Wire may help with sharks, but it’s not the leader of choice for surf anglers targeting reds

A question that is often debated by anglers is whether or not the terminal end of your surf-fishing line should consist of heavy monofilament or wire.

Wire is not an integral component for catching redfish, but it does assist with landing a number of sharks that have to be weeded through at times until a redfish takes the bait.

The debate is whether or not wire reduces the number of bites that an angler gets compared to monofilament. According to Wyatt Glass, an angler from the Hilton Head, S.C., area and a noted shark-fishing fan, wire is not a preferred choice when targeting redfish in the surf, but it is sometimes a necessity.

“I like to fish two rods at a time,” Glass said. “I’ll put a fluorocarbon leader on one and wire on the other. Cast them both out to begin with to see whatever is producing better for me. You get an idea pretty quick if the sharks are still heavy in the area.”

Glass said redfish will shy away from wire, especially a long section, because wire gives a stiff feel on the uptake.

In North Carolina, Rob Alderman, a professed drum aficionado from Kill Devil Hills, said he never uses wire and doesn’t care how many times he has to re-tie.

“I don’t want to catch sharks, so 80- to 100-pound leader allows for the cutoff,” Alderman said. “As far as the metal swivels I use in my short rig are concerned, I don’t think it matters, but I wouldn’t use wire, nor do I know anyone that does”.

Alderman uses a variation of a Lupton rig, a rig with a short leader that is required at different times in many areas of North Carolina. The idea behind the Lupton rig is fishing from a boat or kayak without a lot of current and slack line, the combination of a weight, short leader and circle hook results in hooksets in the corner of the fish’s mouth before it can get the hook and bait pasts its crushers.

In South Carolina, where the Lupton rig is not required, the short leader is not a big issue when surf fishing because the line is tight. However, the shorter rig does make for a much-better casting package.