vintage leader material

Started by oc1, October 25, 2016, 07:32:10 PM

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oc1

If someone were fishing for something with a mouth full of teeth, using light bait casting tackle, at the turn of the century (say about 1900), what would they have used for leader material? 

That would have been before monel wire.  I don't really need wire, but gut leader material just isn't working out and going without a leader isn't working out.  Was thinking maybe double strand brass or copper.  Your thoughts.
-steve

The Great Maudu

At the turn of the century I don't know if they had anything that would have been bite proof. The stories I've read talk about when the sharks came round it was a lost cause as they would shred the leaders they were using. I don't think they had it in their head that sharks could be a sporting proposition. Perhaps someone used piano wire. Maybe somebody on here will know. It's an interesting question though. What kind of a rig are using now?

Shark Hunter

I think you are correct on the Piano wire Mike.
I remember in Jaws when Quint went to the music store.
Life is Good!

oc1

Great call on the piano wire guys.  I must have been getting popcorn and don't remember that scene from the movie at all.  I looked up #12 piano wire and it is 0.029", 240 lb test.

It appears that piano wire has not changed much in 150 years.

We have some assorted piano wire around here.  It's good for making springs or when you need something really hard.  But, it's really stiff too.  We don't have the smallest size which seems to be 4/0 and 0.006".  I may try that.

I've been using various 80 yd and 100 yd knuckle busters from early 1900's.  I haven't found an affordable rod of that vintage that works as well as a homemade whole cane rod (cane pole with guides).  Still working on reliable, period appropriate, line too.

-steve


The Great Maudu

What in the heck are you trying to catch? Piranhas??

49Freak

Quote from: Shark Hunter on October 26, 2016, 06:17:13 AM
I think you are correct on the Piano wire Mike.
I remember in Jaws when Quint went to the music store.


Not to detract from Steve's original post, but god this was good for an early morning laugh!

oc1

#6
Mike, I'm trying to catch toothless bonefish with turn of the century equipment, or at least 1900 period appropriate equipment.  But, all the gut leader material is at least 70 years old now and deteriorating.  I can't make new gut leader without silk worms but fine wire might work.  

The thing that pisses me off is that fifteen years ago we had some silkworms and a mulberry tree for them to eat.  We were playing around with the silk, not the gut.  After loosing interest, the silk worms died out from neglect and a new starter colony is not available.
-steve



Tightlines667

Now you've got me thinking.  It m8ght be fun to break out an old Misselbach reel, loaded with linen line, and a bamboo boat rod, w/agat guides, and try for some bones with an old pflueger hook, weight, and gut leader topped w/shrimp...

O wait, don't think I can find the time to soak a bait. 

Cool idea though.
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

oc1

#8
Hi John,

Meisselbach Tripart 580 is my new favorite reel.  

The trouble with linen line and gut leader is that even the unused new old stock is rotten now.  You can still find new Irish linen thread though and I figured out how to twist it into cuttyhunk.  Making gut leader is more tricky and you must start with silk worm caterpillars that are just ready to begin spinning their silk cocoon.  The "gut" is not a stomach but sacs containing the stuff that the caterpillar will use to spin its silk.  A pet store in town was selling silkworms for a while but silkworm are not on any of the state Plant Pest Control Branch lists.  Not approved for import and not restricted.

-steve

smnaguwa

If you can, you should talk to old-timer ulua fishermen. I remember them talking about using piano wire as leader and soaking linen line before using. I used to have a JC Higgens reel with black silk line as a kid.

oc1

Linen, silk and cotton lines are stronger when wet, as are natural fiber ropes.  They will wet out quickly even when treated to be "waterproof".  When they are wet and soggy they get heavy and do not cast as well as synthetic lines.  Natural fiber lines were always dried after use to keep them from rotting.

Gut leader material is also stronger when wet but it takes a while to hydrate.  They used to keep gut leaders in little specially made tin boxes after their first use in order to keep them damp.
-steve

thorhammer

My Zane Gray books all reference piano wire in the 20's and 30's; I'd assume it was in play 20 years earlier.

Sonnett

Just looked in the 1918 Edward K. Tryon fishing tackle catalog. There are single strand Phosphor-Bronze wire leaders as well as woven "cable laid" wire leaders available in many lengths and tests. Somewhere around here, I have some woven wire leaders on cards that read "suitable for wooden minnows" which would lead me to believe they are from the early 1900s.

Tiddlerbasher


oc1

#14
Imagine making a decent 10 ft tapered leader.  Pull the strands out various lengths to get various diameters.  Then, tie about a dozen pieces all together.  

We got it easy now days.
-steve