Tips and Techniques > Rigging with wire > Double strand leader

One disadvantage of multistrand cable is that it is possible for a fish such as a large shark to gradually cut through each individual strand, weakening the cable until it breaks.

This is not so likely with single strand wire, and single strand has a much smaller diameter for a given breaking strain than cable, making it less visible in the water.
However single strand wire does not have the flexibility of cable and is much more prone to kinking, which weakens it severely.

One solution is the double strand wire leader which greatly enhances the flexibility of the wire, although still not to the flexibility of cable.

Take a length of wire just over twice the required length of the finished leader ( you will need a little spare to form the Haywire twist at the end ).

Thread on a swivel if required and double over the wire. Make an 8 – 10 turn Haywire twist to form a loop.

Find something to secure the loop to and loosely wrap the individual strands around each other. You are forming a sort of loose Haywire twist, but without the kinks which lock the Haywire twist together.

Continue to the end, and approximately 6” from the end grip the two strands with a pair of pliers.

Now form an 8 – 10 turn Haywire twist with the two strands to lock the loosely twisted wire together.

To attach a hook thread the double wire through the hook eye, and treating the double wire exactly as if it were a single strand form a 6 – 8 turn Haywire twist, wrapping the doubled wires around each other. Follow this with 4 – 6 Barrel wraps and break off the end by forming a cranking handle just the same as on a regular Haywire twist.

It’s more difficult to describe this leader than it is to make it, and you will be amazed at how much more flexible the double strand leader is compared to a single strand whilst still having a very small diameter for it’s breaking strain.

 

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