Wire Size

[Big Epp]

I've noticed people use different diameter wires and different types of wire.  What size and type of wire do you use for which applications?  It would be really helpful to have a guide of sorts.

I've been using .032" (.9mm) type 316 stainless steel wire for all my baits thus far (it's all I've got right now).  But I know it's not sturdy enough for a muskie bait.  Also, it's too stiff to twist with a drill, I have to twist my line ties and hook hangers by hand.  Most of the baits I've made are smaller and designed for bass and panfish, but I'm starting to make some swimbaits and heavier stuff, so I know I need to scale up my wire to match.

What wire do you prefer to use for different types of baits/fish?

[eastman03]

Typical muskie baits seem to use .051" wire.  .062" is another common size.  I get my wire from stainless steel tig welding rods.  I'm able to twist the wire with a drill up to .062.  Maybe your wire is harder drawn than the stuff I'm using.  

[DGagner]

I go by gauge. I use 20 for smaller baits and 18 for larger.

[Hillbilly voodoo]

.051 for my lure and main species is pike and lake trout 

[mark poulson]

I guess it depends on what you want to use it for.

I use .051 sst wire from Lurepartsonline for my whopper ploppers.  It is bendable, but it takes some effort.  I made one with .062 wire, and almost hurt myself trying to form the rear hook hanger loop.

I use sst screweyes for my line ties and hook hangers, and also Spro heavy duty swivels, with a spinnerbait wire pin going side to side through the swivel eye that's up in the bait.

When I make cranks with the line tie in the bill, I use lighter sst wire, like in the .030 range, because I have to bend it to shape.

 

[JD_mudbug]

I also use the .051 stainless wire for most of my lures like through-wired lures, whopper ploppers and globe prop lures.

For line ties and hook hangers, I typically use LPO stainless .092 magnum screw eyes. On small lures (2.5 squarebill or smaller) , I use the stainless .072 screw eyes. I no longer use thinner diameter screw eyes or brass screw eyes as I have had those break. 

Occasionally, I use gate hardware screw eyes on large baits (2 oz and up) especially if I can find them in stainless. I find these in the draws in small hardware stores so I can just buy the screws. They typically come in a package with one screw eye and a second screw eye with a long latch hook attached. I don't want to waste money paying for the latch I will never use. The gate hardware screws come in sizes similar to size 206, 208, 210 and 212 screw eyes but the gate screws have a longer thread.

I had to pound a nail in a wall stud so I could bend .062 wire around it. I knew that size wire was not for me.

I will have to try finding some .062 tig rods. On some really big baits (5+ oz), I would like to use that size wire.

[mark poulson]

On 2/20/2020 at 3:54 PM, JD_mudbug said:

I also use the .051 stainless wire for most of my lures like through-wired lures, whopper ploppers and globe prop lures.

For line ties and hook hangers, I typically use LPO stainless .092 magnum screw eyes. On small lures (2.5 squarebill or smaller) , I use the stainless .072 screw eyes. I no longer use thinner diameter screw eyes or brass screw eyes as I have had those break. 

Occasionally, I use gate hardware screw eyes on large baits (2 oz and up) especially if I can find them in stainless. I find these in the draws in small hardware stores so I can just buy the screws. They typically come in a package with one screw eye and a second screw eye with a long latch hook attached. I don't want to waste money paying for the latch I will never use. The gate hardware screws come in sizes similar to size 206, 208, 210 and 212 screw eyes but the gate screws have a longer thread.

I had to pound a nail in a wall stud so I could bend .062 wire around it. I knew that size wire was not for me.

I will have to try finding some .062 tig rods. On some really big baits (5+ oz), I would like to use that size wire.

JD, I use the same size screw eyes for my hinges, with a piece of either .051 or .062 wire as the hinge pin.  I also use the same sst screw eyes for line ties and rear hook hangers.

I don't go any bigger on my hardware, because I think it's overkill for the bass I fish for.

Is the tig rod softer than the .062 wire form from Lurepartsonline?

[JD_mudbug]

I have not tried tig rod yet. Based on what Eastman said,  I am hoping it is softer than the LPO shaft wire.

According to an old post, tig rod comes in varying hardness. I just need to locate a welding supply shop near me.

http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/9762-stainless-steel-wire/

I tried using the LPO .062 and it was brutal to shape. I was barely able to bend it into a safety pin loop for a trolling spinnerbait for pike.

We have some big pike in the some of the waters I fish. I've had .040 wire ruined by 40" pike,  bent and twisted so bad the wire broke when trying to fix it. I have not had a .040 wire break during a fight yet. For bass in the Northeast, .040 and .051 is strong enough.  

I have had .051 bent by pike, but I was able to bend it back without damage.

Pike thrash a lot during the fight. They usually go crazy in the net. I use a rubber hook-proof net. If a part of the lure gets hung in the holes in the net, pike can can exert a lot of force on it.

[woodieb8]

hi.we use tig wire.its 1/16th. it bends in a wire bender..thats for our wooden lures. in molded lures we use malins aircraft tie wire 0.51..all our lures are 6 inch and upwards to 15 inch.

[JD_mudbug]

Thanks Woodie.

Do you know what grade the tig wire you are using is-  304, 308, 316, etc ?

I can't find a supply in my area to check out and will most likely have to order it.

[eastman03]

The tig wire I use is 308 I believe. Not exactly sure that that refers to. 

[Laker]

Hi eastman03,

How do you bend 308 tig wire? Would the Hagens Professional Wire Former handle it? My bucktail twister broke bending it. Hope to hear from you.

jim

[Outlaw4]

the picture of the globe i recently put in the gallery uses .062 wire, you can just kind of see the front wrap in the picture. its really easy to do with a round nose pliers to make the loop, then a punch (or broken drill bit i use lol) and a vice grip. Once you make the loop, put it around the punch that is secured in vice, grab the tab end with the vice grip, do half a wrap, then flip the loop on the punch, half a wrap etc to get two or three or whatever you like. Its super easy to do on both ends this way. Most people dont leave themselves long enough tag ends. Wire is cheap lol

Edited February 6, 2022 by Outlaw4

[JD_mudbug]

I bend heavy wire the same way as you do, Outlaw4.  I use Knipex round nose pliers model 22 02 160 to make the loop. Salty recommended the 22 02 140 in one of his older posts. I couldn't find that size plier and got the next size up in length which is the 160mm plier. The 140mm makes a 7/64" loop and the 160mm makes a 1/8" loop. You can make a smaller loop by using the Knipex to form the loop and then squeezing it with normal pliers.

https://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/34959-recommendations-for-wire-looping-pliers/#comment-287792

 

 

[eastman03]

JD_mudbug is on it.  You need some heavy duty knipex round nose pliers to make nice bends/loops, paired with vise grips, or a good set of pliers/kliens to pull on the "free" end.  Anything small or no name you will bend the pliers eventually.  I don't make alot of baits, so bending a few heavy duty wire harnesses is no prob for my hands (I work on power poles and wire as big as my arms, so .062" isn't to difficult).  I have made a heavy duty jig in the past for a lure i made a lot of.  I'll see if i can get a pic. I pound some nails into a board where i want the bends, and cut the head of the nails off.  So i can use my kliens to pull the wire around the bends, and get a consistent wire harness.  

Good quality tools make life slightly easier.  I've never used any pre made bending tools.  

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