Home made "Wire Baiters" for salmon...

What's up, guys?

Just thought I'd post up the DIY "wire baiters" I whipped up a minute ago. If you don't know, this is the style of hook the party boats use when trolling for salmon. It's a neat setup that lets you fine tune the rolling/spinning action of your bait by bending the wire.

They're made from Owner hooks and aircraft safety wire, and twisted up using some safety wire twisting pliers I picked up from Harbor Freight for ten bucks. 

Keeping myself busy while I listen to the Giants game...

Nice Alex, what size hooks are those?

They're 5/0 Owner Wide Gap Worm Hooks. Some folks on Coastside recommended them.

I've been very curious about this setup.  Can you elaborate on how it's used - maybe show how you rig a chovie or herring on it?

Thanks.   

Hey Eric.

I'm no expert on this setup, but I've watched the deck hands rig them up. You take the wire baiter (not yet attached to your line) and stick the eye end of it up through the baits body cavity starting from its side near the tail all the way up into the mouth. You can prick the skin first with the hook point or a bait threader to make it easier to stick. Then you poke a small tack or toothpick down through the top of its head, through the loop in the end of the wire, and hold it there by looping a little rubber band over both ends.

Then you just snap it on to the end of your line, give it a little bend, and get at it. Nice tight spirals. And you can rig up a few before you head out and just snap a new one on when you need it.

I'm gonna give it a shot. Only out $25 if I don't like it...

I'd like to see  you tube on these. I get the twisted wire but the wire on the shank how is that done?

I basically threaded the wire through the eye of the hook then made a few wraps down the shank the using needle nose pliers. The wire is plenty stiff to hold without any kind of knot. I tested one and the hook bent out and snapped before the wire even budged. And that was pulling MUCH harder than any fish ever will on 20-30 lb line.

Just whipped this one up this morning and took some pics along the way. Took all of 3 minutes or so to make. Hopefully this sequence makes sense. For some reason the picked showed up in the opposite order of how I uploaded them.

 

A tip for wrapping the wire around the shank... Hold it like I show in that picture. Grab the bend of the hook with your left hand, and slowly turn it while holding tension on the wire with your needle nose. Let the wire slip through the needle nose while holding enough tension to keep the wraps tight.

Thanks Alex, it all makes since now. Dumb question,  where do you get the wire from? Looks great and can't wait to try it out !!!
Jeff

Not a dumb question at all. It's actually pretty specific wire called "aviation safety wire" or "lock wire". It's usually used to wrap bolt heads to keep them from loosening.

I got mine from Grainger, but apparently you an also get it from performance racing shops, motorcycle shops, etc. Harbor Freight has some, too, but it's too thick to pass two strands through the eye of the hook. You'd have to do it with a single strand, which I'm sure would work fine.

Nice! If youre going for salmon why not start with barbless hooks?  From what I understand it's pretty risky to pinch them as far as a warden is concerned.

I would have, if they were readily available. I'd have to order barbless siwash or worm hooks.

These will all get filed down thoroughly before I use them. The Owner barbs just snap when you try to mash them.

I like crimping my barbs as it leaves a 'bump' behind that helps retain a hooked fish.  Yes, you are taking a chance to crimp your own, but just check each one - rub it hard with your thumb and don't settle for it until it's smooth.

I hate hooks that snap instead of crimping!  Eagleclaw crimps nicely - Gamikatsu not so much.

Good stuff, Alex.   

It seems like the "high end" hooks are made from hard, brittle metal. It helps the point stay sticky-sharp, but mashing the barbs sucks. They also don't file very easily since the metal is so hard.

Oh well...