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Predator tackle · Pike wire traces · Our take
Drennan Pike Wire Trace
Drennan 7 Strand Pike Wire, also listed as Drennan Pike Wire Trace
A dark bronze, seven-strand wire trace for pike anglers who want dependable bite protection without turning a neat lure or deadbait rig into a total faff.
- Woven from seven strands of stainless steel for pike trace work.
- Supplied as a 15m spool, giving plenty of material for multiple traces and repairs.
- Available in 15lb, 20lb, 24lb and 28lb breaking strains.
- Suggested crimp size is 0.75mm, with a dark bronze finish for a subtler look.
Make sure it’s the right one. This review covers the 15m spool of Drennan 7 Strand Pike Wire, available in 15lb, 20lb, 24lb and 28lb breaking strains.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
A solid, sensibly designed spool of pike wire with useful strain choices and plenty of material for home-built traces.
Desk-research score from specs, price and fishing fit · How we score
- Product Quality9/10
- Performance8.8/10
- Impact on Fish Catching8.7/10
- Ease of Use7.9/10
- Value for Money8.9/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Pike lure anglers. The flexible multi-strand construction suits compact traces that need to behave naturally around a moving lure.
- Deadbait anglers who make their own rigs. A 15m spool gives you plenty of wire for trace building, tweaks and replacing a chewed-up section.
Maybe skip if
- Anglers wanting a ready-to-fish trace. This is wire material on a spool, so you’ll need crimps, components and a little rig-building confidence.
- Fishing where a heavier trace is needed. The 15lb option may be too light for some demanding situations; choose the strain to match the venue and tackle.
The lowdown
Introducing the Drennan Pike Wire Trace
A dark bronze, seven-strand wire trace for pike anglers who want dependable bite protection without turning a neat lure or deadbait rig into a total faff.
- Woven from seven strands of stainless steel for pike trace work.
- Supplied as a 15m spool, giving plenty of material for multiple traces and repairs.
- Available in 15lb, 20lb, 24lb and 28lb breaking strains.
- Suggested crimp size is 0.75mm, with a dark bronze finish for a subtler look.
Quick verdict
A proper dependable pike trace material
Drennan’s 7 Strand Pike Wire is a straightforward, reliable choice for building wire traces, stinger rigs and other pike-safe end tackle. The seven-strand stainless construction should give you a useful balance of flexibility and bite protection.
The dark bronze finish is a nice touch for a less glaring presentation, while the choice of breaking strains lets you match the wire to smaller lure work or beefier deadbait and big-fish gear. Just remember: it’s trace material, not a ready-made rig, so you’ll need crimps and the right tools to finish it neatly.
A solid, sensibly designed spool of pike wire with useful strain choices and plenty of material for home-built traces.
Desk-research score from specs, price and fishing fit · How we score
- Product Quality
- 9/10
- Performance
- 8.8/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 8.7/10
- Ease of Use
- 7.9/10
- Value for Money
- 8.9/10
Seven-strand stainless construction and a dark bronze finish make this a well-specced trace material.
The flexible build should suit neat lure and deadbait traces while providing the bite protection pike fishing demands.
A less glaring, supple trace can help keep presentations tidy without sacrificing essential wire protection.
The wire itself is straightforward, but making secure crimped traces takes the right tools and a little practice.
A 15m spool offers plenty of trace material for repeated rig building, repairs and seasonal changes.
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 Pike Wire Trace (this one)
Top scorer
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 Pike Wire Trace
Pike fishing is one game where the end tackle needs to do more than simply look tidy. You can have the perfect lure, a cracking spot and a screaming take, but if your trace isn’t up to the job, things can go south in a heartbeat. Drennan’s 7 Strand Pike Wire is aimed squarely at that bit of kit-building: dependable wire for making your own pike-safe traces.
This comes on a 15m spool, so you’re buying a useful roll of trace material rather than one finished rig. That’s handy if you like to tie or crimp your own setups, because one spool can cover a fair few traces, replacement sections and the odd cheeky change during a long season. No need to ration every inch like you’re skint on the bank.
The wire is woven from seven strands of stainless steel. That multi-strand construction is the important bit here. It gives the material more flexibility than a stiff single-strand wire, which helps when you’re building compact lure traces or deadbait rigs that need to sit naturally instead of kicking out at odd angles.
Pike don’t care how much your lure cost. Their teeth are sharp, and ordinary monofilament or fluorocarbon can be a risky shout as the sole connection near the hooks. A proper wire trace gives you the bite protection you need, helping keep the business end between the fish and your main line. That’s not a fancy extra; it’s basic pike tackle sense.
The dark bronze finish is another sensible touch. It won’t make your trace invisible, of course, but it’s less bright-looking than bare, shiny wire. For clear water, wary fish or a neat lure presentation, that subdued finish is a welcome bit of common sense. You can get on with fishing the spot rather than worrying about a shiny bit of metal waving about.
There are four breaking strains to choose from: 15lb, 20lb, 24lb and 28lb. The 15lb version measures 0.25mm, while the 20lb, 24lb and 28lb options measure 0.28mm, 0.31mm and 0.35mm respectively. That gives you room to tailor the trace to the lure size, bait, rod and general mood of the venue.
For small lures and lighter predator tackle, the lower strains may give you a tidier, more responsive setup. Step up the strength when you’re using bigger baits, heavier lures or fishing around snags where you want a bit more insurance. Don’t just chase the thinnest wire, mate. Pike safety and sensible tackle come first, every time.
The suggested crimp size is 0.75mm, which keeps the rig-building side fairly straightforward. You’ll still want decent cutters, a proper crimping tool and a habit of checking every connection. A badly finished trace can undo all the good work of choosing quality wire. Take your time at home, and you’ll avoid a load of faff when the rods are off.
Overall, this is a cracking option for the angler who likes having control over the final rig. It’s not pretending to be a ready-made trace, and that’s both its appeal and its main drawback. If you’re happy making your own pike end tackle, Drennan’s seven-strand wire looks like a bob-on, no-nonsense spool to keep in the predator box.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Construction
- Woven from 7 strands of stainless steel
- Finish
- Dark bronze
- Spool length
- 15m
- Breaking strains
- 15lb, 20lb, 24lb and 28lb
- Diameters
- 15lb: 0.25mm; 20lb: 0.28mm; 24lb: 0.31mm; 28lb: 0.35mm
- Suggested crimps
- 0.75mm
Specs checked with Drennan, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
Flexible enough for tidy pike rigs
The main appeal here is the seven-strand build. Compared with stiff single-strand wire, multi-strand wire is better suited to trace work where you want a more natural movement through the water and fewer awkward kinks in your rig.
That makes it handy across lure fishing, deadbaiting and bottom-end predator rigs. Pick the breaking strain to suit the situation, use the suggested 0.75mm crimps, and you’ve got a solid starting point for making your own pike-safe traces.
What you’re buying
A flexible spool for building pike-safe traces
Drennan 7 Strand Pike Wire is woven from seven strands of stainless steel and supplied on a 15m spool. That makes it proper trace-building material rather than a finished rig. You can use it for lure traces, deadbait setups, stinger arrangements and replacement sections when a pike has given your end tackle a proper seeing-to.
The dark bronze finish keeps the wire looking relatively subdued in the water. More importantly, the multi-strand construction gives you useful flexibility for tidy rigs. It should be easier to work into a compact setup than a notably stiff single-strand wire, although it still needs sensible handling to avoid kinks and damaged sections.
Worth knowing. Drennan suggests 0.75mm crimps for this wire. Make sure the crimp is seated properly and use a suitable crimping tool rather than squashing it randomly with pliers. Check the finished trace before fishing, and replace it if the wire looks kinked, frayed or compromised.
Pick your setup
For anglers who like making their own rigs
This is a good fit for pike anglers who want to control trace length, hook placement and component choice. Lure anglers can build short, neat traces, while deadbait fans can make longer arrangements to suit their bait and float or leger setup. Having a spool in the tackle box also means a damaged trace doesn’t automatically end the session.
Choose the breaking strain to match the job. The 15lb and 20lb versions are the slimmer options, while 24lb and 28lb give you more substantial wire for bigger baits, heavier tackle or swims where you want extra confidence. The strongest option isn’t automatically best for every lure, so keep the whole presentation balanced.
It’s less suited to anyone who wants to open a packet, clip on a trace and start fishing. You’ll need crimps, swivels or clips, hooks where appropriate, and the confidence to make secure connections. That’s not difficult once you’ve got the knack, but there is definitely a bit more faff than with a pre-made rig.
Quick answers
The bits anglers usually want to know
Is seven-strand wire flexible? Yes, that’s the point of the construction. The strands work together to create a more supple trace material than a basic stiff wire, which helps with neat lure and bait presentations. It still needs treating properly: repeated sharp kinks are a reason to bin and replace a section.
How much wire do you get? The spool contains 15m. That’s enough for multiple traces, assuming you’re not making every one ridiculously long. It also gives you useful spare material for repairs, changes of hook arrangement and those moments when a pike, snag or careless tackle-box tangle ruins the original trace.
Does it replace safe pike handling? Not at all. A suitable wire trace is only one part of responsible pike fishing. Use appropriate hooks and tackle, carry proper unhooking tools, keep the fish wet and minimise time out of the water. Good trace material helps protect the fish and your rig, but the rest of your approach matters just as much.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Seven-strand construction offers useful flexibility for neat, natural-looking traces.
- Stainless steel wire provides proper bite protection for pike fishing.
- Four breaking strains cover lighter lure work through to more robust setups.
- A 15m spool is handy for making several traces rather than buying ready-made rigs.
- Dark bronze finish is less bright and flashy than bare wire.
Worth knowing
- You’ll need to make the traces yourself, so there’s a bit more faff than with ready-made rigs.
- Wire traces still need careful crimping and checking after use, especially around the hooks and swivels.
- The lightest 15lb option won’t be the right choice for every pike situation or snaggy swim.
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Your questions answered
What anglers want to know
The stuff you’d ask your mate on the next peg. Straight answers, no waffle.
01What is Drennan 7 Strand Pike Wire used for?
What is Drennan 7 Strand Pike Wire used for?
It’s used to make bite-resistant pike traces, including lure traces, deadbait rigs and other predator end tackle. The seven-strand stainless wire is flexible enough for tidy rig work while giving pike anglers proper wire protection.
02Which breaking strain should I choose?
Which breaking strain should I choose?
The spool comes in 15lb, 20lb, 24lb and 28lb versions. The lighter options can suit smaller, more delicate lure setups, while the heavier versions are better when your pike gear, bait size or swim calls for extra robustness. Match the wire to the whole setup rather than simply picking the thinnest option.
03What crimps fit Drennan 7 Strand Pike Wire?
What crimps fit Drennan 7 Strand Pike Wire?
Drennan suggests using 0.75mm crimps. Crimp them neatly and securely, then check the finished trace before fishing and after any pike or snag contact.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: a proper dependable pike trace material. The strongest reasons to choose it are seven-strand construction offers useful flexibility for neat, natural-looking traces. and stainless steel wire provides proper bite protection for pike fishing.; the main trade-off is you’ll need to make the traces yourself, so there’s a bit more faff than with ready-made rigs..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Seven-strand construction offers useful flexibility for neat, natural-looking traces.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Pike lure anglers: The flexible multi-strand construction suits compact traces that need to behave naturally around a moving lure.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “You’ll need to make the traces yourself, so there’s a bit more faff than with ready-made rigs.”
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.
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