Photos: Fox · supplied retailer imagery
Predator tackle · Pike trace wire · Our take
Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire
10m spool · 26lb, 40lb or 65lb
A proper handy spool of coated steel wire for building pike and predator traces, with enough flexibility for bait and lure work without turning into a kinked mess.
- 10m spool of 49-strand coated steel wire.
- Super supple and virtually kink-resistant for predator trace building.
- Designed for pike and other predator traces, including bait and lure setups.
- Supplied with crimps and available in 26lb, 40lb and 65lb breaking strains.
Make sure it’s the right one. This review covers the Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire, supplied on a 10m spool and available in three breaking strains.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
A versatile, well-specced trace material for anglers who like building their own predator rigs.
- Product Quality9/10
- Performance8.9/10
- Impact on Fish Catching8.8/10
- Ease of Use8.3/10
- Value for Money8.8/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Pike anglers making their own traces. You can choose the length and build traces around your own hooks, swivels and bait arrangements.
- Anglers fishing both deadbaits and lures. The supple wire suits bespoke bait and lure traces, while the steel construction helps protect against sharp teeth.
Maybe skip if
- Anglers wanting a ready-to-fish trace straight from the packet. This is trace material, so you’ll need to cut, crimp and assemble it yourself.
- Light-tackle anglers targeting smaller predators. The heavier 40lb or 65lb options could be unnecessarily bulky when a 26lb trace is enough for the job.
The lowdown
Introducing the Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire
A proper handy spool of coated steel wire for building pike and predator traces, with enough flexibility for bait and lure work without turning into a kinked mess.
- 10m spool of 49-strand coated steel wire.
- Super supple and virtually kink-resistant for predator trace building.
- Designed for pike and other predator traces, including bait and lure setups.
- Supplied with crimps and available in 26lb, 40lb and 65lb breaking strains.
Quick verdict
A cracking choice for making your own predator traces
Fox’s 49-strand wire is a versatile bit of terminal tackle for pike anglers who’d rather build traces to suit the swim, bait and lure in front of them.
It’s supple, virtually kink-resistant and supplied with crimps, so you can put together neat bespoke traces without a load of faff. Pick the breaking strain sensibly and it’s a bob-on option for regular predator work.
A versatile, well-specced trace material for anglers who like building their own predator rigs.
- Product Quality
- 9/10
- Performance
- 8.9/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 8.8/10
- Ease of Use
- 8.3/10
- Value for Money
- 8.8/10
The 49-strand coated construction and virtually kink-resistant design point to a refined, practical trace material.
Its supple nature should help it behave well with both baits and lures while retaining steel trace protection.
A tidy, flexible trace can help presentations fish naturally, while reliable tooth protection prevents avoidable cut-offs.
The wire is straightforward to crimp and crimps are supplied, but you still need to build and check each trace yourself.
A 10m spool offers plenty of trace material and the three breaking strains make it useful across a range of predator setups.
Head to head
How it stacks up
Side by side with the closest kit we've reviewed. This updates as we add more reviews.
Fox
Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel 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 Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire
If you’re building your own pike traces, the Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire is the sort of spool that can live in the predator box and earn its keep. It’s made from 49 strands of coated steel, comes in a generous 10m length and is designed to be crimped into bespoke traces. Simple idea, but a proper useful one.
The job of a pike trace is pretty clear: stop sharp teeth reaching your main line or leader while keeping the business end fishing neatly. This Fox wire is built for exactly that. The steel gives you the bite protection you need, while the multi-strand construction keeps it supple rather than turning your rig into a stiff bit of garden wire.
That supple feel matters more than you might think. With deadbaits, you want the trace to sit naturally around the bait rather than sticking out like a coat hanger. With lures, you want enough freedom for the lure to work properly and for the hooks to do their thing when a pike comes in with a crunching take. A wire that behaves is always nicer to fish.
Fox describes the construction as virtually kink-resistant, which is a very handy trait when you’re moving between swims, changing baits or dealing with a trace that’s seen a few close encounters. No wire is magic, mind, and any trace should be checked after a fish or a snag. But resisting those nasty bends helps keep your terminal end tidy and dependable.
You get 10m on the spool, so there’s plenty of material for making a batch of traces rather than just one or two. That suits anglers who like to prepare before a day out. Make a few different lengths, sort a couple for deadbaits and keep some lure traces ready in the tackle box. When the rods are off, you want to be fishing, not faffing with wire on the bank.
The crimpable design also gives you plenty of control. You can build a trace to suit your hook pattern, bait size and fishing style, then add the swivels or clips you prefer. That’s useful if you fish different waters, because a short trace for a lure and a longer bait trace don’t always want to be built the same way.
Fox supplies crimps with the wire, which keeps the setup fairly straightforward. You’ll still want proper crimping pliers and a bit of care. Feed the wire through cleanly, avoid trapping it awkwardly and check every finished connection by hand. A neat trace is one thing; a neat trace that stays together when a lump hits the bait is the real goal.
There are three breaking strains to choose from: 26lb, 40lb and 65lb. The 26lb and 40lb versions cover the usual UK pike trace jobs, while the 65lb option is aimed at the largest predators. Don’t automatically grab the heaviest spool because bigger sounds better. Match the wire to your hooks, lure weight and overall tackle.
For most anglers, the attraction is the balance. You’re getting steel tooth protection without giving up the flexibility that makes a trace pleasant to fish. It’s not a ready-made trace, so there is a little more work involved, but if you like tailoring your rigs, this Fox spool is a cracking bit of predator tackle to have ready for bite-time.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Length
- 10m spool
- Construction
- 49-strand coated steel wire
- Character
- Super supple and virtually kink-resistant
- Breaking strains
- 26lb / 12kg, 40lb / 18kg and 65lb / 29kg
- Trace building
- Suitable for crimping; crimps supplied
- Use
- Pike, predator, bait and lure traces
Specs checked with Fox, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
Why this wire makes sense on the bank
The big selling point is the combination of tooth protection and flexibility. You get steel wire for dealing with sharp pike teeth, but without the stiff, springy feel that can make some trace materials a pain to fish.
The 10m spool also gives you room to build plenty of traces for different rigs, hook arrangements and lure styles. That’s dead handy when a session gets busy or a trace takes a beating.
Closer look
A supple steel foundation for your predator traces
Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire is a 10m spool of coated, 49-strand steel wire. It’s made for building pike and predator traces, with the steel helping protect against sharp teeth and the multi-strand construction keeping the material flexible. That makes it suitable for both bait and lure work.
The wire can be crimped and comes with crimps supplied. That means you can make traces to your preferred length and build them around your own hook rigs, swivels and clips. It’s a good route if ready-made traces never quite suit the bait or presentation you’ve got in mind.
Worth knowing. Always check a finished crimp carefully before fishing. The wire should sit cleanly in the crimp, and the connection deserves a firm pull-check. After a fish, snag or serious bite, inspect the trace for damage before it goes back in.
Who it suits
Pick the breaking strain around the job
The 26lb version is the sensible lighter option for anglers who want a less heavy trace for general predator work. The 40lb version gives you a stronger all-round choice, while the 65lb wire is intended for the largest predators and more demanding trace builds.
It’ll suit pike anglers who enjoy preparing tackle at home and having several traces ready for the session. Build short lure traces, longer deadbait traces or a few spares for the tackle box. That preparation can save a load of faff when a trace gets damaged and the fish are on the munch.
If you only ever use ready-made traces, this spool may feel like extra work. But for anyone who likes control over trace length and components, it gives you the freedom to make the business end fit the swim rather than forcing your fishing around a fixed rig.
FAQs in full
The bits you’ll want clear before buying
Is it only for pike? It’s designed for predator and pike traces, so it’s aimed squarely at toothy-fish applications. The important thing is choosing the breaking strain and complete trace setup to match the fish, hooks and tackle you’re using.
Is 10m enough? For most anglers, yes. A 10m spool lets you make a batch of traces and keep spares ready. How many you get will depend on the length of each trace and how much wire you leave for your crimps.
Can you use it for lure fishing? Yes. It’s suitable for bespoke lure traces as well as bait traces. Its supple construction helps it behave naturally, while the steel provides the tooth protection you need when a pike attacks.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Very supple for a steel trace material.
- Virtually kink-resistant, helping traces stay tidy.
- Can be crimped for bespoke bait, lure and predator traces.
- Supplied with crimps, so there’s less extra tackle to buy.
- Three breaking strains cover everyday pike work through to the biggest predators.
Worth knowing
- You need to make your own traces, so it isn’t as quick as buying ready-made ones.
- Crimping needs to be done carefully and checked before fishing.
- The 65lb version may be more material than you need for smaller lures or lighter predator work.
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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 Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire used for?
What is Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire used for?
It’s made for building predator and pike traces for bait and lure fishing. The coated, multi-strand steel construction provides protection against sharp teeth while staying supple.
02Which breaking strain should I choose?
Which breaking strain should I choose?
The 26lb version suits lighter pike trace work, while 40lb gives you a stronger all-round option. The 65lb version is intended for the largest predators and heavier-duty trace building.
03Can Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire be crimped?
Can Fox Predator 49 Strand Steel Wire be crimped?
Yes. It’s designed to be crimped, and crimps are supplied. Make each connection neatly, keep the wire sitting correctly in the crimp and give the finished trace a proper pull-check before it goes in the water.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: a cracking choice for making your own predator traces. The strongest reasons to choose it are very supple for a steel trace material. and virtually kink-resistant, helping traces stay tidy.; the main trade-off is you need to make your own traces, so it isn’t as quick as buying ready-made ones..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Very supple for a steel trace material.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Pike anglers making their own traces: You can choose the length and build traces around your own hooks, swivels and bait arrangements.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “You need to make your own traces, so it isn’t as quick as buying ready-made ones.”
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
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