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To be perfectly honest, when it comes to fishing with wire line, I’m not particularly fond of using the stuff. After all it requires constant attention, and can easily kink in the hands of an inexperienced angler. Furthermore, it can stretch and even break if kinked often. So why use the stuff? Quite simply, it gets down deep and catches fish, which in my book, the pros outweigh the cons. Indeed wire lining is a popular method employed by anglers trolling for stripers and blues throughout the season. Yet what many anglers may not realize is how effective wire lining can be while chunking for big stripers in areas of hard current. Therefore, if you want to put the odds in your favor for big bass in fast moving water, check out what this steel fishing line is capable of.
Hard Times
It’s no secret that chunking is extremely effective at coaxing big stripers, particularly during the dog days of summer when warm water temperatures keep the bass deep and feeding sporadically. The standard method of dribbling out some baitfish morsels over the side and placing a chunk of baitfish on either a fish finder or 3-way rig work well in most situations; however, in areas such as the east end of Long Island, particularly The Race and Sluiceway, currents can rip to a point where it would take an unrealistic amount of lead to hold bottom. In the more shallow waters of the south shore inlets and bridge areas, it may be more possible to hold bottom with heavy sinkers; however, strong currents have a tendency of causing the bait and rigs to spin, which usually has an adverse affect on large stripers. Of course there are windows of opportunity as the currents slacks towards the end of the tide, but these times are of the essence and are often short lived.
Wire line on the other hand with its narrow metal core can be fed out with very little resistance from the current and will get to the bottom with ease without the assistance of sinkers. Best of all, there is no twisting of the line, which in turn helps prevent the bait from spinning wildly and allowing it to drift with the tide in a more natural manor.
Stainless Steel vs. Monel
Basically, there are two types of wire line that are commonly used; Stainless steel and Monel. Stainless is the older of the two and is not as pliable as Monel, which makes it more difficult to spool on the reel and to connect knots. Monel on the other hand is considerably softer, which retrieves on a reel much easier and is a lot more knot friendly. When push comes to shove, both stainless steel and Monel line will get the job done. Both lines are single strand wire annealed for flexibilty and strength and designed to sink rapidly. However, Monel is made up of softer nickel-copper alloy and has a greater density than stainless which results in less kinks with excellent ductility and strength and an even faster sinking rate over stainless.
The only real drawback with Monel over stainless is that it will set you back a few extra bucks. Then again you get what you pay for, including peace of mind.
Rugged Armor
Once you decide on the wire line that’s right for you, it’s time to find and set-up the appropriate outfit for the task.
Keep in mind that reels with aluminum spools and wire line don’t mix. The combination will cause the spool to pit and corrode as well as cause an electrolytic difference with the two, which will spell disaster. Therefore, non-ferrous alloys such as bronze electroplated with chrome spools are ideally suited.
One such workhorse is the Penn Senator 113 HSP, which is designed and built to take on the ruggedness of wire lining. The 113 HSP is built for power rather than speed with a 3.25 to 1 gear ratio and a spool large enough to handle 200 yards of 80 pound mono backing, and 300 yards of .028 diameter 50 pound test wire.
Speaking of backing, I like to back my Senators with 80 pound Yo-Zuri Hybrid fishing line favoring its strength and durability. A small haywire twist knot on the Monel attached to a clinch Knot from the Hybrid joins the line together where 300 yards of 50-pound wire completes out the reel.
As for rods, wire line can wreak havoc on the sticks particularly the guides. It is imperative that any rod employed should consist of tungsten carbide guides that can withstand the rubbing of the wire. My choice is the 6-foot, 6-inch Tsunami TSTBC 661HW. The rod is tailor-made for wire line.
A number 6 Spro Power Swivel attached from a haywire twist, to an 8-foot leader of 60-pound fluorocarbon leader snelled to a super sharp 5/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle hook will complete out the rig. Spro makes a great barrel swivel which is so important on the terminal end when dealing with strong currents. Keep in mind that if you are chunking on a rocky terrain, you may want to exchange the fluorocarbon leader for a mono leader since fluorocarbon lights up like a light bulb when nicked or scratched against the rocks, which may cause a weary bass from slamming the bait.
Heads or Tails
Choosing the appropriate piece of chunk usually comes down to preference. Many anglers believe that the heads of fresh bunker will often bring home the trophy, whereas some anglers feel the meaty innards sections do best.
The truth is bass cannot resist a properly presented fresh chunk of bunker or herring, regardless of which part is put in front of them. The key factor is presentation. Experience has taught me that bunker and herring heads work just fine when the speed of the current is less than two knots. However, during the times the current is moving at three or more knots, heads have a tendency to spin like propellers and often put a damper on the bite. I’ve always found the meaty centers of the bait works well in the extreme currents as does the tail section providing you remove the actual tail, which also spins if not removed.
Several years back we found the problem with using the center chunks is that all those tasty innards that big bass so much adore would flush out almost instantaneous in the swift current. That’s when a buddy of mine suggested wrapping a rubber band around the belly to prevent the innards from escaping. We have been using this method since then with great success. Keep this in mind for future trips.
Made Fresh Daily
Many anglers I know will not even consider chunking unless a fresh bunker, and herring or mackerel is available. Realistically, bunker is the most feasible and easiest bait to maintain during the summer months. If you’re not able to catch some yourself, just about any local bait shop should have some fresh ones on hand on a daily basis. Once you have your supply of fresh bunker, it is imperative to keep it cold and out of direct sunlight, otherwise it will bake in the heat causing it to become mushy and difficult to keep on the hook. The bunker should be kept in a cooler of ice protected in air tight plastic bags so they do not become water logged from melted ice, which will otherwise wash out the natural oils and flavor of the bunker causing it to become useless. Keep in mind that plastic zip lock bags sometimes leak so make sure the water is draining out of the cooler. Once called to duty, the chunks should be cut diagonal in two or 3 inch cubes and placed on the hook below the backbone.
In addition to chunking, chumming with chunks can be an asset to the bass fishing. However, it would be best to employ the chum while before and after a change of tide or when the speed of the current is under two knots. Otherwise you’ll just be chumming in vane since it will travel too far from the fishing zone. Unlike chumming for other saltwater species, doling out a steady heavy flow of chunks is not necessary as this approach can actually put a damper on the score by attracting crabs and bluefish which will beat the bass to the bait. Try to limit the freebies to a few intermitting chunks every few minutes or so. A flat of bunker cut into 1 inch cubes should last you through a tide.
Tide is of the Essence
The strength of the current and the depth of water will be the determining factor at how much wire line will be needed to reach the bottom. Rest assure that a reel spooled with 300 feet of wire will be plenty good for most situations. As with trolling, it is vital that the wire line is marked every 50 feet so you can measure the distance needed to reach the bottom zone. Most anglers use telephone bell wire crimped onto the wire or colored plastic tape to mark the line. I strongly suggest the bell wire. Once you reach the bottom, make a mental note at how much line is set out so that each time after, you’ll be able to send the rig to the same spot eliminating the guess work. Keep in mind that you will have to make adjustments as the speed of the current increases and decreases.
Hit the Rips
The concept with wire line is no different than mono or braided line; anchor up-tide of a rip, fishing either on the up-rise or downside and keep that bait in the hard water. Most, if not all, the bass action will come from the rips as these areas add up to current clashes and disoriented baitfish, which equates to a striper. It is always best to get at least fifty yards up-tide of the rip, and allow the bait to drift back and into the fish. Of course it depends on the conditions at the particular time; however, as a rule, anchor away from the rip and drift the baits back.
Summer bass action may just come down to the wire. Therefore, why not have an edge over you fellow boaters. The currents may be running hard but catching will be made easy.
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