Wire leaders

Most anglers agree that making your own is the way to go, but is there a good, commercial option available?

Metallic leaders are often necessary to avoid cutoffs from Spanish and king mackerel, bluefish, wahoo, barracuda, and sharks.

You can buy at most tackle stores both single-strand and multi-strand wire leaders that are pre-made with a barrel swivel on one end and a clip on the other end. You can usually tie your fishing line to the barrel swivel and clip the lure or hook onto the other end, which contains a snap. These pre-made wire leaders come in lengths ranging from 3-inches to 36-inches as well as different breaking strengths.

The single-strand wire will have the greatest resistance to being bitten through and will be of smaller diameter (and therefore less visible) than the multi-strand wire of an equivalent breaking strain.

But the single-strand wire is prone to kink, which can lead to general disappointment all around. Doubling the single-strand wire leader is a method often used to enhance the flexibility.

In comparison, multi-strand wire (cable) is more flexible and much less prone to kinking - but it is thicker and consequently more visible than single-strand leader wire of equivalent breaking strain.

You can also buy complete rigs where the line used in the rig is a single-strand or multi-strand wire. These rigs generally have a hook, weight, and barrel swivel and are ready to fish.

If you need a store, try BassPro Shop.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/knot-2-kinky-nickel-titanium-leader-wire

Nickel titanium wire is good if you are using lures or flies and just need a bite tippet to protect against fish with super sharp teeth. One can tie a perfection loop in their mono or fluorocarbon and then one in the knottable wire and loop the two pieces together. Tie a loop knot in the wire for joining it to the lure. Academy sells it also.

Academy sells some premade wire leaders. They also sell the crimping tools, sleeves, and wire for making your own.

You can buy chintzy wire leaders at Wallmart, but I'm wondering about the good stuff. Something you'd use for a six foot shark, for example.

I can make them in any length that you need. I use 240lb and 400lb coated or uncoated stainless steel multi stranded wire. I also make complete rigs for shark and deep water fishing.