Wire setups

[mriversinco]

I was hoping someone could help. I've used my wire diver setups all year and had great luck with them. This past trip I went to set them up and both of them had serious curly line for a long ways on the line. I'm talking something like 50-100 feet or so and I didn't really want to cut that off. Well, I paid the price because both broke at times and I lost fish and gear with them.

What causes this to happen? In the past, I had the top 5 feet or so get really curly and cut it off but can't figure out why a bunch of it did it. Did I not wind it on tight enough the last time out?

Thanks

[GLF]

You probably had a swivel failure.

Most of us are in the same boat. What I found that helps best is quality swivels on both ends of your leader, and on the end of the wire. At one time I found some bead swivels that had 4-6 beads before the swivel. These are what I have on the end of my wire rods. Unfortunately, I dont remember where I found them.

[Eyefull]

Mike, not sure what type of rod or guides you have, but here are some places to look. What type of tip guide is on these rods. If it is a standard guide ring type, check there first for grooving or ring being gone. If it is a roller tip, check to make sure the roller bearing is not seized up. After that it gets more tricky. Again, if it is a roller rod, check to see that all rollers have bearings that are free and smooth. Also check each roller and frame for evidence of the wire running off the roller and against the guide frame. Twist is caused by friction, basically the same effect as making a ribbon curl using scissors. If your using standard guide rings, look at them closely, even with a magnifying glass, looking for grooving. Once the guide rings groove, they are putting loads of friction and heat on the wire. Any wire rod will develop some curl, but if you have a hundred feet of it, something else is wrong. I would also check your remaining uncurled wire for strength to rule out that heat and friction has caused the line to degrade.

[Sly Selea]

I have the same problem on about the first 10 feet of wire and I use those ridiculously expensive SPRO swivels. Is a small amount of curling normal? I'm getting quite a mini - slinky collection.

[Reel Screwd]

I used to have that problem but only 5ft or so when i broke down the rods for storage, i now leave the wire rods together and put a bead before the swivel so i just reel the bead right up to the eye and havnt had any issues with it since

[MY2SONS]

You probably had a swivel failure.

Most of us are in the same boat. What I found that helps best is quality swivels on both ends of your leader, and on the end of the wire. At one time I found some bead swivels that had 4-6 beads before the swivel. These are what I have on the end of my wire rods. Unfortunately, I dont remember where I found them.

Cabellas have the swivel beads, but they're not cheap.

[Yankee Troller]

Even though it gets curly that wont weaken your wire. If your seeing curly wire your not keeping enough tension on the wire. Curly turns into kinks when you straighten it out some times, and I'm willing to bet that's what broke. We use American Fishing Wire 30lb test and it curls pretty good, but we like it's thin diameter over the competition. We NEVER let the wire get slack enough to where we can see ANY curls.

A lot of guys just don't get this concept with the wire, and how anal you have to be about taking care of it. I can honestly say I don't remember the last time we cracked off the whole set up on our wires. Keep constant tension on that wire, and you will never have any issues.

[CITM]

Yup - reel the swivel right up to the tip of the rod and NEVER pull the wire out with your hands, always leave the swivel at the end of the rod unless it has the weight of a dipsey on it.

Not saying you shouldn't check to see what's going on with your rods though.

[spoonfed]

we have a bead ahead of a spros swivel on our wire. Like said before reel it to the tip and keep it tight. Never had a problem

[1mainiac]

My setup is a bead then a 3in piece of surgical tubing then the swivel the tubing covers the knot and makes a shock absorber when you reel the bead up to the tip roller. Everyone is told to reel it all the way to the bead every time or they don't get to play with my wire rods anymore. I am sorry but I bought the boat I bought the gear so I don't care how you do it on your boat with your stuff I know how my gear works best. Does this mean I am not open to new ideas no but it does mean some of them may have already been tried by me. On the bright side we almost never break off any fish and have only had one break off this year so far and it was on a rigger rod.

[Adam Bomb]

I run a lot of flashers on my wire divers and i get that curly line too. I think its inevitable no matter what swivel your using or what rods. Ive run wire on several different rods and have had the same results. All aftco roller guide rods. I run sampo swivels on mine and still have that issue. IMO the curls have no effect on the wires strength. The key is to keep it tight as suggested. Be religious about this. If not one of them curls is gonna turn into a kink and a kink into a lost fish and rig. As mentioned a bead and a piece of surgical tube on the line and reel right to the rod tip. Ive done this for years and never have an issue at all with kinks or breakage that isnt self inflicted.

[Phishy]

thanx for the thread!! i lost two dipsies and F/F rigs this year and couldn't figure out why...

i'm assuming the same holds true for super lines as well, minus the curly pig tail line thingy

[Adam Bomb]

Braid doesnt have any memory at all, so Id be looking at your braided set ups for a burr on the rod guides or something. That stuff is tough as nails and it takes a whole lot to bust it. Only time ive seen it break easily is if its really old and has had lots of use.