Marking wire & mono

[Megabyte]

Does anybody have a good way of marking footage on wire & mono?

I've tried the rubber band tied w/floss & super glue(it slides) &
I've tried the Spike-it soft plastic and worm dye. (Does even discolor it)

I guess I could attach a tape measure, but then I wouldn't need the wire or mono :-)

[Megabyte]

I also tried the spike-it worm & chunk paint.
At least on the wire it came right off after 4 - 6 hours of drying.

[mikecc]

spike-it makes one just for metal finishes. Or they use to last time I ordered it was about 6 years ago

[Harrible]

I have tried marking line with floss/rubber bands, tape, etc., too Megabyte, with similar non-results. Even though they move, they only move when snagged up on a guide, etc....or so it seems for me. So I take care when letting line out....if it slides an inch or so after several trips, no big deal.

Seems the only sure fire way is to put a shot of braid or mono at the 100 ft, 200 marks, (75, whatever you prefer) with the necessary small swivels with knots and haywire twists...added benefit is one can fairly safely jig without damaging the wire.

Harrible

[Mr. Sandman]

I just bought some of that Inconel wire down at Quaker Lane that CS was talking about at the recent SB show . The fellow there has an interesting way of "marking" it. What he does is backs with mono, then adds 100' of wire, then 2 yards of mono, then 100' of mono, 2 yrs of mono and 100' of wire then 5yards of floro leader. All the connections are made with a #4 spro swivel. What you have is wire marked every 100 ft by mon breaks. He also says it works great because you stop the line at the mono breaks so the wire is not in contact with the rod tip.

I have not tried it myself yet but I may give it a whirl on one of my rods and check it out.

[Homerun04]

Sandman --
Dave down at Quaker Lane spooled my wire for me this year with that exact technique. It looks good. Only questojn I have will be if the small swivel hangs up on my guides while retreiving. I'll let you know....

[JohnR]

Sandman - that's exactly what Harrible just said ...

Yes, you can mark with the dracron or braid, and also jig on the tip with it....

[Fishpart]

Just a thought has anyone ever tried Dykem metal layout ink? It is solvent based and just may work.

[Mr. Sandman]

oops sorry, have not had my cup of coffee yet. (long weekend)

[fishsmith]

Could you mark the line with white paint/white out and brush over that w/clear nailpolish or epoxy? I've never marked wire line, but I've had good success with clear nailpolish on flys.

[Geoff Mongeon]

All,

I do a ton of wire-line jigging in the grass patches in the Cape Cod bay, deep holes on the backside (nauset), and rips along monomoy. All three of these areas require different jigs and presentations. Most guys would say you would need different rigs to by this versital. However, since I have my wire marked at different footages, I can use one rod in all three locations.

To mark footages, I do not use tape, paint, etc.. These tend to slip or wear off. Rather, I use 10 to 15 foot sections of decron between each section of wire. The beauty of dacron is that you can splice it without a knot. In addition, dacron does not stretch like mono will. If you have ever fished billingsgate and seen the guys working their rods like madmen, they are freeing their jigs of weed. (much more effective then reeling in to clean the weed) Since there is no strech in Decron, the jig snaps and jerks with the rod, which rips through globs of weed. If you use mono, the strech absorbs the snapping action and will not clean the jig.

I guess I could go on for days, but since I am limited I will stop here. Good luck with the wire. It is tough at first but pays off quickly.

Geoff

PS. if you use spro swivles to make connections, use the smallest ones availible. They do not get caught in guides.

[Mr. Sandman]

"The beauty of dacron is that you can splice it without a knot"

You will have to show me that trick. How does one conntect dacron to wire without a knot?

[JohnR]

It's more of a twist than a knot on the wire side...

[Megabyte]

John

Is it a "loop to loop" connection?

[JohnR]

I haven't done it enough successfully to walk you or anyone thru it. My wire skills are worse than my lousy knot skills


Funny thing is, last time I did it, I got a spike of wire in the finger...

[Megabyte]

Most of the one's I've seen done are a simple "loop to Loop" so you put it over the spool or the reel.

ie dacron = a big loop to go over the reel/spool tied with a double overhand knot. This allows going over the spool of wire/dacron and the reel while using a small "loop/eye" on the wire side.

I think mikecc gave this tip. He's been very helpful. Wish his store was closer.

[Geoff Mongeon]

To explain a dacron splice through a web site may be next to impossible. However, once you see a visual it is very simple to understand and complete. Basically, you are making a conection with two loop knots. The wire is a bisic Haywire twist (lope A) and the dacron is spliced (lope B) . To splice dacron you need to buy or make a splicing needle.

Starting twelve inches from the tag end, insert the splicing needle into the dacron and fish it through the dacron for approx. 6 inches. Once you fish through 6 inches of dacron, poke the needle back through the wall. Insert and 1/8" of the tag end into the needles hole and pull the tag end back through the center of the dacron.

I told you it was going to be hard to explain over the internet. Anyhow, It is very succesful and if you need more help ask a local tackle dealer or let me know and we can connect some how.

Geoff

[Mr. Sandman]

I've seen the twist/splice connection before...I'd still call it a knot.
I think I would rather have an spro swivel(s) then that splice or loop to loop connections.

[Megabyte]

Geoff,

Great description ! I even understand, I think.

I have tested marking wire with the "Testors Model paint" in my shop. Lot's of good colors. It sticks good & hard to scrape off. Haven't tried it for real yet other than in my shop, but this was the best paint I found so far.

[Rip Runner]

A friend just e-mailed this to me as I was reading your posts on marking wire.
Premium Striped Bass Monel Trolling Wire Line - Marked Every 50 Feet!

(2 ea) PM40-300, .24 dia, 40lb test, 300 ft.

The premium kit includes 2 each of the pre-marked monel trolling wire, each spool contains 300 feet of 40lb test monel and it is marked every 50 feet. Rig up with the very best and go catch some fish! Malin makes the product.

I have been wire fishing for years, but I don't try to mark my wire. All of my rods are set to specific lengths, some for shallow rips, and some for deep water. I feel that while jigging, you should always have the dacron going through the guide on the rod tip, not your wire. If wire is being jigged on the rod tip, it will bend and weaken.

[mikecc]

I had that Pre marked malin last year and it's Crap.

They Mark the wire with Plastic crimps .Second use and their gone.

[Mr. Sandman]

I am going to try the #3 spro swivels, they are small and pretty strong (150# test) and #4's are 200# and seem a tad big.
Also, I find myseld letting out most of the wire anyway so marking 50 and 100' seem overkill I may mark at 150, 200 250 and backing.

[Rip Runner]

Thanks Mike, good to know. I'll call my buddy and tell him not to bother.

[Megabyte]

Mike,

Thanks again. My neighbor just gave me a roll of the premarked. Guess I just cut it up in 100' pieces.

I won't waste the time waiting for the marks to fall off.