many.I am just adding my own preferences and some info on big baits/solid traces which I know you dont use.

[Andrew Burgess]

Whoops Ok mate ;D ;D

[BUDGIE]

No worries mate...........looks like those "Anger Management" classes are starting to work! ;D ;D

[Andrew Burgess]

BUDGIE said:

looks like those "Anger Management" classes are starting to work! ;D ;D

I don't need the Anger Mangerment Classes Budgie what I need another holiday or a long day out fishing!