[rweakley]

Ok, so here is my first write up. Ever. So I hope that a: it hasn't been done before, and b: you all can follow it.

I was looking at a video of an EZ Twist Pro on you tube thinking, "that looks great!" Then I saw the $250 price tag, and I thought, "I'll give it a shot by hand." Well that was an epic fail. I could only get one wire to wrap around the other which stayed straight. So thinking of the video, I pulled together some things I had laying around the house, and figured out a way to do a nice haywire for free.

The wire I used is Mustad 45 lb test leader wire. It is pretty thin for the test claimed. I'm a beginner recreational fisherman, so I'm hoping the kings won't bite through it! I'm not sure what they're capable of.

I used a circle topped screw from a picture hanging kit held in my drill like a bit. I had to use pliers and open the loop a bit.

I then wrapped the wire around a ball point pen to get a general loop shape. I made the loop about a 1/2 inch. It stretched a bit as the twists were formed and it laid flat rather than the loop. Then insert your hook/swivel to your loop. (The picture does not show this because I used scraps. I didn't think of doing the write up until all my leaders were already formed.)

I then clamped it to my workbench with a c-clamp so that the overlapping part was just hanging off the edge off the workbench. I didn't want to clamp the overlap for fear of flattening and weakening the wire.

Then I hooked on my "bit" and squeezed the trigger, but not full speed. Just be sure that the swivel hook stays at the end and doesn't try to get in one of the middle twists.

After twisting and sliding my bit out, I just wrapped the tag end by hand in a tight spiral. You may need to clamp the loop end of the twist in the flat part of a pair of pliers if you can't grip it tightly enough. Then break the tag end off by bending back and forth. I found out the hard way that what other sources say are true. If you clip it, you will have a sharp short wire poking out.

Hope this helps someone! If you want clarification on anything, let me know. Like I said before, this was my first how to write up!

 

[jross31455]

looks nice but i would use like 85lb wire for kings

 

[rweakley]

Here is a close up of a completed one.

I did a pull test on the set up by clamping one end of a wire with the other end attached to a swivel with a clip. I put a U-bar through the clip and pulled as hard as I could. The clip broke off while the swivel and my haywire were completely intact. Worked out for me, because I needed one more swivel without a clip!

Hopefully, I will get to test these on a real fish Saturday! If you're out on Pensacola Beach pier this weekend I may be asking you for some advice on fishing!

 

[Realtor]

looking good!

 

[rweakley]

looks nice but i would use like 85lb wire for kings

I went off the advice of one of the other forum members, who advised 40lb. He also recommended a multistrand wire, though. I purchased a few of those prefabricated, but wanted to try my hand at making my own. I'll keep that in mind for next time. If I start losing rigs, I'll switch to the multistrand leaders!

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Chris V]

I use 38lb and 44lb wire for kings.

Twists look good

 

[johnboatjosh]

Nice! Love the ingenuity.:thumbup:

 

[lastcast]

 

[biminitwist]

I tie all my haywires by using a pair of pliers and my fingers. Some folks swear by the little bullet-shaped gizmos, but I could never get the hang of 'em. Besides, it's just another piece of gear to lose on the boat. I've found several in the bilges of boats over the years.

The instructions on the package the wire comes in are pretty easy to follow. Just takes a little practice...

Hope this helps,

BT

 

[beeritself]

Very cool idea. After doing that a few times you'll probably get pretty fast at it, too. I however, jut use pliers and my fingers - yours look good though.

 

[rweakley]

I tried the method in the video, but I just couldn't get both wires to wrap around one another. One side remained completely straight while the other just wrapped around it. I had read that it was important they BOTH wrap around one another for max strength. So I scrapped about 5 or 6 attempts and decided to come up with a better method. The one I described worked for me pretty well, and once I figured it out, was quick and easy.

 

[brnbser]

same here, years of tournament fishing trial and error, I used 42# between my hooks and 38# on the leader and it worked the best for us

 

[SHO-NUFF]

I just twist the wire with needle-nose pliers and fingers. Bend a "crank" on the tag end and it will break off clean most of the time. Neat idea if you have the time.
A fishing buddy snells all of his hooks and carries a little stone to sharpen them also. I have yet to have him really out fish me and just tie them and throw some bait on them. Personal preference I guess, but he sure looks like he knows what he is doing!

 

[Bonsaifishrman]

Nice looking and what works for you. 40# range wire is plenty. If in doubt, I up it to around 60# wire. The smaller the better. When the water is clear, the fish can see the wire.

 

[GWally]

In the mid 50's I watched a guy in a little tackle shop rig wire on bucktails for Bluefish off Ocean City. Years later, I got to try it. Works great. If you have a problem getting the haywire started, you are probably not keeping the 2 pieces being twisted against each other offset far enough and the same on each side to allow you to do the quarter turn twists and not get a wrap. Visualize an imaginary line extending from the eye of the swivel or hook and you need to keep the wires on both sides of the apex of the twist consistent. If either end slips, you will get a wrap instead of a twist. Then, after doing the wrap, like the Aussie (?) shows, take the tag end, bend a 90 degree "handle" and work it back against the wrap a few times and it will break off clean with nothing to snag your hand on. I found wire heavier than #9 harder to work with and not as easy to "snap" off quickly. It's very rewarding to have professional looking twists. I need to order some wire but, found some electrical wire to show how it works for me. I just use my hands, well fingers. I did a couple of wraps but, ran out of wire. It really is very simple but, you need to keep both ends held tightly (left hand can be pliers but, not really necessary) and keep the wires spread evenly as the first picture shows.
Hope this helps.
I'm getting ready to order some wire but, will be going back to #9 in hopes of getting a Hoo on the end when I finally get my project in the water.

 

[Kamac]

Have you guys ever tried using safety wire pliers to twist the wire? I used to use them all of the time to safety wire items on my motorcycle. They are easy to use & the wire wraps always looked great. I never tried to use them with anything thicker than safety wire though but it may be worth a shot!

 

[Kenton]

Practice practice practice. And make sure that tag end bends off clean. No one likes bloody finger tips.