The only wire knot you really need is the haywire twist, the connection I use to tie solid single-strand wire to a hook for any fish with teeth. If you are chasing barracuda, mackerel, wahoo, sharks, or anything else that can bite through mono, you have to fish wire, and the haywire twist is the one connection that holds when it is tied right. On this How 2 Tuesday I show you exactly how I tie it, why I use pliers, and the finishing trick that keeps the tag end from slicing your hand open.
Watch now: press play in the player above and follow along.
For solid single-strand wire, the haywire twist is the connection I rely on. It is the one main knot for tying solid wire to a hook, and tied correctly it will not slip. Some people prefer braided coated wire with crimps or different knots, and I like coated wire for some light applications, but for solid wire the haywire twist is the answer.
A haywire twist slips when the twists are not spread out wide and even. The fix is in the technique: cross the wires, push your thumb down toward the pliers so the wire spreads out, and keep the twists wide as you turn them together. Do that for about six twists, then finish with four or five tight barrel wraps that sit next to each other without overlapping. Wide, even twists are what make it hold.
No, you do not need pliers. Plenty of people tie a haywire twist beautifully by hand, and commercial mackerel fishermen are faster with their hands than I will ever be with pliers. I use my Danco pliers because after tying thousands of these I just make a cleaner, prettier, more consistent twist with them, and I am faster that way. Use whatever gives you the best knot.
Do not cut it off with pliers or a cutter, because that leaves a razor-sharp stub that will slice your hand when you grab the leader on a hot fish. Instead, bend the tag end down toward the hook to kink it, then turn it like you are cranking a reel handle until it breaks off. That leaves a smooth connection with no sharp edge to cut you.
Because your hand contacts that end as you slide down the leader to land a fish. If there is a sharp tag end there and the fish surges, it will cut you like a razor. A clean haywire twist to a swivel gives you a smooth connection that just slides through your hand instead of cutting it, which is why I finish wire leaders with a swivel on the line side.
If you are fishing anywhere there are fish with teeth, you eventually have to learn wire. You can sometimes sneak a few barracuda or mackerel on mono, but if you want to catch them consistently, wire is not optional. I fish solid single-strand wire, usually around 40 pound test for general work. I keep a spool of stainless offshore wire and tie up a whole batch of rigs in advance so I am ready when the bite is on. Press play in the player above to hear how I store and rig it.
This is the part people skip, and you only skip it once. If you cut the tag end with a cutter, you leave a tiny stub that is as sharp as a razor blade. Grab that leader on a surging fish and it will open your hand up, so I never cut it. I kink it down toward the hook and crank it off like a reel handle so it breaks smooth. Pair that with a swivel on the other end and the whole leader slides safely through your hand. I show the motion in the player above.
Once the haywire twist to the hook is dialed in, the next question is how to connect that wire to your line. On the next How 2 Tuesday I tie the wire two different ways and test them against each other: a haywire twist to a swivel, and a wire-to-line Albright knot, which is a popular choice for this kind of fishing. Press play to see where this leads.
If you only learn one wire connection, make it the haywire twist, and learn to tie it well. Wide twists, tight barrel wraps, and that break-off finish are the whole ballgame.
Practice it at home until it looks clean every time, and finish your leaders with a swivel so nothing in your rig can cut you on a good fish. Then come back for the test episode. Press play in the player above.
haywire twist · solid single-strand wire · barracuda · mackerel · wahoo · sharks · Albright knot · swivel · Danco pliers · How 2 Tuesday · Tom Rowland Podcast
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill at a time, from knots and rigging to gear and tactics, in short focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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