Snelling is a very simple method of fishing hook knot
tying and the snell knot is the strongest of all saltwater fishing hook knots.
Tying fishing hooks
- First pass the trace through the eye of the hook from the front of the hook. Only pass it through about half an inch.
- Hold the shank of the hook and the half inch tab end and wrap the trace around both the shank of the hook and the tab end 7 or 8 turns.
- Pass the trace back down through the eye of the hook from the back of the hook.
- Pull the trace tight while holding the hook to set the snell.
- There should be very little or no tag end protruding when the knot is set.
If the hook curls up towards the trace you have snelled
the hook correctly. We believe that snelling a hook like this makes the trace
act as a spring and improves the hook up rate and also prevents the fish from
throwing the hook.
How to Tie a Two Hook Pilchard Rig
Once you have perfected snelling a hook, it is very
simple to make up a two hook trace.
Simply snell the first hook on, then pass the end of the
trace through the back of the second hook and you're ready to snell the second
hook on.
Set the distance between the hooks at about two thirds of
the length of the bait fish you intend to use before snelling the second hook.
The finished two hook pilchard rig
When tying a two hook pilchard rig, we have found that
keeping the hooks in line further improves both your catch rate and the ability
of the rig to hold soft baits or live baits.
NOTE : If using whole fish baits, put one hook through
the head and the other hook through the body behind the gut cavity and make
sure the second hook goes around the spine of the bait fish.
The head of the bait should be on the bottom hook.
