FishTrip Steel Wire Leader – Crosslock Snap & Barrel Swivel | 30–70lb | 20–50cm | Tailor Mackerel GT

The FishTrip Steel Wire Leader is a complete wire leader assembly consisting of stainless steel wire, a crosslock snap at the lure end and a rolling barrel swivel at the mainline end. Available in 5 breaking strains from 30lb to 70lb, in 4 lengths from 20cm to 50cm, in Black, Silver and Green finishes. 30 or 50 piece packs. Suited to fishing for toothy species where monofilament and fluorocarbon leader would be bitten through: tailor, mackerel, wahoo, barracuda, pike and large GT. $26.95–$49.95.

Why Use a Wire Leader

Monofilament and fluorocarbon leaders are adequate for most species because their mouths and teeth are not sharp enough to cut line under fishing pressure. For toothy species, this assumption fails. Tailor, mackerel, wahoo, barracuda and large GT all have sharp, serrated or scissor-like teeth that cut monofilament and fluorocarbon cleanly during the fight — sometimes on the first bite. The loss is not gradual abrasion; the leader is cut in a single bite, often before the fish is within netting range.

A stainless steel wire leader prevents this failure mode. The wire cannot be cut by fish teeth regardless of the fish’s bite force or tooth sharpness. The trade-off is that wire is stiffer and more visible than fluorocarbon, which can reduce strikes from leader-shy species in clear water. For tailor, mackerel and wahoo, leader shyness is rarely an issue — these are aggressive, fast-striking species that commit to the lure rather than inspecting the leader before striking. For GT in very clear water, a shorter, lighter wire leader is preferred to a long heavy one.

Crosslock Snap

The crosslock snap at the lure end of the leader allows lures to be changed without retying. The snap has a cross-locking mechanism — it opens by pressing and crossing the two arms, and locks positively when released. Crosslock snaps are considered more secure than standard snap swivels under load because the crossing lock mechanism resists opening under sudden shock loads (such as the first run of a large mackerel or GT). The snap also allows the lure to swing and move more freely than a direct knot, which can restrict action on small lures.

Rolling Barrel Swivel

The rolling barrel swivel at the mainline connection point prevents line twist from transferring from the wire leader to the main line. Lures that spin on the retrieve (including some metal slugs, blade lures and soft plastics) generate continuous twist in the leader; without a swivel, this twist accumulates in the main line over repeated casts and eventually causes the line to kink, snarl and weaken. The rolling barrel swivel absorbs the leader-side twist and breaks the connection between leader rotation and mainline rotation.

Colour Selection

• Black — lowest visibility in low-light conditions (dawn, dusk, overcast and deep water); recommended for general wire leader use where leader visibility is a concern
• Silver — standard bright finish; suitable for high-speed trolling and pelagic species where leader visibility is not a primary concern
• Green — low visibility in green-tinted coastal and estuarine water; suitable for tailor and mackerel fishing in discoloured water where the green wire blends with ambient water colour

Breaking Strain and Length Guide

Select breaking strain based on target species and the strength of your mainline; select length based on how far back from the lure you want the wire to reach. Longer wire provides more protection when a fish rolls during the fight and the main body contacts the leader above the lure.

• 30lb / 20cm — light wire for smaller tailor, mackerel and garfish; suits PE #1–#2 braid and lighter spin outfits; short length for casting finesse lures where minimal wire is preferred to reduce restriction on lure action
• 40lb / 25cm — light-medium; general school mackerel and tailor from surf and rock platforms on PE #2–#3 braid; versatile all-round light wire leader for most Australian inshore toothy species
• 50lb / 30cm — medium; larger tailor, spotted mackerel and smaller wahoo; PE #3–#4 braid; suits medium spin and baitcast outfits from boats and rock platforms
• 60lb / 40cm — heavy; larger wahoo, spanish mackerel and GT in the 5–15kg range; PE #4–#6 braid on medium-heavy jigging and casting outfits; 40cm provides rolling protection across most of the fish’s body length at colour
• 70lb / 50cm — the heaviest and longest option; large GT, large spanish mackerel and wahoo in blue water; PE #6–#8 braid on heavy jigging and popping outfits; 50cm protects against body contact from large fish rolling at the boat

Specifications

• Brand: FishTrip
• Type: Wire leader assembly
• Wire: Stainless steel
• Lure end: Crosslock snap
• Mainline end: Rolling barrel swivel
• Breaking strains: 30lb, 40lb, 50lb, 60lb, 70lb
• Lengths: 20cm, 25cm, 30cm, 40cm, 50cm
• Colours: Black, Silver, Green
• Pack sizes: 30 piece (60–70lb) and 50 piece (30–50lb)
• Price: $26.95–$49.95