wire traces for pike

[scoobs11]

how long should they be ?

 

i'm chucking lures only if that makes a difference

[chesters1]

if you a club member check the handbook,ours have to be 24" which i think is a bit long but rules is rules

[scoobs11]

not a club member i'm just fishing the lakes

[jeepster]

i try to use 18", sometimes the tackle shop only has 12" which seem a bit short, 18" seem the right length to me.

i've just ordered some bits to start making my own, i seem to be keeping the commercial trace makers in business!

[Tony 1]

I use 20" minimum for lure and Dead work.

[Andrew Burgess]

The minimum lenght for any sort of Lure fishing should be 12" onwards But I make my own somewhere 15" to 18" which is ample enough

[Nugg]

18" minimum for deads, 12" minimum for lures is what I set.

[tim d]

id say 12 to 18 inches would be fine

[Dick Dastardly]

I know that that Scoobs said he only wants trace information for his lure fishing but some of the replies started me thinking about this.

 

The whole issue of trace length is often very daft especially when all you really need is for the trace to be of a suitable length to ensure that the mainline does not come into contact with the Pikes teeth with which ever method you use.A bit of simple thought about how your rig will work will give you the right length.

 

Rules given in most club books are a sensible guide line to protect the fish.they do however require sensible application.A baillif at one of the Mid Kent Fisheries waters once threatened to ban me because my paternoster rig traces were only 10" long (the club rules stating 18" minimum)The fact that these 10" traces were attached to a 4" plastic boom and a 30"+ uptrace completely evaded him.He gave me a wonderfull lecture about Pike care whilst his own rods (some 300m away) carried on fishing away! :mad:

 

A lot of the solid wire Jerk bait traces also fall short of some clubs requirements but are certainly safe.I would reccomend these for anyone using jerk baits as the action of working these lures can damage multi strand wire traces.

 

With other lures it could be argued that smaller lures require a longer trace than bigger ones but once again just use common sense.

 

Chesters,that old rules is rules thing again!As you say 24" is not needed in most situations.Why do we or should I say most anglers just accept this and not challenge it officially? :confused:

[scoobs11]

cheers chaps .

 

spent another unproductive day chucking plastic at non existent pike again, today it was thirlmeres turn.

 

hey ho one day