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SHORE ANGLING
Q Would you use wire or mono for a shore tope trace? If mono what’s the minimum breaking strain I should use?
CK says: Ultimately, this is going to come down to personal preference. Both monofilament and a good quality 49-strand wire will do the job. Sharks have sensory perceptions that human beings do not. I have seen first-hand and via online videos shark species bumping baits and opting not to take them when a thick uncoated wire is used. In my opinion, it is not because they see the wire and become cautious; it is because they sense something metal or magnetic. I have dropped one trace down for Galapagos sharks with 450lb wire and another with a thick, abrasion resistant monofilament. The sharks nosed the wire trace baits and immediately took the mono-biting trace without hesitation. However, if you use a coated wire trace, they will take the bait without a problem. In conclusion, I would always use a coated wire for tope, or a strong, abrasion-resistant mono.
If choosing steel wire, choose a brand like AFW Surflon in the 90lb variety. Surflon is coated, and it is an excellent quality wire. If I were choosing monofilament, I would prefer 200lb breaking strain, and a brand like Rovex 10X will do the job adequately. There are anglers who are comfortable with 150lb, and successfully land many tope. I like a bit more thickness in case a rock or the toothy fish starts to wear through it.
Your wire will not be bitten through, which is the low-risk you have with mono. However, in an environmental sense, a fish that ends up swimming about with a trace in its mouth is probably likely to wear through the mono faster, and the monofilament will degrade more quickly in salt water, in my opinion. The thickness of the mono is also kinder on the flesh of the fish around its mouth than a thin wire trace, which is also a consideration. In theory, the barb on the hook should be a type that dissolves and rusts in saltwater within a few days, meaning a hook can drop out. Either way it is not a good idea to
