The lead needs to slide on the main line. Some anglers use a zip slider or a swivel with a split ring added running on the main line, but I prefer a coarse fishers ledger bead with a split ring on that I find slides better than the previous two and is plenty strong enough to cast with. Butt this up against a rubber bead.

The slider on, tie in a size 6 swivel followed by 5ft of 50-60lb mono to act as a rubbing trace against the abrasive hide of the tope. The actual biting trace needs to be 18ins long and from 50-60lb wire. The nylon covered is okay, but plain multi strand wire is better and more supple. Crimp (as previously described) a size 6 swivel to the top of the trace which is then tied to the rubbing leader, and crimp in a Mustad Viking 79515 6/0 hook.

This same style can be used to make a conger trace. use the slider weight attachment and rubber bead, but change the swivel for a size 4, do away with the rubbing leader and just add 18ins to 2ft of 250lb commercial mono ending in a size 8/0 to 10/0 Mustad 3406 O'Shaughnessy hook.

TOPE TRACE
Rubbing Leader - 5 feet
Wire Trace - 18 inches
Hook Patterns - Mustad Viking 79515 6/0 or similar

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