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Predator tackle · Pike trace wire · Our take
Drennan E-Sox Super Trace Pike Wire
15m spool · 24lb, 28lb, 34lb and 40lb options
Nylon-coated, seven-strand stainless wire for making your own pike traces, with four strengths and a handy 15m spool. Straightforward kit — just give those connections the attention they deserve.
- Supplied on a 15m spool for making your own traces.
- Core made from seven woven ultra-fine stainless steel wire strands.
- Tough, translucent brown nylon polymer coating improves durability and kink resistance.
- Four strengths available, from 24lb at 0.36mm to 40lb at 0.45mm.
Make sure it’s the right one. This is loose trace-making wire, not a ready-tied pike trace. All four breaking strains share the seven-strand stainless core and translucent brown nylon coating.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
A useful coated-wire option for custom pike traces, with sensible strength choices; the quality of your assembly remains crucial.
- Product Quality8.8/10
- Performance8.8/10
- Impact on Fish Catching7.9/10
- Ease of Use7.8/10
- Value for Money8.4/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Pike anglers making their own deadbait traces. You can set the trace length and hook spacing around your chosen bait rather than work around a fixed ready-made rig.
- Organised anglers who carry spare traces. A spool lets you build a selection at home and replace suspect rigs promptly on the bank.
Maybe skip if
- Beginners wanting an immediately usable trace. This is wire only; a suitable ready-made pike trace removes the initial assembly faff.
- Anglers choosing ordinary carp or coarse hooklinks. This is specialist predator trace material, not a substitute for braid or mono in a normal carp, feeder or float rig.
The lowdown
Introducing the Drennan E-Sox Super Trace Pike Wire
Nylon-coated, seven-strand stainless wire for making your own pike traces, with four strengths and a handy 15m spool. Straightforward kit — just give those connections the attention they deserve.
- Supplied on a 15m spool for making your own traces.
- Core made from seven woven ultra-fine stainless steel wire strands.
- Tough, translucent brown nylon polymer coating improves durability and kink resistance.
- Four strengths available, from 24lb at 0.36mm to 40lb at 0.45mm.
Quick verdict
A sensible staple for the pike tackle box
E-Sox Super Trace makes plenty of sense if you like building pike traces around your own baits and hardware. The coated seven-strand construction puts durability and kink resistance at the heart of the package.
The catch? You still need to make sound connections and check the wire regularly. It’s a useful spool for a prepared predator angler, rather than a shortcut for someone who wants to clip on and cast.
A useful coated-wire option for custom pike traces, with sensible strength choices; the quality of your assembly remains crucial.
- Product Quality
- 8.8/10
- Performance
- 8.8/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 7.9/10
- Ease of Use
- 7.8/10
- Value for Money
- 8.4/10
The seven-strand stainless core and protective nylon coating make a sensible construction for pike trace material.
Added durability and kink resistance are useful benefits, though sound connections and regular checks remain essential.
Custom hook spacing can help you rig baits appropriately, but wire alone won’t create more takes.
Spool format offers flexibility but requires more skill and preparation than a ready-made trace.
The 15m format has practical value for regular trace-makers, while occasional users must also account for tools and hardware.
Head to head
How it stacks up
Side by side with the closest kit we've reviewed. This updates as we add more reviews.
Drennan
Drennan E-Sox Super Trace Pike Wire (this one)
Top scorer
Scores are our own, out of 10. Best in each row is in green. Prices change, so check the latest before you buy.
The full rundown
Everything you'll want to know about the Drennan E-Sox Super Trace Pike Wire
Pike trace wire isn’t the glamorous bit of predator fishing, but it’s one of the bits you really don’t want to get wrong. Drennan E-Sox Super Trace Pike Wire is aimed squarely at anglers who want to make their own traces rather than buy every rig ready-tied. You get a 15m spool of coated stainless steel wire, with four breaking strains to choose from. No hooks, no swivels, no finished rig — just the material that sits between your tackle and a mouthful of teeth.
The core uses seven woven ultra-fine stainless steel strands, protected by a tough nylon polymer coating. That outer layer matters because it increases durability and resistance to kinking, both useful qualities when traces spend their lives being cast, handled and pulled through awkward situations. Don’t read that as kink-proof, though, mate. Any wire trace needs checking, particularly after a fish or a proper tangle. The sensible attraction here is a protected, practical construction, not some magical material you can fish indefinitely without giving it a glance.
The coating is translucent brown, which gives the wire a subdued finish rather than an obviously bright appearance. That’s a sensible fit for predator tackle, but there’s no need to turn the colour into a promise of extra takes. Where you put the bait, how naturally the rig sits and whether you’re fishing a productive spot matter far more than a tidy-looking trace alone. Think of the finish as part of a workmanlike package: useful, unobtrusive and without much to get carried away about.
There are four options: 24lb at 0.36mm, 28lb at 0.38mm, 34lb at 0.41mm and 40lb at 0.45mm. That gives you a choice of strength and diameter rather than one wire expected to cover everything. Pick with the whole outfit in mind, including your bait or lure, casting demands and the swim you’re tackling. The weight of a hoped-for pike isn’t a sensible way to choose breaking strain. Equally, simply grabbing the thinnest option for a neater-looking rig misses the bigger picture.
For deadbait fishing, the big advantage of a spool is being able to build around the bait. A small bait and a chunky one don’t necessarily want identical hook spacing, and making your own gives you control over that. You can also prepare different traces before the session instead of fiddling about with cold fingers when bite-time rolls round. Keep finished rigs neatly stored so they’re not getting bent and tangled in the bag. A little organisation at home saves a surprising amount of faff beside the water.
Of course, loose wire only becomes a dependable trace when the connections are right. Use a joining method suitable for this coated wire and follow the relevant maker’s instructions; don’t assume a knot or twist used on another material will behave the same way. If you’re crimping, match the sleeves and tool to the wire and check every finished connection carefully. A neat-looking joint isn’t automatically a sound one. If trace-making is new to you, getting an experienced pike angler to show you is a cracking starting point.
Once you’re fishing, inspection is part of the routine rather than an optional extra. Check the wire and connections after a pike, after pulling free of a snag and whenever the rig comes back looking twisted. Sharp kinks, damaged strands or suspicious movement at a connection are reasons to change it, not straighten it vaguely and hope. Carrying spare finished traces makes that decision dead easy. The coating helps with durability, but it doesn’t replace your judgement, and saving a bit of wire isn’t worth leaving hooks in a fish.
Overall, Super Trace is an appealing choice for the pike angler who enjoys getting the small details bob on. The 15m spool suits preparing a batch of rigs, while the strength range lets you choose deliberately rather than make do. If you only want one trace to clip on for an occasional trip, a suitable ready-made option is simpler. If you want control over length, hook spacing and components, this is a sensible place to start — provided you give the finished rig as much attention as the wire itself.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Spool length
- 15m
- Core
- Seven woven ultra-fine stainless steel wire strands
- Outer coating
- Tough nylon polymer, translucent brown
- Lighter options
- 24lb / 10.9kg: 0.36mm; 28lb / 12.7kg: 0.38mm
- Heavier options
- 34lb / 15.4kg: 0.41mm; 40lb / 18.2kg: 0.45mm
Specs checked with Drennan, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
Build around the bait, not the other way round
Making your own traces lets you choose the length and hook spacing to suit the deadbait in front of you. That’s the real appeal here: control over the finished rig.
Treat the coating as extra protection, not permission to ignore damage. A kinked or suspect trace belongs in the scrap pile, however tempting another cast might be.
Construction and choices
Closer look: coated wire, ready for your own rig
You’re buying a 15m length of seven-strand stainless steel trace wire with a translucent brown nylon coating. Its job is to provide the tooth-resistant part of a pike rig, while the coating adds durability and kink resistance. It’s a component, not a complete fishing system.
The four strength options come with a clear diameter trade-off. Moving from 24lb to 40lb takes you from 0.36mm to 0.45mm. Choose the version that fits your tackle and fishing demands, then pair it with suitable hardware. Strong wire won’t rescue a poor swivel or a badly finished connection.
Worth knowing. Don’t divide 15m by your intended finished trace length and expect that many completed rigs. Connections, trimming and the odd rejected section all use material. Leave yourself working room rather than cutting every piece too tight.
Your fishing
Who it suits: the angler who likes rigs sorted before leaving home
This makes most sense for regular pike anglers building a selection of traces for different baits and situations. Being able to choose hook spacing is particularly handy for deadbait rigs. Prepare spares, store them without tight bends and you can swap a suspect trace instead of repairing it in a hurry.
It’s less convenient for someone starting from an empty tackle box. Suitable cutters, connection tools where needed, hooks and swivels all add to the shopping list. A properly chosen ready-made pike trace is the simpler route if you’re not yet confident assembling your own.
Although it sits in the hooklinks category, keep the discipline straight: this is predator trace wire. It isn’t a normal carp hooklink or silverfish hooklength. Likewise, don’t assume every lure or livebait arrangement needs the same trace layout; some pike rigs also require a correctly arranged uptrace.
Before you rig up
FAQs in full: the useful bits before you buy
Is it ready to fish? No. The spool contains wire only, so you’ll need the appropriate components for your rig. That’s the appeal for custom trace-making, but it means you should budget for the complete setup rather than the spool alone.
Which strength is best? There isn’t one answer for every swim. Consider the loads from casting your chosen bait or lure, the rest of your tackle and the conditions. The available strengths are 24lb, 28lb, 34lb and 40lb. If you’re unsure, get advice specific to your outfit rather than choosing solely on diameter.
Can you keep using it after it kinks? Kink resistance is an advantage, not a guarantee against damage. A sharp kink or damaged strand is a reason to replace the affected trace. Check connections too, and don’t carry on with a suspect rig simply because the rest of the wire looks tidy.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Lets you tailor trace length and hook spacing to your bait.
- Nylon coating adds useful durability and kink resistance.
- Four clearly defined strength and diameter options.
- 15m spool gives you material for multiple traces and replacements.
Worth knowing
- Requires separate hardware, suitable tools and careful assembly.
- Kink-resistant doesn’t mean kink-proof; damaged sections still need replacing.
- The heavier options add diameter, so stronger isn’t a free upgrade.
Want one?
Add it to your Wanted list or join a Group Buy — shops see anonymous totals only.
Your questions answered
What anglers want to know
The stuff you’d ask your mate on the next peg. Straight answers, no waffle.
01Is Super Trace a ready-made pike trace?
Is Super Trace a ready-made pike trace?
No, mate. It’s 15m of coated wire on a spool. You supply the hooks, swivels and any other suitable components needed for your chosen trace.
02Which breaking strain should I choose?
Which breaking strain should I choose?
Choose for the whole outfit, bait or lure, casting demands and swim. The options are 24lb, 28lb, 34lb and 40lb; the stronger versions are also thicker. Don’t choose purely by the size of pike you hope to catch.
03Does the coating stop it kinking?
Does the coating stop it kinking?
It improves kink resistance and durability, but it doesn’t make the wire indestructible. Inspect after fish, snags and tangles, and replace any section with sharp kinks, damaged strands or suspect connections.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: a sensible staple for the pike tackle box. The strongest reasons to choose it are lets you tailor trace length and hook spacing to your bait. and nylon coating adds useful durability and kink resistance.; the main trade-off is requires separate hardware, suitable tools and careful assembly..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Lets you tailor trace length and hook spacing to your bait.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Pike anglers making their own deadbait traces: You can set the trace length and hook spacing around your chosen bait rather than work around a fixed ready-made rig.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “Requires separate hardware, suitable tools and careful assembly.”
Tackle Index’s take from the product details and fishing fit we checked. We haven’t found enough independent public feedback to call this an angler consensus yet.
Angler score
What our readers rate Drennan E-Sox Super Trace Pike Wire
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Owner reports
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