Wire Leader

[Nolongeramember]

Im looking to get connected to my first marlin and was wondering about leader choice. Instead of running a heavy and thick 150LB mono, would a multi strand wire be a better choice as you would only need 60lb at most and this will be much thinner than 150lb mono and have better abrasion resistance. Or will it?

Would a marlin shy away from a thin 60lb wire more than 150lb mono?

Thanks for any assistance.

[boattart]

I have caught a lot of marlin over the years generally these days using 500lb even up to 700lb mono so don't worry about the diameter of the mono. If you wanted to try wire I have used single strand which is fine but any kink dramatically reduces the strength and with hard working lures the entry point to the head will weaken too. It's generally only for light Xmas tree and feather lures only. For a fist timer I would recommend 200-250lb mono depending on the lure as it will have little effect on the lure action and no effect on the marlin bite itself. It is also a lot kinder to handle when the fish gets close to the boat.

Have you rigged your own gear before as I don't trust any rigged tackle?

[Nolongeramember]

Yes I will be rigging the gear myself. I will be live baiting most likely.

[boattart]

Definitely would NOT use multi strand wire for live baiting although you could try single strand particularly if you want to catch the odd shark. Whaler and Hammerheads (remember several Hammerhead species are protected) love a live bait and light 88lb wire will be fine for marlin too.

[Nolongeramember]

OK thanks mate..