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5/17/2018 Fishing Knots & Rigs - slidepdf.com
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BOOK
& 0110
I N S T R U C T I O N A L
SET
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K HO TS : L ltiE S T O T EitM ltiA L T AC KL E 15 Dropper Loop 24 ReverseTwist Blood Knot for
6 Locked Half Blood Knot 16 Twisted Dropper LoopJoining Lines
6 Clinch or Blood Knot 17 End Loop25 Opposed Nail Knot
7 ReverseTwist or Blood Knot 17 Double Overhand Loop25 Plaited Splice
7 Palomar Knot 17 Figure of Eight Knot or
7 Gary Martin's World Fair KnotBlood Bight KHO TS : L itlE TO LEADEit
8 Centauri Knot 26 Albright Knot
8 Pitzen KnotK HO TS: SU PE it L ltiES 27 Improved Blood Knot
8 Marshall's Snare 18 Silly Snell 27 Slim Beauty
9 Rebeck Knot 19 Triple Palomar Knot28 Shock Tippet and Leader Knot
9 Penny Knot 19 Braid Snell
10 Uni Knot 20 Collar & OapstanD fiC itO H: lO ltls A tiD S PL IC ES
10 Thumb Knot 20 Braid Ring Knot 29 Wind On Dacron Leader Splice
11 Nail Knot with Loop 21 Bimini Cat's Paw Splice 30 Wind On Leaders for
21 Twisted Leader Knot for Game Fishing
S HE LL S: L ltiE S T O T EitM ltiA L T AC KL E Gelspun Lines 32 Wind On Wire Leaders
12 Simple Snell 22 Rigging for Sport, Game &34 Dacron Joining Splice
13 Common SnellDeep Sea Fishing 35 Tanaka's Loop
13 Multiple Hook Rigs: Sliding 35 Attaching Your Line to Your
Snell KHO TS: L itlE TO L itlE Reel
KHO TS : TyltiG Loops23 Double Uni Knot
23 Double Centauri Knot forDOUBLES
14 Homer Rhode Loop Joining Lines 36 Plaiting a Double
15 Perfection Loop 24 Double Four Fold Blood Knot 38 Bimini Twist
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39 Hand Tensioned Bimini Double 50 Westy's Dropper 57 Rigging with Wire: Flemish Eye
40 Spider Hitch 50 Creating End Loops in 57 Multiple Hook Rigs: Double
41 Tony Jones' Leader KnotSaltwater Fly Leaders Rigging on Wire
41 Cat's Paw to Ring or Swivel
42 Loop & Cross-LoopRIG S: FLO AT F IS HING R IG S: FRE SH WA TE R
Connections 51 Fixed Stem Floats 58 Rigging with an Egg-Shaped
52 Bob Float
Bubble Float
KHO TS : FLY FISH ING 5259 Bumper Knot or Salmon Egg
Fixed Waggler Float Loop
43 Duncan's Loop 52 Alternative Running Float 59 Double Hook Bumper Knot
43 Lefty's Loop 59 Rigging Spinnerbaits
44 Improved Turle Knot RIG S: S AL TW ATE R 60 How to Hook Freshwater Baits-
44 Blood Knot 53 Fixed Sinker Rigs61 Soft Plastic Rigs
44 Half Blood Knot 53 Paternoster Rig61 Rigging Rubber Worms on
Worm Hooks
44 Locked Half Blood Knot 53 Running Sinker Rigs
45 Attaching Fly Line to Hollow 54 Rough Bottom Rig
Braided BackingRIG S : G AM E AND SPORT
54 Baiting Up and Fishing With
45 Monofilament Loop to Fly Line Tuna Circles 62 Rigging a Strip Bait
46 Nail Knot Using Tube 55 Double Pinch Method of Strip 63 Making a Double Loop Bridle
Baiting Circlesfor Live Bait Trolling
46 Indicator Knot
55 Rigging Circles on Cable64 Rigging a Garfish as a Skip
46 Surgeons Knot for Attaching Bait
Dropper 56 Live Baiting with Tuna Circles
47 How to Split Leaders 56 Baiting Tuna Circles with Soft
48 Making Saltwater Fly Fishing Baits
Leaders 57 Fish Head on Two Hooks
5
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -, ,
/
. .
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--_-_
OTSLlriE TO TERMlriAL TACKLE
Locked Half Blood KnotT his s im ple and s tro ng kno t is adequate fo r
ty ing ho oks and s wivels to line tes ting up to
25 kg breaking s train. It is an es pecially f irm
favo urite w ith w hitin g an d s nap per an glers .
l.Thread the eye of your
hook or swivel and
twist the tag and main
line together.
2. Complete three to six twists
and thread the tag back
through the f irst twist. The
heavier your l ine, the less
twists you will use.
knot, thread
the tag
through the
open loop
which has
formed at the
top of the
knot.
3. Pull the line sothat the knot
begins to form.
Do not pull it
up tight yet or
you will have an
unlocked half
blood which
may slip should
you be tying
new line to a
shiny metal
surface.
5. Pull the knot up
f irmly and the
result should be
something like this.
Should a loop form
within the
knot , simply pull
on the tag until it
disappears.
CIinch or Blood Knot - A Geoff Wilson preferred knot
T his is undo ubtedly the s tro nges t kno t fo r
ty ing a medium s ize ho ok to a medium
s ize line such as hoo k s ize 4 to 4/0 onto
line s ize 3 kg to 15 kg. 1. Thread the
eye of the
hook with
the line.
3. Then wrap the tag around the
main line from three to f ive
t imes. The heavier the line
you are using, the less the
number of wraps. The lighter
the line, the more wraps you
use.
4. Complete the knot by passing the tag
back through the first two wraps you
made before pull ing the knot t ight .
The best resul t is achieved when
the loops through the eye of the hook
retain their wrapping sequence and
don't spring apart.
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KNOTS: LINE TO TEitMINAL TACKLE
Reverse Twist or Blood Knot
T he fo llo win g kn ot illu strates h ow
addit io nal w rap s can be m ade to
blo od kno ts by m aking at leas t half
the wrap s required in the us ual
d irectio n, th e res t in the
oppos i te d i re ct ion .
3. Twist the tag and
standing part of
the line together.
4. Do this three t imes, then
wind the tag back
in the other direction
around the f irst wraps
as shown.1. First, when tying on a
hook, thread
line through
the eye of
the hook.
5. Wind the tag back three times and
thread it through the centre of the
double loop on the eye of the hook
so you have three turns up and
three turns back. (This is for
monofi lament. Do six up and
six back for gelspun lines
but more on those later).
6. Finish the knot with pressure
on the standing part against
the hook. Some pressure on
the tag may be required to
take up the slack here as well.an extra wrap to
ensure the knot
doesn't slip.
Palomar KnotT he P alo mar kno t is qu ick to tie and suffic ien tly s tro ng fo r m ost
f ish ing s i tua ti ons .
1. Make a loop in
the leaderand
4. Close the knot
by pull ing tagand leader.
Trim the tag
when com-
plete.
knot on
the eye of
the hook.
Gary Martin's World's Fair KnotG ary M art in called th is kno t the 'W orld's Fair K no t' after being s elected the w inn er fro m 498 en tries in an internatio nal,
o riginal, fis hing kno t co mp etitio n co nducted by D u P ont at the K no xville, U SA , W orld's Fair in 1982. It is qu ick and eas y
to tie yet shows no tendency to s lip .
2. Fold the protruding
sect ion of the loop
back over thedouble strand.
1. Make a loop in
your line andpass it through
the hook eye
or swivel. 3. Now bend the
tag back and
pass it over the
folded loop and under
the doubled strand as
shown.
5. Shown is the f inished
knot formed with gent le
but f irm pressure on the
main line.
4. Now pass the tag
through the loop
formed by the
previous step.
.---
~ /
. .
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KtiOTS: LitlE TO TEitMltiAL TACKLE
Firs t p ublis hed by fis hing w riter D ick L ew ers , the
C entauri kno t is useful o ver a w ide range o f line
diam eters becaus e it fo rms with a minim um o f
frictio n and therefo re do es no t dis to rt the line.
Ideal fo r s mall ho oks , rings and s wivels .
l.Thread the eye of hook or
swivel with the tag and
make the configuration
shown, f irst passing the tag
behind the main line. The
crossover is held between
thumb and index f inger of
the left hand to
3. Again, the tag is passed
behind the main line and
the crossover held between
thumb and finger. I will point
out that some anglers make
only two wraps, not three,
but this produces a weaker
knot.
Centauri Knot - A Geoff Wilson preferred knot
~The first step is
repeated and the
second crossoveralso held between
thumb and index
finger of the lef t
hand.
5. Having formed the knot,
the loop wi ll have enlarged.
Simply slide the knot down
the leader onto the eye of
the hook or swivel.
3. Make three wraps in all
then pass the tag back
through the small loop.
6. The f inished knot should lock
down onto the hook eye with
the tag po inting back ----' ..w....
up the leader.
loops you have made and form the knot by
pulling gent ly on the tag against the hook .!or swivel. Ideally the loops should close up
evenly.
Pitzen KnotC red ited to E dg ar P it ze n bauer o f G erm any , the P itzen
kno t is us eful fo r ty ing m ono filam ent to ho oks , rings
a nd sw iv el s.
The chief advantage o f the P itzen K no t is that it
is very s mall which makes it a favo urite w ith fly
fis herm en. It is als o very s tro ng w hen tied co rrectly .
1. Thread the eye of the hook
and loop the tag back under
the standing part.
2. Wind the tag back·~~r=~~
around the loop
so another smaller
loop is formed at
the beginning of the
knot.
4. With gent le pressure on
the tag, close the knotaround the standing part of
the line but not too tight; just like
I 've drawn it here. If you t ighten it
right up now, the strength of the
f inal knot will be reduced quite a bit.
5. Slide the knot down the standing part, onto
eye of the hook and tighten, this t ime with
firm pressure until you feel the knot
sort of click into place. Then trim the
tag.
This method o f ty ing on a hook was introduced to anglers byA us tralian fis hing w riter Frank M ars hall s om e decades ago . It is
s im ple to tie in the dark and adequately s tro ng fo r m os t s ituatio ns .
l.First make a loop in the end of your
line and tie an overhand knot with thetag, encircling the main line.
Pass the loop
entirely over the
hook and pass
the tag through
the loop as well .
2. Pass the loop
through the
eye of your
hook.and pull the noose up
t ight around the hook.
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Rebeck KnotIntro duced to anglers by B arry R ebeck o f S outh
A frica, the R ebeck kno t p ro vides a s im ple and
s ec ure ho ok c onnec ti on .
Thread the eye of the
hook and wrap theleader around the shank.
the hook in both
hands as shown.
2. Make four complete wraps
and thread the eye of the
hook once more.
4. And slide the wraps that
you made on the shank,
up and over the eye.
like this. 6. Close the knot by pull-
ing gently on the main
line, then on the tag to
close the second loop.
Penny Knot
T his excellent metho d o f attaching a ho ok o r fly is nam ed
after R on P enny . T his des crip tio n o f the kno t, and technique
o f ty ing it, is by P eter H ayes ' o f P rem ier G uides .
1. Thread the hook, which is held
between thumb and third f inger
of the left hand. The tag, which
is extended in a loop, is held
between index finger and thumb.
The standing part of the line
is held in the palm of the right
hand and looped over the right
index finger as shown.
6. The tag is pulled free of the
lef t thumb and f inger grip
and through the loop as
shown.
2. The right index f inger,
st il l retaining the loop
in the standing part of
the line, goes in the
loop of the tag.
Pulling gently on
the tag closes theknot so the hook
is now on a loop
of l ine.
8. The knot is slid down onto the
eye of the hook and locked in
place with f irm, but gentle pres-
sure, on the standing part of the
line. The tag is t rimmed short.
3. Pu lis it back over the
standing part, which
was looped over the
right index finger.
4. And rotates it anti-clockwise
around the standing part.
A complete rotat ion is
made, then the right thumb
is inserted into the loop
beside the index f inger to
grip the tag on completion
of another half rotation.
------- __- ---
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KtiOTS: LitlE TO TERMltiAL TACKLE
Uni KnotThe U ni K no t is w idely used fo r attaching
hoo ks , rings and sw ivels to the end o f the line. 1. Thread the eye of
the hook with the
line so the hook
is suspended on
a loop.
3. Wrap the double strand
inside the loop with the tag.
Close the knot but do not p
it tight just yet .
2. Encircle the main line with
the tag so another loop is
formed.
4. Make four wraps in all, leaving
the tag protruding from the
loop.
6. Slide the knot down onto the
eye of the hook, pu II it tight and
tri m the tag.
Thumb Knot
T his kno t is us ed fo r attaching ho oks , rings
o r s wivels to the very heavies t ny lo n
monof i lament .
1. Thread your hook with the
line and make a loop so that
the hook is suspended from
the loop. Pinch the cross-
over between the thumb
and f inger of your left hand.
5. Secure the tag against your left thumb
with your middle f inger. Then take the
hook loop in your right hand and ease the
wraps off your thumb, one at a time, in
sequence.
4. Push the tag back under those
three wraps alongside your
thumb. Push it all the way back
toward the base of your thumb.
10
Commence wrap-ping your lef t
thumb and loop
with the tag.
6. Close the knot by exert ing pres-
sure on the loop against the tag.
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KNOTS: LINE TO TEitMINAL TACKLE
Nail Knot with Loop
T his kno t is us ed fo r ty ing ho oks to heavy m onofilament leaders because it p ulls up witho ut damaging the line.
loop as shown, then bend
the tag back to form
another, larger loop.
3. Now, give the whole thing a half twist: This
does nothing to the knot except make it easier
to t ie.
4. Wrap the small loop, from which the hook is suspended, with
the larger loop, catching the wraps in sequence with your
thumb, index f inger, and middle finger of your left hand; the
reverse should you be left handed.
Continue until six
or seven wraps
have been made.
6. At this stage the conf igurat ion
of the knot wou Id be as shown
i f unobstructed by the hands.
7. Close the knot with firm pressure on the tag
against the hook, then slide the knot down
to the hook and lock it in place by increasing
pressure on the tag.
1
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LIHE TO TERMIHAL TACKLE
Simple Snell
T his is the firs t fis hing kno t I ever learned. M y fathershowed it to me at age five or s ix. It is a safe and sound
way o f attaching a hook to a snood but it requires a
up turned eye hook like the M us tad 92554, o r an down-
turned eye ho ok like the M us tad 540 (illus trated) to be
effective. It a lso requires bo th ends o f the sno od line to
be free because bo th have to be threaded thro ugh the
eye o f the hook.
A fter dis carding this attachm ent fo r m any y ears , I am
us ing it again fo r ty ing the ho oks o nto bait jigs becaus e
it p ro vid es a p articu larly q uick and s atis facto ry m eth od
o f no t o nly attaching the ho ok, but als o facilitating the
easy addit ion o f a small p iece o f woo l to the hook to act
a s a f is h attrac to r.
l. Thread the tag end of the snood line
through the eye of the hook from
underneath and bend i t back against
the shank of the hook.
2. Wrap both the tag and
the shank of the hook
with the main line of the
snood.
3. Having completed nine or ten wraps,
th read the other end of the snood line
through the eye of the hook, once
again from underneath, and pul l the
line up tight.
4. Trim the tag to finish the knot and
the result should look like this. The
main line runs over the wraps, not
underneath as in the common snell ,
avoiding the risk of a separation
through the line being cut by a
partial ly open eye.
= - : - t r i B ~
. . - = -e a s y : ' -~--"- ' :" ' . ' - ' - ' ' ' ' , f~~~t~~' : ;~~. . ,. l i n s t t :C . J c f r Q , f :( ~~
9ffj§~5~:g'--"- --~ ~-
-
As~~for: : : : :~.~B32G!t ' ; t~r~]q_(§~~t?_Gklej . - ( iuHeC~i{
-pl;l~n:~t~)~i :~~1i(a. . I_@~Q~i~@ig.,~.I~t~!~~ri~~.-.- -- - - - - . . . . .~--
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Perfection Loop
S ho wn are th e s tep s in attachin g a
lure to a heavy m ono filam ent leader
u sin g th e P erfectio n L oo p .
Tie an ordinary underhand knot in
your leader but don't close it up.
Then pass the tag of your leader
through the eye
of your lure.
3. Now comes the tricky pa rt: the tag has to bend
back, go over the main line, up through the
crossover forming the underhand knot , then up
through the gap between where the tag was
passed through the knot in step 2.
4. Close the knot with
pressure on the loop
against the main
line.
Dropper Loop
T his lo op can be tied any where along a length o f line fo r the attachment o f a hoo k o r leader.
1. Makea generous loop in
your l ine where the drop-
per isto bet ied, then pul l
out a section of the loop
sothat it crossesover
the main line at one side
forming a second smaller
loop.
2. Begin twisting the
smaller loop,
alternating the
twisting and holding
between hands.
3. Make four complete twists (eight half twists)
when using monof ilament and six complete twists
(twelve hal f twists) when using gelspun l ines.
Then thread the larger loop through the srnaller
loop which you have been twist ing.
Put your larger loop around
a peg or the like and gently
tension the line both sides
of the knot until it pulls up
nicely. Particular care needs
to be taken with this step
when using gelspun or
the line can be sheared
off at either side
of the knot .
5. The finished loop
is neat and of
adequate strength
for the majority of
fishing situations.
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KNOTS: TYING LOOPS
Twisted Dropper Loop
D ro pp er lo op s facilitate the eas y attachm ent o f ho oks . T wis ting
the line befo re ty ing a dro pp er lo op s tiffens the dro pp er s o that it
canno t tangle aro und the m ain line.
l. Twist the line so a loop
spirals out roughly at
right angles.
2. Having made a dozen or so twists, twice that number should you
be counting the half twists, pull the twisted spiral apart so that :
* One, the loop is reduced to the size where it can be threaded
through the eye of a hook.
* Two, the twists are compressed more tightly.
3. Allow the loop to
spiral back into
place again.
spiral by
crossing the
l ine from each
side to form
a loop. Yourindex finger
goes between
loop and tag.
5. Twist the cross-over alternately
wi th each hand, insert ing and
withdrawing the index f inger of
each hand as each half
twist is made.
6. Having completed four complete twists
(eight hal f twists), pass the spiral
through at the cross-over where you
were twisting with your fingers.
7. Close the knot with firm
pressure.
Thread the eye of the
hook (a Gamakatsu octo-
pus circle in this case)
with the twisted loop.
10. The hook is presented
far enough away from
the line so it is most
unlikely to tangle.
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End LoopT his is o ne o f the quickes t and s tro nges t w ay s o f ty ing
an E nd lo op , o r S ho rt D oub le, in m ono filam ent.
Make a loop in the end of your mono and wind
i t back around the doubled strand of tag and
main line.
2. Wind it back two or three times. Twofor heavy line,
three for l ighter l ine.
3. Then wind it backthe other way.
wraps as you did in the first
direct ion and pass the loop
through the loop of doubled
line.
5. Close up the knot with firm,
but gentle pressure, aganst the
loop and doubled strand of tag
~==~~~a~n~d~m~aian~li;n~e.~~~~~4.
Double Overhand Loop
A quick and easy way to tie a lo op on the end o f your line.
1. Form a loop in
the end of your
line.
Close the
knot up
tight.
Figure of Eight Knot or Blood
U sed fo r lo op to lo op co nnectio ns , usually between a sho rt dro pp er
and a dropper lo op in the main line.
EXAMPLE
1. Bend the line
back upon
itself to form
a loop.
3. Wind the loop over
the double strand
then th rough the loop
in the double strand
giving the knot its
characteristic figure of
eight appearance.
4. Close the knot
up tight and
trim the tag.
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--~-----
SO PE it L IN ES
Rigging with Super Lines
P oly eth ylen e g els pun fis hing lines are n ew , and w ith
thes e p ro ducts b eing im pro ve d co ns ta ntly , th ere are n o
a bs o lu te ru le s. H owe ve r t he se s up er l in es g en era lly s ha re
s evera l p ro perties w hich inclu de, v ery hig h s treng th fo r a
g iven diam eter a nd very little s tretch; th ey a re als o very
s he er o r s lip p ery . T he se p ro p ertie s mak e rig gin g d if fic ul t,
bu t there a re kno ts an d rig gin g s trateg ies fo r thes e lin es
that w ork very w ell.
H ere w e exam ine s om e kno ts and rigging s trategies fo r
super lines , but I do po int out that my tests on a number
o f thes e lin es ind icate d th at the b rea king s train s tate dby the m anufacturer w as us ually lo wer than the actual
b reak ing s t ra in .
T his co uld eas ily give the illus io n o f very high kno t
s trengths , even w ith badly cho sen o r p oo rly tied kno ts .
T o illus trate m y p oint, I w ill qu ote th e p erc enta ge
o f manufa ct ure rs b re ak in g s tra in , a nd p ro bable a ctu al
b re aking s tra in, retain ed by th e kno ts d is cu ss ed in jus t
tw o o f the s everal s up er line p ro ducts I tes ted.
O ne o f tho se p ro ducts w as B erkley Fireline. M y tes ts
w ith 6 and 10 p ound B erkley Fireline indicated actual
breaking s trains o f 15 and 25 pounds (6.8 and 11.35
kg) respect ive ly .
A no ther p ro duct w as 30 p ou nd S pide rw ire (S pectra2000). Its actual breaking s train w as difficult to
as certain but w as at leas t 33 p ounds (15 kilo gram s).
Silly Snell
A ltho ugh, like the B raid S nell, this very easy hook attachm ent was unsuitable fo r
use with the finest super lines , it p roved suitable fo r most super lines . It broke at
27 pounds (12.26 kg) when tied in 30 pound (13.62 kg) Sp iderwire 90% o f the
m anufacturer's breaking s train, (80% o f the p ro bable actual breaking s train).
1. Thread the eye of the hook
and wrap the line around the
shank, taking care you wrap
away from the end of the
wire which has been rolled
to form the eye of the hook:
This is most important.
2. Begin wrapping back up
the shank of the hook
with the tag.
4. Slide the wraps up to the eye of
the hook, pulling on the line to
tighten the snell.
3. Continue almost back to the eye of the
hook so that you have a binding some
1.5 cm (5/8") long. Then, simply tuck
the tag under the last wrap as shown.
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ij ' ' -; : : ; : :=:=::: :~~
IIII
1 /
:::==="",iI.
Triple Palomar Knot
T he Trip le P alo mar K no t is reco mm ended fo r ty ing sup er lines to
m etal rings , to wing eyes o n lures , and ho oks .
W hen tied in B erkley F ireline this kno t retained 217% of
the m anufacturers breaking s train (86% o f the
actual breaking s train). W hen tied in 30 Ib
S piderwire, this kno t bro ke at 25.3
pounds (11.49 kg), 85% o f the
m an uf actu rers b re akin g s tra in (7 4.5%o f th e p ro bab le actu al breaking s train ).
l. Double the super line and pass it
through the eye of the hook twice
so a loop is formed,
3, Close the three loops
around the eye of
the hook, then wrap
the protruding loopof doubled l ine back
around the mainline
and tag. Then pass it
back through the loop
so an overhand knot
is formed.
2. Repeat this step
twice so three loops
of doubled line have
been formed on the
eye of the hook.
Braid Snell
T his kn ot p ro ved u ns at is facto ry w it h t he very fin e s up er lin es
like B erkle y F irelin e b eca us e t he lin e s lip p ed b et wee n t he
ro lled down eye and the shank o f the ho oks I was us ing.
H owever, it wo rked well in m ost lines : In 30 p ound
S piderwire this kno t bro ke at 32 p ounds (14.53 kg), 106%o f m an ufa ctu re rs b reak in g s train (94% o f th e p ro bab le ac tu al
break ing s t ra in ) .
1. Hold the hook with the eye to the left and the
bend to the right. Extend a 30 cm (one foot) tag
and wrap it around the shank of the hook in an
anti-clockwise direction as shown.
2. Having completed a
spiral of five or six
turns, commence a
tight b inding back in
the opposite
direction.
3. Keep the wraps as close as you possibly
can, and continue binding almost, but
not quite, up to the eye of the hook.
5. Close the knot with gentle
pressure on mainline and
tag, making sure the loop
in the doubled line rides
up over the eye of the
hook and does not bind
on the shank below it.
Close the
remaining loop
by pul ling out
the tag.
4. Now turn the hook
around. Fold back
the tag so a 100P~iS~~~~_~~formed, and finish -...c::::o---::;/
the binding
clockwise·r======c:/
5. Rotating the loop as shown,
over-bind the tag all the way up
to the eye of the hook. Should
you have dif ficulty doing this,
chances are you commenced
binding in the opposite direction
than what was indicated.
Shown is the finished snell with the tag
trimmed short. The main line emerges
from the snell a short d istance back f rom
the eye of the hook, although not as far
back as it appears to be in this diagram
due to the exaggerated thickness of the
line.
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K NO TS : S UP ER L INE S
Collar & Capstan
This knot was developed for anglers who prefer tying fine gelspun lines
directly to the towing eye of a lure. It tests a good deal higher than
most other knots tested.
Tested in 24 Ib Spiderwire Fusion, (which actually tested over 25 Ibs
- 11.35 kg), the Collar and Capstan broke at 22 Ibs (9.99 kg) against
the Braid Ring Knot 19.6 Ibs (8.9 kg), Triple Palomar 19.6 Ibs (8.9 kg)
and the Palomar at 16.5 Ibs (7.49 kg).
lao First tie a loop in a
piece of monofilament
of similar breaking strain
to the gelspun l ine. This
will be used later as a
pull-through to finish the
knot.
gelspun
line through
the towing ey
of the lure.
2. Do this at least three
times to produce
a capstan effect.
3. Int roduce the monofi lament loop --==~~:J)
as shown and begin wrapping
it with the tag back toward
the lure.
(which you have
just tied in the
tag), down onto
the capstan and
trim the tag.
4. Continue to make about ten wraps before feeding
the tag through the monof ilament loop, taking
care to leave enough slack in the last wrap
to prevent it jamming.
5. Withdraw the mono loop, drawing the tag of the
gelspun line back through the knot producing the
collar.
This step is easy enough provided there was
some slack in the last wrap of the gelspun line. If
there was not, the tag may jam.
Braid Ring Knot
This is simply a basic blood knot (with two wraps around the eye of
the hook in this case) but with quite a few more wraps (or twists) than
usual, with the tag and standing part.
We use more wraps in super lines (than with monofilament) to ensure
the knot will not slip undone. When tied in Berkley Fireline, this knot
retained 191 % of the manufacturer's breaking strain (76% of the actual
breaking strain).
When tied in 30 Ib Spiderwire, this knot broke at 25.3 pounds (11.49
kg), 85% of the manufacturer's breaking strain (74.5% of the probable,
actual breaking strain).
Pass the l ine through the
hook eye, or r ing, twice
leaving plenty of tag.
4. Thread the tag
through the
centre of both
ring wraps.
5. Slide the knot closed with gentle
pressure on the main l ine, stroking
the knot back periodically as you do
so to keep the wraps in sequence.
This prevents them bunching up as
the knot closes.
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Bimini eat's Paw SpliceThe Bimini Cat's Paw Splice is a most satisfactoryway of joining
two gelspun lines. In this case, the line from the spool(right) is
being added to the line already on the reel.
When tied in 10 Ib Berkley Fireline the Cat's Paw sheared at
8 kg (17.6 Ibs) 176% of lines stated b/s, (70% of the probable,
actual b/s).
When tied in 30 Ib Spiderwire the Cat's Paw broke at 12.5 kg
(27.5 los), 91.5% of line's stated b/s , (83% of the probable actual
b/s.)
1. Tie a short Bimini double in
the end of each line to be
jo ined and interlock the two
loops.
K NO TS : S UP ER L INE S
3. Make at least ten folds in
your Cat 's Paw Splice and
spread the spl i ce right out /
with your hands.
This is to
Rotate the spool of l ine through
the loop of the line coming from
the reel so a Cat's Paw effect is
produced.
4. Finally, with firm pressure from each side,
c lose the splice up tight.
1. Wind the gelspun l ine (black)
around one end of the monofila-
ment leader. I suggest doing this
twenty times.
2. Tie a knot in the twisted lines and
pul l the entire monofilament leader
through.
Twisted Leader Knot for Gelspun Lines
This isthe strongestmethod I know of tying a single strand of
gelspun line to a monofilament leader.
I tested it six times with a sample of Berkley Fireline, which waslabelled 14 pounds. When tied to a 12.5 kg Maxima monofilament
leader, the highesttest obtained was 9.4 kg (20.7 pounds). Only
one knot tested below 8 kg (17.6 pounds).
6. Close the knot
5. Then, with firm but gentle pressure on all four legs, close the knot.
Should a loop of slack gelspun line appear within the knot as it
closes, re lease the mono leader tag and apply tension to the
gelspun l ine until the loop disappears.
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K NO TS : S OP ER L IN ES
Rigging for Sport, Game and Deep Sea Fishing
T he p hy sical p ro perties o f gelsp un lines s uit them adm irably to s po rt, gam e and deep -sea fis hing. H ow ever, s ho uld y ou be
fishing line class with a view to reco rding cap tures under A NS A o r IG FA , then it is yo ur resp ons ibility to ensure yo ur line do es
in fact, tes t w ithin that des ignated line clas s.
F or s po rt, g am e an d d eep -s ea fis hin g ap plicatio ns , all t erm in als are rig ged o n exten ded m o no filam en t lead ers , w hich are
attached to B im ini do ubles tied in the gelsp un sup er line. T his is ho w we add that extended m ono filam ent leader.
l. Take at least four metres of monofilament,
of at least the same, but preferably of a
higher breaking strain than that of the
gelspun line in which we have just tied a
short Bimini Double. Then wind the
gelspun loop around one end of your
extended monofilament leader.
2. Make at least ten wraps if the breaking strains of the
gelspun and the monofilament are similar, but reduc:;,e~~~~2:'(:J~
the number of wraps if the monofilament is
stronger.
Then thread the tag of the monof ilament
through the loop in the gelspun l ine.
3. Hold the tag of the monofilament as shown and
tension the join so: One, the monof ilament tag
begins to spiral around the wraps, and Two,
the loop in the gelspun l ine closes.4. Take a firm grip both sides of the
join and increase tension until
the join closes up. Make sure
the join is completely closed
before trimming the tag.C A U T I O N A R Y N O T E
While attaching extended monofilament leaders of sufficient length to be wound through the rod guides and onto the reel to gelspun lines,
is recommended for the purposes described, it may not be suitable where long casts need to be made.
This is because leader knots, travell ing through the rod guides at the extremely high speeds associated with long distance casting, may
disintegrate after only a few casts.
Should an extended monofilament shock-leader be required in a long distance-casting situation, then the solut ion is to use the dacron
leader-splice described in this publication.
GA ME FISH ING RIG S DEEP WATER BOTTOM FISH ING RIG
Bimini Double in
gelspun line.Braid leader knot
joining gelspun line to
monofilament leader.
Bimini Double joined to
monofilament leader with
a Braid Leader knot or
Dacron Leader splice
Monofilament leader is t ied
to a snap swivel al lowing
wire traces and other
terminal rigs to be attached.
Monofilament leaders used in
game fishing are usually 4 to 9
metres in length and twice to four
t imes the breaking strain of the
main line.
Monofilament
leader at least four
Twisted dropper loop in mono-
filament leader to prevent tangles
when deep-dropping.
This is a simple rig with a hook tied to
the monof ilament leader such as would
be used when strip-baiting in a berley
trail for tuna.
Wire snap permits
leaders to be
changed easily.
Heavy sinker
at tached with a
loop.
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OTSLlttE TO LlttE
Double Uni Knot
A no ther jo in w orth kno wing is the do uble uni kno t, s om etim escalled a grinner. T he do uble uni-kno t is us ed fo r jo in ing lines
o f e ith er s im ila r o r d iffe re nt d iame te rs .
1. Overlap the l ines to be joined
and encircle one l ine wi th the
tag of the other.
4. Close the knot, but
not too t ight ly , then
do the same with
the other length of
line.
5. Two knots are formed,
one in each line, around
the other.
7\\~6. Slide the knots together,
t ighten each in turn, and trim
the tags.
Double Centauri Knot for Joining Lines
T he C en tauri k no t w as in tro duc ed to A us tralia n an glers
by fish ing writer D ick Lewers as a so und kno t fo r ty ing
o n ho oks , s wivels and rings . H ow ever, w hen tw o C entauri
kno ts are tied aro und s ep arate lengths o f line, o ne
enc irclin g th e o th er, th e jo in crea ted is s tro ng a nd du rab le.
W hile the bes t res ults w ere o btained w hen us ing lines
o f s im ilar diam eter, a s atis facto ry jo in co uld be created in
lines o f different d iam eters . T ry it and y ou w ill be s urp ris ed
at how s tro ng it is .
2. Make three
circles altogether
and pass the
_d~r=== tag through the
middle as shown.
Count one and
two and three and
through.
3. Do exactly the same with the
opposite number so each length
of l ine encircles the other.
5. Gently slide both knots together and
t ighten each in turn. Slide them together
once more to c lose them completely.
1. Place the two ends to bejoined together and encircle
one wi th the other.
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KNOTS: LINE TO LINE
Double Four Fold Blood Knot
S om etim es , we have to jo in two s im ilar s ize lines . T he D ouble, Fo ur-Fo ld
B lo od kno t is w idely us ed becaus e it is neat, eas y to tie, and retains
adequate s trength fo r m os t s ituatio ns . T his kno t is us eful fo r jo ining
tw o lines o f the s am e o r s im ilar diam eters . It is no t s atis facto ry
w hen there is a s ignif icant dif ference in the diam eters o f the
tw o lin es .
l. Overlap the two lines
to be joined. (I have
shaded one to make
the operation easier
to follow).
2. Twist both ends together.
Do this eight or
nine times; then
pass each tag
through the central
twist from opposite
directions
4. Close the knot
gently with
tension on the
line each side.
5. Close the knot right up
tight and t rim the tags.
Reverse Twist Blood Knot for Joining
T he do uble bloo d kno t requires fo ur wrap s each s ide s o it
wo n't s lip undo ne. H owever, by doubling the wraps each
s ide fro m fo ur to eight the s trength o f the kno t is s ubstan-
tia lly increas ed. W e add the fo ur extra wrap s each s ide
u sin g th e re vers e tw is t p rin cip le.
===~~~~iIIS"'"il'"'. ~Overlapthe lines to be joined by a
generous margin and twist them together.
2. Make four complete twists in one
direction, then reverse the process.
. .~
3. Making four more twists over the first four but in the Iother direction. Thread the tag between the lines before
the first crossover.
4. Now, do the same with the tag of theother line from the opposite side.
5. Thread the tag through, what
has now become the cent ra I
wrap, alongside the tag of the
other line but f rom the opposite
direction.
6. Close the knot up
with gent le, but f irm,
pressure on the line
~ach~eknot.
'((I~
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Opposed Nail Knot
O p po sed N ail K no ts p ro vid e a s oun d co nn ectio n betw een m on ofilam en t
lines o f either the same or different diam eters . To tie them yo u will
need a metal tube. Those made by K &S and so ld in model aircraft
s ho ps are ideal. T he s malles t tubes , tho se w ith an o uts ide diam eter
o f 1/16" will handle l ines to 36 kg. -:
l.The lines to be joined / A
are marked
Aand
B . /s shown beside the tube
while A encircles both
tube and B. ;/"' " B
~-~
3. Extract the tube and
close the resulting knot
with gentle pressure,
do not pull it t ight.
Continue to wrap with the tag of A
around main line B, A and the tube
until ten wraps have been completed.
Then feed the tag of A into the tube.
ANow lay the tube parallel . jwith line A, extend tag B B Ithrough the knot and wrap'"
the tube and main lines A
and B.
KNOTS: LINE TO LINE
A
5. Complete ten wraps and
extract the tube. Close the
resulting knot with gentle
pressure, do not pul l it t ight .
6. Lubricate, pull the knots
together, then t ighten each in
turn. Pull together once more
and trim the tags with nail
clippers.
l. Ideal ly, line B should be
the line coming from the
new spool of l ine, C shouldbe the line coming from I,
your reel. While it is harder /'
to p lait like this becau se 1 ///
the line from the spool is //
difficult to keep tight, it is B ////
better because the leading ",.;"'
end of the plait will go out C A /","'"'
through the runners first. C ~ / /.-""=..-"
This is desirable because fj I
the finish of the plait,
where the ends are 4. Continue to plait for the required length,
secured, is likely to bunch LOOP as we do in the Plaited Double, then we make a
up if pulled out through the (B . loop out of one of the loose legs, in this case B~_/_/_.~--=
runners under tension. Lay I So Instead of plait ing with leg B, we now plait with
the two ends to be joined loop B. Remember to keep plenty of tension on the
as shown. j legs as you plait, or the plait will be too loose.
Plaited Splice
M etho d o f jo ining tw o lines fo r m axim um s trength.
Keeping B tight,
pass A over B
so that A is now
between Band C.
it is now between B
and A. Keep the legs
tight so that the
plait is f irm.
6. Pull end B against
A and C to secure
the plait and your
5. Having plaited with
loop B for several steps,
thread the other loose
end, which is A,
through loop B.
7. The join is complete and, although it
takes longer to tie than ordinary joins, it
is very strong and does not increase the
diameter of the l ine very much.
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OTSL IN E TO LE fiD E it
Albright Knot
S ho wn is an imp ro ved m ethod o f ty ing the A lbright K no t.
1. Double the last few centimetres of the heavier
monofi lament leader and thread the l ighter line
through, then around, the result ing loop.
2. Continue wrapping down the loop in
the heavier monofilament leader with
the lighter monofilament l ine.
Make five wraps down the loop
then commence wrapping in theother di rect ion, back over the
f irst wraps you made.
4. Complete five wraps in each direction
and thread the tag back through the loop
alongside the main line.
Part ially close the knot f irst with gentle
pressure on the main line and tag of both
leader and line.
6. When the knot begins to tighten, let both the
tag of the line, and tag of the leader, go. Then
tighten the knot with firm pressure on line
against leader.
7. Close the knot and
trim the tags.
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Improved Blood Knot
T he im pro ved blo od kno t is us ed fo r jo ining tw o m ono filam ent
lines o f d ifferent diam eters . Fo r exam ple, w hen a heavier leader
is attached to a lighter m ain line.
l ine and overlap
with the heavier
l ine or leader.
2. Wind the doubled
lighter l ine along one
end of the heavier
line.
3. Push the tag of the heavie
line through the third or
fourth wrap and continue
to wrap with the lighter
l ine as before.
4. Make an addit ional f ive or six wraps then pass
the looped tag end of the lighter line through the
same wrap as you passed the tag of the heavier
line through. As you can see, I have made five
wraps; three up, and two back, before threading
with the looped tag end of the lighter line.
Slim Beauty
S lim B eauty is a kno t used to connect a mono filament main line to a
h eavier m ono filam ent leader. T hes e are the s tep s as d em ons trated by
p ro min en t A us tralia an gler an d fis hin g w riter D ean B utler.
Tie a double overhand knot in the
heavy monofilament leader.
figure of eight configuration.
3. Make a loop in the end
of the monofilament
main l ine and thread
it through the figure of
eight configu ration asshown.
Wind the monofilament
loop down the heavier
leader four t imes, then
wind it back again.
KNO TS : L INE TO LEAD ER
5. Close the knot with f irm but gent le
pressure on the line each side of
the knot , taking particular care
that no loops of slack line
appear in the doubled strand.
6. When the knot has
been pulled up really
tight, tri m the tags.
5. Having made four wraps down and four wraps
back, thread the remaining monof ilament loop
between the leader and the descending double
strand.
Tension the knot by pulling gently,
but f irmly, on both st rands of the
monofilament main line, against the
heavier monofilament leader. Trim
the tags and the join is complete.
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KNOTS: LINE TO LEADER
Shock Tippet and Leader Knot
T his is the s tro nges t m etho d fo r co nnecting a clas s t ip pet to a s ho ck
tip pet, w itho ut f irs t s ecuring a do uble w ith either a B im ini o r p lait, that
I have tes ted. It a ls o p ro vides a s tro ng jo in betw een a m ono filam ent
m ain line and a heavier leader and is p articularly us eful fo r m akin g
w ind -o n le aders .
1. Tie a double overhand knot in one end of
your mono leader or shock t ippet .
2. Tension the knot to the point
where a double loop is formed
but no more.
3. Thread the class tippet or mono
main l ine through the double loop
configuration as shown.
5. We need to tie a nail knot in the class tippet
or mono main line using a fine metal tube. I
use a Lumbar Puncture which is C~;::::::=
4. Pull the double overhand knot in
the heavy line really tight so that
some f lattening or deformity is
noticeable.
brass tube, l ike those
used in model
aircraft.
7. Then thread the class
tippet or mono main
l ine into the tube.
9. Slide the two knots together , Close up the nail
knot but don't pull it too tight or you could
break the class t ippet and have to start again.
6. Wrap you tube or needle with theclass tippet or mono main line
eleven or twelve times.
8. Slide the tube out from
under the wraps.
10. Trim the tags and the
attachment is complete.
I tested this knot using a connection between a class tippet line marked Stren, High Impact, Hard Mono
Leader, 20 Ib Test, Dia .. 022" (0.55 rnrn), and a heavier line marked Jinkai 150 Ib, Dia. l.04 mm (.04").
In the first test the class tippet broke within the knot at 9.1 kg (20 lbs). In the second test the class tippet
broke within the knot at 9.25 kg (20.38 lbs).
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JO INS fiND SP L IC E S
Wind On Dacron Leader Splice
D es cribed is the p ro ces s o f th readin g a heavy m ono filam ent leader
into the free end o f a dacron fishing line so it m ay be wo und thro ugh
the rod guides and onto the reel. T he leader is usually from five to ten
m etres in length and tw ice to three tim es the breaking s train o f the
dacron.
1. Sharpen the end of the monofilament
leader to a point, but don't make it
sharp enough to spear through the
weave of the dacron.
2. Remove any rough
edges using fine
sandpaper.
3. Push the tapered end of the
monofilament leader inside the
hollow dacron line.4. Work the mono up inside the dacron by
alternately bunching up the dacron over
the mono, then st retching it out again.
5. Having pushed the mono some 30 cm or
so inside the dacron line, t rim the frayed
dacron ends.
7. Having secured the join, over-bind the
loop you made for at least the same
distance as the existing binding, then
thread the tag through the loop.
8. Extract the loop,
and the tag.
6. Take a length of fine
thread, tie a loop in one
end, then cut the loop off
to use a pull-through to
f inish off the binding. Then
commence a f irm binding
on the join.
Having threaded the monof ilament leader into the dacron as described, it can't
be pulled out . This is because pull ing on the dacron contracts the weave,
holding the monofilament f irm. However, the mono may be released by
pushing the dacron of f so the weave expands. For this reason we must put a
binding on the join. Fine waxed thread is most of ten recommended, but I now
use a f ine gelspun f ishing line l ike Gori lla Braid or Spectra wi th a nominated
breaking strain of 20 or 30 pounds.
9. Pull the binding tight, t rim the tags,
then saturate the ent ire binding with'
a pliable rubber sealant l ike Pliobond
or Aquaseal.
CAUTION:
The join between leader and line is now secure: However, separt ion may occur when rigging skirted trol ling heads directly onto the leader. This is because
a hooked f ish taking line causes the lure to run back to the splice. While this is itself would not cause a separation, a situation which can
occur - and one which I have experienced personally - is the lure riding backwards, hard up against the joining splice, may be struck by
another game f ish, and with suf fic ient force, to cause a separation.
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DACRON : )O IN S AND SPL ICES
Wind On Leaders for Game Fishing
T his vers io n o f S teve M orris ' T op S ho t, W ind-o n L eader features "S higes hi T anaka's L oo p S plice," an inno vatio n w hich ho lds
the dacron lo op firm ly in p lace, a m os t des irab le feature when large fish need to be p layed o ut over a long period o f time.
A lthough yo u can use a doubled length o f s ingle s trand wire as a needle, this connection is bes t perfo rm ed us ing the
T op S ho t dacro n s plicing needles p ro duced by T op S ho t T ackle in S outh A us tralia w ho exp ort m os t o f their p ro ducts to
the U nited S tates . T op S ho t glues are reco mm ended fo r s ealing the s plice, but s uitable alternatives include A quas eal and
Pl iobond.
O ther m aterials include a five to ten m etre length o f m ono filam ent three to five tim es the breaking s train o f the line already
on the reel, and som e ho llow dacron line about tw ice the breaking s train o f the line o n the reel. There is room fo r som evariatio n w ith s leeve and lead er s ize, bu t heavier, o r lighter m on ofilam ent lead ers , require a co mp atible d acro n s leeve.
You w ill also need a sharp knife o r scalpel fo r sharpening o ne end o f the m ono filament leader, and loop gauge o r pencil to
keep y our lo op o pen. A fine w axed thread, o r o ther s tro ng binding thread, is us ed fo r fin is hing o ff.
1. Take a approximately 50 em
of dacron and fold it into
three as shown. Then mark
the dacron a third the way
along its length.
2. Put the dacron sleeve aside
for the present, and sharpen the heavy
monofi lament leader to a point with your knife or scalpel.
3. Having sharpened your leader to a fairly fine
point, insert it into the hollow end of your
end-splicing needle.
The end-spl icing needle is to al low you to thread the heavy monofi l-
ament up the hollow dacron. However, with a little practise, you wi ll
probably be able to thread the dacron sleeve with the heavy mono
without using the needle.
4. Take up the dacron once
more and thread your
loop-splicing needle
through the weave of
the dacron at your
one third mark.
Then thread the eye of the needle with
the short end of the dacron.
6. Thread the loop splicing needle
through the short end this t ime,
right up next to the loop, and
thread the eye of the needle
with the long end of the dacron.
, Then pull the long end
through the short end.
9. Push the needle all the
way through the long end
of the dacron so that the
short end tag emerges
from the long end which
is now bunched up to
less than half i ts original
length over the short
end.
8.
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12. Now push the external two
th i rds of the dacron right down
over the internal join between
dacron and monofilament~
DACRON : )O IN S AND SPL ICES
14. Stretch the leader out
really t ight using either
a Top Shot Spreader Jig
(illustrated), or other
suitable means. Then,
with your waxed thread,
make a clove hitch on the
monofilament just below
the dacron, and continue
making a series of f irm
half hitches back up the
monofilament and over
the dacron end.
10. Now, push your end-splicing
needle, the one you have thread-
ed with the sharpened end of
your monofilament leader, up the
short end so it protrudes from the
weave and holds the, bunched
up, long end in place.
16. Extract your pull- through, and with
it the tag. Close the binding with
f irm pressure on the tag.
CAUTION:
The join between leader and l ine is now secure: However, separat ion may
occur when rigging skirted trol ling heads direct ly onto the leader. This
is because a hooked f ish taking line causes the lure to run back to the
spl ice. While this is itself would not cause a separat ion, a si tuat ion which
can occur - and one which I have experienced personally - is the lure
riding backwards, hard up against the joining splice, may be struck by
another game f ish, and with suf fic ient force, to cause a separat ion.
11a. Pull the end-splicing
needle right through
until the tapered end of
the monofilament leader
protrudes. Disengage the
needle and smear the
tapered end of the mono-
filament leader with glue.
l l b , Draw the monofilament
back far enough to completely
contain the glued end.
13a. Pull the dacron
end back and
smear with glue
at this point.
15. Continue thus unt il t he waxed thread binding extends asimilar distance each side of the dacron end, over-bind a
loop of thread so you can use it as a pull-through to finish
off your binding.
17. The f inished splice should look like this and pass easily through the
line guides and onto your reel. Connect ion is achieved by f irst tying a
very short double or end loop in you main line, then interlocking the
loop in the leader wi th a Cat's Paw or Loop and Cross Loop connection.
Use at least one coat of waterproof sealant like Top Shot Dac Tac,
Aquaseal or Pl iobond and allow to cure.
31
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D fiC RO N: JO IN S fiN D SPL IC ES
Wind On Wire Leaders
T his m etho d o f rigging full-length IG FA w ind-o n w ire leaders w as devis ed
by S teve M orris o f T op S ho t T ackle in A delaide A us tralia.
Ny lon o r p las tic coated, 49 s trand cable is bes t.
The sp ecim en used fo r these illus trations was rigged from 400 p ound,
ny lon coated, 49 s trand cable and 130 pound IG FA dacron. A Top S ho t,
loop sp licing needle was used to make the lo op in the dacron s leeve, but
you can use a doubled length o f s ing le s trand w ire as a subs titute.
PREPARATION OF THE WIRE
1. Remove the last couple of
centi metres of nylon or plastic
coat ing from the wire.
3. Allow the strands to fuse, then shave the fused st rands to
a taper using a belt sander like I did or similar device.
PREPARATION OF THE
SLEEVE
4. Take about 50 cm (20
inches) of 130 poundIGFA dacron and fold i t
into three roughly equal
lengths, then mark one of
the folds.
These steps prepare the wire so it will slide into the dacron sleev
without catching. However, because there may be some loose
strands, it is advisable to give the wire another applicat ion of
Super Glue and a sprinkling of talcum powder to make it smooth
An alternate treatment is to use Hot Melt Glue to cover the
exposed wire taper and allow it to cool.
7. Now, thread the dacron splicing
needle sideways through the
weave of the shor t end, the
opposite end to the one
you threaded before.
5. Take an object to use as a loop
gauge like a pencil or a pen,
pass one third of the line
around it and push your
loop splicing needle or doubled
wire through at the mark you
made in the previous step.
9. Finally, the loop splicing
needle, or doubled wire,
is threaded length wise
through the long end of the
dacron so the short end can
be drawn right through.
10. Draw out the short end
so the long end is now
bunched up over the short
end.
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13. Then, push the long end right down
over the short end sleeving the wireo
12. Work the wire up right inside the short
end of the sleeve, as far up as the long
end of the dacron can be pushed back
D fiC itO rt: JO lrtS firtD S P LIC E S
II.The bunched long end is
secured in place, by a large
paper clip in this case, andthe tapered end of the wire is
pushed into the short end of
the dacron sleeve.
14. Trim the frayed end of
the dacron sleeve.
FINISHING OFF
There needs to be a binding on the dacron sleeve overlapping the
wire. This may be done with waxed thread, or - as I did when
preparing this example - with fine gelspun line.
15. Attach the loop splice in your dacron to a hook or the like so
you can tension the wire where the dacron overlaps.
16. Continue your binding past the over lap and onto the wire and
commence overbinding the loop you wi ll use as a pul l through.
17. Thread the loop with the
tag of your binding, makingsure there is quite a bit of
slack in the tag.
15b. Commence a f irm binding
on the dacron, where it
overlaps the wire, in the
manner shown.
18. Pull the loop out, and withi t the tag. Then tension
both tags so the binding is
really firm.
20. When the adhesive sets you will have a wire leader
which can be attached to a short double in your line
using a loop to loop, or loop & cross loop connection,
then wound onto your reel .
19. Apply a coating of a pliable
adhesive like Aquaseal or
Pl iobond to the binding and
work it right into the binding
and adjacent dacron with
your fingers, preferably
with a surgical clove so
it doesn't get on yourfingers and under your
fingernails.
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DACRON : )O IN S AND SPL ICES
Dacron Joining Splice
This metho d o f jo in ing two lengths o f IG FA , line class dacron, is
u se d a nd re comme nd ed by S teve M orris o f T op Sho t Tackle in
S outh A us tralia. A dacro n s plicing needle is requ ired .
1. Overlap the lines to be joined by a generous
margin, say 60 cm or two feet. We will call
the dark coloured line B, the l ight colour~
lineA. ~
some 50 cmfrom the end of B,
insert your dacron
splicing needle,
pass it through the
dacron for about 10 cm
or 4", and push it out
again.
Straighten out
B, trim the tag
of A, and test
join by pulling
A against B as
shown .
5. Thread your dacron
splicing needle with
the tag of B and pa
the needle throughA, right up close to
where it emerges
f rom A.
. /~
6. Pull the needle right
through A, the insert the
needle, passing it up
inside A for about 15 or 6
then out again.
9. The f inished centre spl ice
should look like this.
10. Make your final splice some
15 cm or 6" from the centresplice, the tag of B being
threaded through A as before.. Using the procedure described, make another splice
with B through A. This is the centre splice.
34
12. Shown is the configurat ion of
the Top Shot Dacron Joining
Splice.
11. Trim the tag of Band
straighten out the
splice.
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D AC RO H: JO ltiS A HD SPL IC ES
Tanaka's LoopT his m etho d o f s plic ing a loo p in dacro n,
heavy gel s p un o r o th er h ollo w b raided
le ad er m ate ria l, w as crea te d b y ce leb rate d
s tan d-u p g am e fis he rm an , S hig es hi T an ak a,
o f J ap an .
T his lo op is to tally s ecure w ith no m ovem ent
at all making it ideal fo r the C at's Paw, and
s im ilar co nn ectio ns u sed w ith w in d-o n
leaders . It is bes t p erfo rm ed us ing a T op
S ho t d acro n lo op -s plicin g needle m ad e
by T op S ho t T ackle, A us tralia.
4. Cont inue in the same manner, alternately
threading each end through the weave of
the opposite length making each
stitch as close to the last as
you can manage.
1. Select a length of dacron or other
hollow braided line of suitable
diameter for the wind-on
leader you intend building.
Pass the loop-splicing needle
through the weave, more or
less at r ight angles, about
one third the way along,
and thread the needle with the short end tag. The pencil represents the
need to hold the loop open during the init ial stages of forming the splice.
7. Having pushed your needle down through the longer length
of the dacron, which is now bunched over the shorter
length, you may follow from step 9 on page 30 to complete
the Top Shot wind-on leader.
Attaching Your Line to Your Reel
O ur firs t tas k, after buy ing a ro d
and reel, is to w ind a line o f suitable
breaking s train o nto the reel. W e are
go ing to attach the line to the spoo l o f
the reel w ith a C entauri kno t.
I s ugges t that the line sho uld be
wo und o nto the reel under m oder-
ate tens io n, eno ugh to lo ad the ro d
s lightly . T his is eas ier to do s ho uld
so meo ne be ho lding the sp oo l o f line
o n a p encil, o r the like, and ap ply ing
a s mall am ount o f p res sure.
A better alternative is to firs t w ind
the line o nto ano ther reel. T his reel
is also mounted on a rod, which
is p laced in a rod ho lder. Then the
clutch (drag) o f the firs t reel is
adjus ted to the des ired tens io n fo r
s po oling th e s eco nd reel.
main line, or
standing part,
with the tag.
3. And again.
4. Then a third time,
this t ime passing
the tag right over,
then back through,
the previous loops.
5. By following these steps,
we create a noose,
which is pulled up t ight
on the spool of the
reel. When the noose is
pulled up tight we can
wind the line onto the
reel.
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DOOBLESPlaiting a Double
2. As with the Bimini, your
rod should be firmly in a
rod holder and the clutch of
the reel set on strike drag.
Keeping the line t ight by pull -
ing away from your rod and
reel, pass Cover B (alongside
A). Pull B t ight . Because
tension must be maintained
throughout the plai ting pro-
cess, it helps to wrap each
successive leg in turn, around
your finger as shown.
A lth ou gh p lait in g is co ns id ered a little to o s lo w an d in co nven ien t
fo r m os t s po rtfis hing s ituatio ns it is the m os t s atis facto ry w ay o f
ty in g a fu ll len gth I.G .F .A . d ou ble, retain in g th e fu ll b reakin g s train
o f the line being used. This is how it is done.
1. Measure off just over twice
the length of line your f inished
double wi ll be. Say our double
will finish up at 4.5 metres,
then you will need to double
9 metres of line plus half a
metre or so for you r tag. The
main line or standing par t is A.
The returning length is B, and
the tag is C. Let's call the loop
formed, D.
3. PassA over C and
pull C tight.
5. Pass Cover B and pull C tight.
Having completed the f irst cycle of
the plai t, increase tension on the line,
even though some distort ion may
appear at the beginning of the plai t.
This is normal.
6. Now you are getting the idea, A goes over
C then C is pulled tight. Always pull the leg
you have just crossed, really t ight against
the line coming from your rod and reel.
That way your plait will be nice and firm.
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7. Having plaited for at least a dozen cycles, or what
appears to be far enough say 5 cm for 10 kg, 8 ern
for 15 kg, 12 cm for 24 kg and so on double the
tag over to form loop E as shown.
10. Pass A over B,
pull tight.
13. A has already gone over
B, shown is E over A.
16. Then pull the ent ire
double through.
15. Continue for one
complete cycle of
the pla it then pass
loop D through
loop E.
8. Loop E is plaited in just like the other two
single legs. I secure the loop against the plait
with the thumb and forefinger of the right
hand as shown.
11. Pass E over A,
pul l A t ight.
DOUBLES
14. Shown is A
Transfer loop E to the index
finger of your le ft hand and
cross leg B over it to the
centre. Now pul l E tight.
12. B goes over E,
pul l E t ight.
17. Secure the double by pulling on
loop D against tag C to form a
collar around the double.
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D~OOBLES
Bimini TwistS hort do ubles o r end lo ops like tho se used in s po rt and fly
fis hing, are eas ily s ecured w ith a B im ini T wis t w hich retains
the full breaking s train o f m ono filam ent and m os t o ther lines .
S everal ways o f ty ing a B im ini T wis t have evo lved. T he
method shown here, w ith the rod p laced firm ly in a rod
ho lder, is eas ies t to m as ter and s ho uld enable the angler to
g radu ate, m ore eas ily , to h an d-ten sio ned B im inis later o n.
1a .Thread the l ine through
your l ine guides of your
rod and place your rod
securely ina
rod holder with 0
your reel on
strike drag.
lb. Tie a small loop in the end of
your line, then cut it off and
put it aside. This is to act as
a pull-through to finish off the
Bimini later on.
2. Make a loop in the end of your line
and roll in at least 20 twists (I prefer at
least 30). In this drawing, the twists are made in a
clockwise direction.
4a. Keeping the maximum tension on
your line that your drag set ting
allows, compress the twists tightly
together.
~Old the tag back so it will spiral back
. - \\ 4b. ~~er the twists as you increase tension
with your right hand.
7a. Over-bind the pull- through three or four
t imes, taking care to cont inue (in this
case) anti-clockwise, then thread the
tag through the loop in the pul l- through.
6. Allow the tag to spiral right up to
the crotch in the double and insert
the short loop of line marked 1B
as a pull-through.
5a. Shown is the tag
spirall ing back over
the twists.
~Shownis'
, - - I I 0U ~hiSeffect
In close-u p.
step in close-up.
9a. Pull gent ly, but firmly, on the tag and rotate the Bimini (anti-
c lockwise) unti l several twists form in the loop. Don't pul l too
hard on the tag because you may shear it off and have to retie
the whole thing again.
8. Extract the pull -
through taking the
tag back through
the last few wraps.
9b. Trim the tag and the Bimini is finished.
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DOUBLES
Hand Tensioned Bimini Double
W e have already disco vered how to tie a B im ini double w ith the
rod in a rod-ho lder to tens ion the line. No w we exam ine ho w to
tie a h an d-ten sio ned B im in i.
1b. Take a loop of line and secure the
standing part by taking a bight of
l ine around your left hand.
2. Roll in at least
thirty twists.
3. Pass the loop over your shoe,
or any convenient f ixture l ike
a rod holder in a boat, andkeep tension on the loop
so it won't come off .
5. Hold the tag between thumb and middle
finger of the left hand and put your right
hand inside the loop over your shoe and
open the loop by spreading your f ingers
and sliding your right hand toward the
left hand.This will cause the tag to spiral back
over the twists wh i Ie
tension on the tag is
control led by the
pressure of your
thumb against the
middle finger.
4. Keeping pressure on the standing part, rotate
the tag between thumb and forefinger of the
right hand to make the tag spiral back over
the twists.
6. When the tag has spiralledback to the crotch in the loop,
place your left index f inger in
the crotch to securethe tag.
Then take the small loop you
first made and commence
wrapping it with the tag.
7. Wrap the loop, and both
strands of the Bimini,
three or four times then
pass the tag through the
loop.
8. Withdraw your loop, drawing the
tag back out from under the last
few wraps.
9. Pull gently on the tag, rotating the
Bimini as you do so until a couple
of twists appear in the loop, then
stop. If you pull tag out too far you
wil l shorten the splice.
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DOUBLES
Spider Hitch
Unlike the Bimini Twist and Plait, which are progressive splices, the Spider
Hitch is a knot, which retains around 80% of line strength in monofilament.
However, tied in gelspun lines it retains only 40 to 60% of the actual
breaking strain.
Although lacking the strength of the Bimini and Plait the Spider Hitch does
produce a double strand with which to attach terminals and leaders and
it is quick and easy to tie.
NOW A V A IL A B L E - G e o f f W i l s o n 's G u id e t o R ig g in g B ra id , D a c r o n a n d G e ls p u n L in e sDESCRIPTION:
More and more anglers are using braided lines. Geoff Wilson, has updated and
expanded one of his best sellers Guide to Rigging Braid, Dacron and Ge/spun Lines.
This guide illustrates and provides tying notes for using these lines when sport and
game fishing, deep sea f ishing, f ly fishing, lure f ishing and general purpose angling.
In this completely revised, updated and enlarged book Geoff has included six new
knots, included new rigging systems and enlarged the brand and breaking strain test
reports. Coupled with a new, bigger format book that disp lays each knot in simple
and comprehensive, step-by-step detailed drawings and instructions this book takes
the uncertainty out of using these new lines and every angler can be sure that they
won't lose a fish because of knot failure.
Geoff Wilson's Guide to Rigging Braid, Dacron and Gelspun Lines is a comprehen-
sive, well researched and easy to understand, making it an invaluable reference for
all anglers who want to switch over to the advantages of braid, dacron and gelspun
lines.
2. Wind the double ~~
around the thumb ~
of your lef t hand.
5. Pinching thumb and finger of the left hand
f irmly together so the loops disengage one at
a time, pull gently but f irmly
on the double until all the
loops have slid f rom your
left thumb.
FEATURES INCLUDE:
• Joining superlines
• Tying terminal tackle to superlines.
• Joining superlines to monofilament.
• Knot strength as a percentage of line strength for each knot.
3. Make four or five
complete wraps.
l.Having determined the size of your double or end
loop, twist in a second loop just above the tag end
and hold it between the thumb and f inger of your
left hand.
4. Then pass the loop in
the double through the
second loop.
6. Tension all four strands equal ly and
your Spider Hitch shouId look some-
thing like this.
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DOODLES
Tony Jones' Leader Knot
I cal] th is T on y J on es ' L ea de r K no t b ec au se I learned
it fro m C ap tain T ony Jo nes o f Ra C harters .
1. Wind your double around
the end of your heavy
monofilament leader.
Cats Paw to Ring or Swivel
Bear in mind a double can be tied to a swivel o r ring
us ing the same kno t as you would use to attach a
s ingle s trand o f line. H ow ever, to retain the intact
do uble fo r the p urp os e o f o fficially reco rding cap tures
in sp o rt o r game fishing we use a C at's Paw.
The C at's P aw is usually tied to a high quality
snap swivel so leaders can be changed as
circum stan ces dictate. T he s wivel I've draw n here
has a larger eye than usual so you can see mo re
c lea rly w ha t is h ap p en in g.
2. Make half a dozen wraps orso, but use more wraps for
l ight leaders and less wraps
for very heavy leaders.
3. The wind the tag of the
leader back around the knot
and thread i t through the
loop in the double.
4. Close the leader knot with pressure
on the leader against the main line. 5. The fin ished should jo in a llow the
heavy monofi lament leader to be
wou nd onto your reel .
1. Thread the
loop end of
your double
through the
eye of the
snap swivel
and pass
the swivel
through the
loop.
Fold the loop
end of the dou-
ble back against
the standing
part of the loop.
Rotate the
swivel through
the central loop
formed.
5. Close up the Cat's Paw.Chances are you won't close
your Cat 's Paw as tight as th is
one unless you are using a sup-
ple braided line. Monofilament
can be closed satis factor ily by
lubricating with dry lubricant
or powdered graphite.
Lubrication with saliva
s unsatisfactory for
this purpose.
Do th i s from th ree to
six times depending
on the th ickness and
pliabil ity of the l ine.
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DOOBLES
Loop & Cross-Loop Connections
Loop & C ro ss L oo p C onne ctio ns are us ed fo r jo inin g tw o lines , e ach
with a loop at the end to be jo ined. In this case, a W ind-on Leader,
which has been lo op-sp liced at one end, is being attached to a short
B im ini double in the end o f the line co ming fro m the reel: T here are
o th er a pp lic atio ns a s well.
1. Roll up the
leader then
thread the loop
of the short
double through
the loop spliced
in the end of the
leader.
leader through the
double loop.
Close the two loops,
but not too t ightly.
(Some anglers finish
the connect ion at this
point . However, this is an
unstable connection and
a "cut ting girth hitch" may form,weakening the connection)
4. Pull the double loop
through the loop in
the leader once more.
5. Rotate the double
loop through 360
degrees.6. Thread the
7. Close the loops together. 8. Loop & Cross Loop con nections
remain stable under extreme
tension.
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FLY Flstt lt lG
1. Thread the eye of the
hook and roll a loop into
the tippet.
Duncan's Loop
So metim es co nfused w ith the Uni Kno t which lo ok s
s im ilar but is no t the sam e, Duncan's Lo op pro vides a
s im ple fixed lo op attachm ent fo r f ly to tippet o r ho ok
to leader. P eter H ay es o f "G uid ed F is hing " p ro vided th e
d em o ns tratio n o n w hich th es e d raw ing s are bas ed .
2. Thread the tag back through the loop
and commence wrapping
both strands.
and adjust
the loop size
but do notpul l i t t ight
just yet.
loop is of the
desired size,
pul l the knot
tight.
Lefty's Loop
When des irable fo r the fly to have free m ovem ent
at the end o f the tip pet, it is rigged o n a s mall
lo op . T his kno t is easy to tie and retains a sub-
s ta nt ia l p erc en ta ge o f th e l in e's b re ak in g s tra in .
l. First make an overhand
knot configuration in
the leader, pass the tag
through the eye of the
hook, then back through
the overhand knot.
3. Pull the knot tight
using gentle pres-
sure on the main line
against the loop.
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KNOTS: FLY FISHING
Improved Turle Knot
T his kno t p ro vides a s tro ng, neat co nnectio n to
flies tied o n ho oks w ith turned-do wn ey es .
Blood Knot
l.Thread the tippet
t rough the eye
of the hook and
over the body of
the fly.
2. Then thread
the tippet
back th rough
the eye of the
hook.
hand knot in the
tag around the
standing part of
the tippet.
5. Close the over-
hand knot , but
do not pull it
really t ight yet.
6. Pull the knot up with
gentle pressure on
the t ippet so the knot
sl ides right down into
the eye of the hook.
Pull the knot up tight
and trim the tag.
P o ss ib ly th e s tro ng es t m eth od
o f attaching a fly to a
m on ofilam en t lead er is th e
B lo od kno t. It d iffers fro m the
H alf B lood in that the line is
p ass ed through the ey e o f the
hoo k tw ice. This lim its its use
o n very s mall ho ok ey es .
T o retain the full p otential s trength o f this kno t, the lo op sequence on
the eye o f the hook must be retained until the kno t is pulled tight.
Half Blood Knot T he s im ples t, and m os t co mm onus ed kno t fo r attaching flies is
the s imp le H alf B lo od. T his kno t
s ho uld be us ed w ith cautio n,
b ec au s e under s ome c ir cumst ance s
it is inclined to s lip . T his kno t is
tied by p as sing the line thro ugh
the eye o f the ho ok, wrap ping
the tag aro und the m ain line three to s ix tim es , then p as sing the tag
back thro ugh the firs t lo op made aro und the ey e o f the ho ok. T he finer
the diameter o f the line in relatio n to the diam eter o f the ho ok ey e,
the greater the num ber o f turns (up to s ix), that sho uld be made.
Locked Half Blood Knot
44
H alf B lood can be locked so that it won't
s lip . T his is do ne by firs t fo rm ing the kno t,
then tucking the tag back through the
trans vers e lo op befo re p ulling the kno t up
tight.
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~---- --- ----
K NO T S: FL Y FIS H IN G
Attaching Fly Line to Hollow Braided Backing
l. The fly line has to go inside
the hoi low backi ng so it is
advisable to first ~
insert a coarse ~needle ins.ide the ,1 ~ )
backing to open _, - ~
the weave.'<
v . . ~ 2. Push the fly line at least
two inches (5 cm) inside
the backi ng. You may
have to jiggle it back
and forth if it gets stuck,
but it should go in.
This m etho d o f attaching a fly line to a ho llo w braided
backing is used and recommended by Rob M eade o f
C lear W ater T ou rs .
3. You won't be able to pull the fly line out from the backing
because the increased tension makes the backing contract.
However, the f ly line can easily removed by pushing the
backing of f the f ly line. To prevent this from happening we
make a lashing with very f ine f ishing line, preferably gelspun
fishing line, to make the
join secure. In this case we over-
bind a loop of line to use as a
pull- though to f inish of f.~~-6. Tighten the binding with pressure
on both side, trim the tags and
backing f ringe with a set of nail
c lippers, the cover the lashing with
a waterproof sealant l ike Aquaseal
or Pliobond.
1. Take half a metre or so of rnonof ila-
ment with a diameter of about 0.5
mm and make the double loop con-
figuration shown at the end of your
fly line (black) . Note that one loop
is larger than the other.
2. Wrap the fly line and
smaller monofilament
loop with the larger
monofilament loop.
4. Make ten or a dozen wraps
over the pull-though loop,
then thread the tag
through the loop.
Monofilament Loop to Fly Line
The fo llow ing p rocess was shown to me by Rob M eade
o f C lear W ater T ours . It enables lo op to lo op co nnectio ns
w ith fly lead ers in tro ut fis hin g.
4. Holding the loops together on the fly line so
they don't spring apart , hook the smaller loop
over a f ixed hook or similar object and close
the knot by pulling on both tags against
the loop, but not too firmly at this
stage. This wil l cause the loops
at each end of the knot to
close and the loop on the "- __if/J
hook to open.
8. Trim the tags and protruding
f ly l ine and your rnonofi la-
ment loop is complete.
one side of the loop
is f ixed, because i t
is tied to the fly line,
and the other side
of the loop wi II sl ide
because the knot it is
simply pinned against
the fly line by the
knot . Spread a smal l
amount of suitable
glue, like "Zap a Gap"
on the side of the loop
that slides.
7. Adjust the loop to the size required
by al ternat ing tension between tag A and tag B.
Then, and this is important, increase pressure on
tag B unt il the knot closes down really firmly on
the fly line, pinning the glued side of' .....__ ~".
the loop f irmly so it wont slip.
Remember, only one side the
loop is t ied. The loop is secured by
the tension of the knot and the glue
which you have applied.
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KNOT S: F LY F IS H IN G
Nail Knot Using Tube
T his is a n e as ie r way to tie the nail kno t fo r so me. It requires
a slender, s tiff, tube o nto w hich the leader is tied. T he fly
line is then inserted into the tube and the kno t held by the
thum b and fo refinger while the tube is p ulled aw ay , this
leaves th e kn ot p os itio ned p erfect ly o ver th e fly lin e.
2. Begin wrapping by passing
the loop over the ~f"
tube and tag.
"I
3. Continue to wrap in this way
until a snell is formed on the
tube.
4. Close the snell tightly on the
tube by pul ling the tag against
the standing part. Then insert
the fly line in the tube.
snell from
the tube onto
the fly line.
6. Pull the snell up tightly on
the fly line so that it bites
down into the fly line mak-
ing a smooth join.
Indicator Knot l.Make this configuration in theleader where the indicator is to
be secured.his kno t p ro duces a s liding lo op in the leader fo r the
p urp ose o f securing a sm all p iece o f yarn to act as a
v is i bl e s t ri ke ind icato r.
F / ' - ; : : : ' zx :::-.::::::-~
/; ~II
II2. Pull one of the \\
crossed legs out ~~
through the loop so ~
that another loop is formed I f ""--with a knot around it.
3. Close the knot and insert
secure the piece
of yarn to
the leader.
Surgeons Knot for Attaching Dropper
T he S urgeo ns K no t is used fo r building fly fishing
le ad ers a nd multi h oo k bait catching rigs . It can also be
used fo r attaching a short dropper near the end o f your
main line. Its chief advantage over o ther kno ts used fo r
the sam e p urp ose are its s im plicity and sp eed.
Bear in mind that large loops are eas ier to work with
when ty ing this kno t so dro pp er o r tip pet sectio ns sho uldbe cut somewhat longer than when us ing o ther jo ins .
l.Shown is the main l ine,
white, and the tippet or
dropper, black. Lay
them alongside each
other as shown
with an overlap
of at least 15cm.
2. Tie an overhand knot
in both main line and
dropper.
four wraps
and five
crossovers
are formed.
4. With equal pressure on each strand, pull the knot
tight. Should the knot fai l to close properly, pull
gently on each end in turn until the knot is closed
before trimming the tag end of the dropper.
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1. Anglers wil l recognise the
configu ration of the Spider
Hitch, but instead of tying the
hitch over our thumb, we use the stem of a float or a pen-
cil (illustrated) . The reason why we use a stem and not our
thumb is because we are working with considerably short-
er lengths of line when split ting leaders than we would be
when tying a double for sportf ishing, and wrapping the
double strand around one's thumb uses up too much line.
How to Split Leaders
'S plitting' leaders is the term us ed to des cribe the
p ro ces s b y w hich o ne s in gle s trand o f m ono filam en t
beco mes tw o w ith m inim al interrup tio n to the 'lay ' o f
th e lin e, an d w ith out s ig nifican t lo ss o f s tren gth .
This method was shown to me by fellow angling
s crib e P eter H o rro bin w ho 's p lit s' fly fis hin g lead ers
to p res en t m ult ip le o fferin gs . H o wever, an y m on o-
filam ent line m ay be 's plit' in this m anner, either fo r
m ultip le lure p res en tatio n o r fo r rig gin g w ith ho ok
and s inker fo r w hiting etc.
5. Having threaded the
entire double strand
through the loop, pull
the h itch off the stem
turn by turn.
KNO T S: F LY FIS H IN G
2. Holding the loop of the double
strand between the f inger and
stem commence wrapping the
loop against the stem.
3. Cont inue unti l f ive
wraps have been
made.
4. Then pass the final
wrap through the loop
followed by the ent ire
double strand.
7. Shown is a simple
application of split
leaders which is
useful for multiple
presentations when
flyfishing.
6. Close the hitch and cut the loop to pro-
duce a double strand, preferably so that
one strand is approximately twice as long
as the other.
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K NO TS : FL Y FIS H IN G
Making Saltwater Fly Fishing Leaders
I.G .F.A . m akes p ro vis io n fo r s om e s alt-
water species to be claimed as line class
recordsprovided the line clas s leader
an d shock' tippet (h oo k len gth ) c om ply
w ith t he f ol lo w in g s p ec ific at io ns :
The line class leader be at least 15
inches in length m eas ured betw een
any knot, s plice o r lo op .The shock tippet or hook length be no
lo nger than tw elve inches including all
kno ts , s plices o r lo op s. T he fo llo wing
d ia grams s ho w rigg ing s trateg ie s w hic h
comp ly w ith th es e req uirem en ts .
Braided but t or heavy
monofilament leader
with a loop at each end.
Loop to loop connection
between f ly line and braid-
ed but t section or heavy
mono leader.
Loop to loop connection between heavy
mono leader or braided but t sect ion and
line class tippet or leader.
Line class
or leader.
1. Take your heavy monof ilament leader and t ie
it tightly around the Bimini Loop. In this case a
nail knot is produced in the heavier line
with the aid of a fine metal tube, but
an overhand knot may be used
provided i t is pulled up real ly
tight
B IM IN I TO HEA VY M ONO FILAM ENT LEADER
(H UFFNA GLE K NO T)
T he H uffna gle p rin cip le allo ws a h eav y m on ofilam en t le ade r
to be tied flus h w ith a do uble s plice, in this cas e a B im ini,
to co ntro l the o verall length o f a s hock tipp et w ith no lo ss o f
b re ak in g s tra in to t he le ad er.
2. Wrap the Bimini Loop and
tu be with the heavy mono-
f ilament four of f ive t imes
and thread the heavy
mono through the tube.
3. Remove the tube and pull
the na iI knot tight , r ight
up against the Bimini.
4. Begin making a series of half
hitches, with the Bimini loop,
around the heavy monofila-
ment leader and pulling them
up tight against the nail knot6. Extend the loop back down the leader
and commence wrapping
the end of the loop
back up the leader
under the extended
loop, toward the
series of half hitches
J
I
I
10. Pullout the loop leaving the outer double
strand twisted t ight ly around the inner
double strand, and the leader, which are
now both straight
8. Then wind the
extended loop
back over those
wraps in the
same direction. 9. Continue thus until the twists are
now transferred from the double
strand on the inside to the double
strand on the outside.
and the join is
complete.
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K NO T S: FL Y FIS H IN G
MAK ING A BRA IDED BUTT SECT IO N
H ollo w butt leader m aterial o r dacro n
m akes an excellent lead er m edium
between class tip pet and fly line. It has
no memory and is quite s tiff when loop
s pliced as s ho wn.
250 ern
-+--55 cm ~-+-- 55 cm ~
125 cm
l. Begin with a length of hollow but t leader material twice the length of your intended butt section.
For example, a but t leader section l.25 metres in length would require just over 2.5 metres of but t
leader material. Mark the centre and posi tions for beginning each loop spl ice as shown. Allowing for
overlap, and for the end loops in a butt leader section of this length, those marks would be approxi-
mately 55 cm each side of the central mark.
4. Do the same from the other end so
a small amount of overlap occurs
in the centre. This central splice
may be secured with a small
amount of Pliobond or Aquaseal.
2. Thread the eye of your needle
with the tag fr inge and push
the needle into the butt
leader material at the spot
previously marked.
3. Work the needle through the hollow
but t material and out just past the
cent ral mark with a short tag.
four-strand
loop and
surgeons knot
coupled to a
braided butt
2. Although a section.
simple loop to loop
connection between class
tippet and butt sect ion is
quite adequate, for added security, some anglers, and
f ishing guides, double the Bimini loop so that four strands
are produced for the loop to loop connection. This doubled
loop is secured with a triple surgeons knot as shown.
connection is
used to connect
the class tippet
to the braided
butt section.
WH IPP ING AN END LOOP FOR L IGHTER L INES , LESS THAN lO -WE IGHT
1. Cut the end
of f the fly
line at an
angle.
2. Bend the fly line
over to form a
loop.
3. Using a fly- tying bobbin and thread, bind the
loop closed by spinning the bobbin around the
line forming the whipping. Thread should be
wrapped around the bobbin arm three or four
t imes to produce sufficient tension.
I~4. Coat the whipping with
Aquaseal, a silicon compound
used for rubber repairs.
WH IPP ING A N END LO OP FOR HEAVIER L INES IO -WE IGHT & UPWARDS
1. Cut off end
4. Using your f ly-ty ing bobbin once more, whip
the braid down onto the fly line and f inish
off like a rod binding, using a loop of binding
thread as a pull- through. The f inished loop is
coated with Aquaseal.
This method of whipping a loop may also
be used for heavier f ly lines provided the
Gudebrod butt leader is substituted with 24 or
37 kg class dacron.
2. Thread fly line up
centre of 35 Ib
Gudebrod braid.
3. Using a needle,
splice a loop in
the braid flush
with the fly line.
49
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I
I
I
K NO TS : F LY F IS H IN G
Westy's Dropper
S ho wn to m e by P eter W es t, this kno t allo ws an additio nal
dro pp er to be attached to a fly t ip pet.,
1. Make an overhand loop
in the tippet.
2. Pull a loop of line
~-~ through as if to
make an indicator
knot.
3. Take the dropper line, thread
it through the loop, and begin
wrapping the standing part
with the tag.
6. You now have a
drapper on your
t ippet al lowing a
double presentation.,4. Having made three or four wraps,
thread the tag back through the f irst
wrap so a half blood knot is formed.
5. Tighten both knots in turn; first
the half blood knot and then the
indicator knot.
Creating End Loops In Saltwater Fly Leaders
L oo p to L oo p co nnectio ns , betw een leader an d fly line, and betw een
lead er an d clas s tip pet, are freq uen tly u sed in s altw ater fly fis hin g.W hen us ed w ith heavy m on ofilam ent, this p ro cedure allo ws the an gler
to co ntro l the s ize o f the lo op .
1. Make this double loop
conf igurat ion in the end of
your heavy monofilament
leader, one loop small, the
other large.
3. Shown is an effective
way of doing this.
4. Having made six or seven
wraps, pull the tag to close
what is remaining of the
large loop.
5. Passthe remaining
loop around a f ixture with desired
diameter to act as a loop gauge,
and close the knot, first by pulling firmly on
the main or standing part of the leader.
6. Sti ll maintaining some
pressure on the standing
part, pull gently,
but very firmly on the
tag until you feel the knot lock the
loop in posit ion. Trim the tag.
50
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The mo st bas ic app licatio n o f a float is to sus pend yo ur bait belo w
the surface. S om e flo ats are fixed o n the line so the ho ok rem ains
a co ns tant dis tance belo w the flo at. O thers are des igned to s lide
along the line to make cas ting eas ier when the bait needs to be
p res ented deep er than u su al. T here are en oug h flo ats , in all ty pes ,
s hap es and s izes , to fill a bo ok. Fo rtunately , we can get by with
jus t a few . L et 's lo ok at so me bas ic flo ats and ways o f fis hing
w ith th em .
Fixed Stem FloatsS tem flo ats co ns is t o f a s tem , us ually with a p ear o r cigar-s hap ed
bo dy fo r added buo yancy . T hos e s tem flo ats witho ut the body are
referred to as p en cil flo ats o r q uills .
S tem flo ats used to be made from wooden stems with co rk bodies .
These days , many are made from p las tic. M os t have a p las tic o rrubber s leeve, which fits over the s tem at the top to fix the flo at in
p os itio n o n th e lin e.
2. When the required amount of
l ine has been passed through
sleeve and line guide, slide the
sleeve back over the stem to fix
the f loat in posit ion on the line.
1. The first step in rigging
with a stem float is to
remove the sleeve from
the stem and pass the
line through i t, then
through the line guide at
the bottom of the stem.
FLOfiT FISttlttG
3. Having fixed your float in position on
the line, tie on your hook and weight
the l ine with sufficient split shot to keep
the float in an upright position. The split
shot are clamped at intervals along the
ine above the hook.
We use a number of small weights (split
shot) instead of one larger weight, firstly, to
allow us to ballast the float more accurately,
and secondly, to minimise the pendulum effect
caused by a single large weight.
While the pendulum effect does not seem to deter
predatory fish like bonito, barracouta, tailor and salmon,
it is to be avoided when seeking shy biters like luderick.
It can also cause the leader to tangle around the main l ine
when casting out.
Some stem floats (like those used for luderick) carry sufficient
ballast at the bottom of the stem to keep the float upright. This
feature allows the angler to use, just enough weight (split shot) to
present his bait in respect to depth and tide.
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itIGS: FLOAT FISHING
Bob FloatBob floats are popular among pier fishermen seeking
mullet and garfish. The floats come in several sizes and
consist of a plastic sphere, usually red and white, with
a spring-loaded catch to fix them onto the line.
Although Bob floats are among the easiest floats to use,
their application is limited. They tend to slide along the
line and the spring mechanism corrodes fairly rapidly.
Fixed Waggler Float
Wagglers are stem floats, and stem floats can be
rigged as wagglers. However floats designed to be
rigged as wagglers carry their body (if they have a
body), lower on the stem, and the line guide at the
bottom of the float is straight.
Alternative Running Float
A running float may also be rigged by attaching a leader of heavy line
to the lighter main line; say a 30 kg leader to a 10 kg mainline. We
do this using the Improved Albright knot I have already described.
This rig is favoured by anglers live baiting from the rocks for pelagic
fish such as tuna. You will appreciate that once
the leader knot is on the reel, the angler
has more control over the fish below. He
may even be able to lift smaller fish like
bonito straight out onto the rocks
without gaffing them.
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3. Shown is the Ezy Rig which slides along the line like a running sinker. It
allows a bomb sinker, which would normally be tied on the end of the
line, to be used as a running sinker.
It consists of a plastic barrel, which slides along the line, to which is
attached a metal snap for changing sinkers as required.
Fixed Sinker RigsPaternoster,or Fixed Sinker Rig,
using Locked Half Blood Knot for
all connections.
A preferred option when rigging for
maximum strength such as in surf
casting.
Paternoster,or Fixed Sinker
Rig, using loop connections
for convenience and speed.
The hooks are attached using
Twisted Dropper Loops so
that they stand away from themain line and don't tangle.
Sf iLTWf iTEi t
Paternoster Rig
Paternoster Rig wi th hooks
on droppers secured with
triple surgeon's knot
Running Sinker Rigs
1. Shown is the simplest of all running sinker rigs with the
sinker running all of the way down to the hook. Although
simple and effective, this rig has its l imitations.
First ly, the sinker can't be too large because i t may
crush any of the bait threaded up the line above the hook.
Secondly, no provision can be made for using a heavier
leader to the hook, a desirable feature when seeking
large f ish l ike mulloway and big snapper.
2. Shown is a more complex running sinker
rig featuring two hooks on a separate
leader one sliding along the leader and
one tied on the end. At the other end of
the leader is a solid metal ring to which
the hook leader is tied, the knot shown in
both cases is a blood knot.
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Baiting up and Fishing with Tuna Circles
R IG S : S AL TWATER
Rough Bottom Rig
T un a circles are fis h h oo ks w hich d iffer from co nventio nal h oo ks
in that the po int o f the hook faces back toward the shank at
s ome th in g ap p ro ach in g a rig ht a ng le.
T he tuna circle is des igned to trap any ridge o f cartilage,
bo ne, gill-arch, lip , to ngue, jaw hinge etc, in the gap between
the p oint o f the ho ok and the shank, a situatio n o nce initiated
is almo st imp os sib le t o rev ers e, h en ce t he ir e ff ec tiv en es s.
T un a circles h ave lo ng been u sed b y commercial lo ng -lin -
ers , p articu larly fo r larg e p elag ic fis h like tun a, b ut th ey w ork
eq ually w ell o n all s pecies from bro adb ill to b ream .
T hey are es pecially effective in g am e and s po rtfis hing s itua-
tio ns where the fish m ay take a long time-so metimes hours -
to bring in. T his is becaus e, o nce they are in p lace, tuna circles
are v ery d if ficu lt t o d is lo dg e.
T hey are als o p articularly effective in bo ttom b ou ncin g in the
deep sea where any fish, o nce hoo ked, must be bro ught up a
very lo ng w ay , s om etim es s everal hu ndred m etres . T un a circles
s ave th e d is ap po intm en t m an y d eep s ea an giers exp erien ce o n
b attlin g a really heavy b lu e ey e trevalla, trum peter o r w hatever,
only to lose it when the hook tears out as it is nearing the boat.
A ng lers rarely us e tu na circles : F irs tly , th is is b ecaus e th ey
are us ually fo rged in very heavy gauges to w ithstand the
s tre ss es o f la rg e f is h h oo ked o n h ea vy lo ng -lin es : S eco nd ly
they m us t be baited co rrectly o r they will no t wo rk.
T he firs t s ituatio n is being rem edied by ho ok
A. Big splash water bomb balloon inflated to
thumbnail size to buoy bait up from bot tom.
B. Bait rigged on two hooks and secured
with hosiery elastic (Bait Mate).
\C. Solid metal r ing or swivel.
F . D. Bal l sinker threaded on knot
tag from main line.
E. Removable spl it shot clamped onto
knot tag to hold sinker in place.
manufacturers: T o date I have a sam ple o f light gauge "W as abi"
tuna circles in s izes 1/0 to 5/0 fro m the New Z ealand firm
"B lack M agic" and have been ass ured by o ther ho ok m anufac-
tu rers th eir p ro du cts w ill be s oo n b e availab le as w ell.
T he s eco nd s ituatio n is rem ed ied b y th is article w hich d etails
s om e deadly m etho ds o f baiting with tuna circles. L et's see ho w
the job is do ne.
1. This simple method of rigging a
strip of fish or squid is
surprisingly effective when
f ish are "on the go". The
main disadvantage of
baiting like this,
particularly with
sof t baits, is that
the bait is likely
to be pulled
right off the
hook by small,
unwanted
species before
a big f ish comes along.
2. This is the first step to
making a str ip bait more
secure when the
fishing is a bit
slow, or, when the bait is deployed at
some depth where it may be inconve-
nient to check i t of ten. The diagram
shows the leader being pulled right
through the bait .
3. Next we fold the strip and impale
the fold with the poi nt of the hook.
Not too deep mind you because
we don't want to obst ruct the gap
between the point and the shank. If
we do this, then the hook becomes
ineffective.
The f irst step
in making the
hook appear
less conspicu-
ous is to cut
the strip of f
below the
hook.
4. This is a more secure bait
presentation. Some anglers
may be deterred by seeinghow proud the hook sits out
from the ba it, but that is a
situation which can be
section over
tightly and
impale
the fold.
7. Push the folded strip down into the curve of the
hook. This is a very effect ive bait presentation which
substant ially hides the hook without reducing its ef fi-
cacy. Its disadvantage is that the bai t is incl ined to
spin on the ret rieve or when fished in a current.
The spinning bai t problem is substantially solved in
deep sea presentat ions when the hook is rigged on a
twisted dropper loop which is far less inclined to spin
and tangle around the main l ine.
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Double Pinch Method of
Strip Baiting Circles
W hen baiting s trip s o f squid o r fish o n circle ho oks , care needs to
be taken no t to obscure the gap between the po int and the shank.
The double p inch m etho d o f baiting s trip baits o n circles m eets
t ha t r equ ir ement .
1. Pinch the strip at oneend and push the hook
over, and through the
bend.
2. Shown is the bait
3. For added security a
second pinch is made
just over a hook length
from the first and the
R IG S : SALTWATER
5. The bait may be made
more att ract ive by f i rst ,
trimming the ends off
the strip.
Rigging Circles on Cable
C ircle hooks , like the M ustad 39960, may be rigged on7 s trand o r 49 s trand cable to great effect on sharks
and o ther gam e fis h.
1. Thread the cable through
a suitable size metal
sleeve, then
through the
eye of the
hook from
the front.
2. Loop the cable
around the front
of the shank, back
through the eye of
the hook and then
through the sleeve.
Extend the loop of cable,
put in a half twist, and
loop it over the point of
the hook.
4. Take up the loop,
slide the sleeve right
up the hook, then -
using a set of crimp-
ing pliers - crimp
the sleeve f irmly so
the cable cannot slip.
6. Then impaling
those ends onthe hook.
The knot used here is the Nail Knot with Loop refer to page 9.
5. Trim the tag from the
cable and the hook is
secure, but kicked out
at a sharp angle to the
cable.
6. The bait, in this
case a fish fil let,
is secured to
the leader using
electrical cable
ties, taking care
that the hook
remains kicked
out f rom the bait
at an angle.
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i tI OS : S fi LTWf iTE i t
Live Baiting with Tuna Circles
T una circles are p ro bably the bes t live baiting ho oks
ever des igned. T his is ho w to bait them.
Baiting Tuna Circles with Soft Baits
Tuna flesh without any skin on it, a
h and fu l o f p ip is , m us sels o ys ters ,
p ieces o f cray -tail and bait fis h like
s lim y m ackerel an d p ilch ards w hich
have been frozen then thawed o ut
ag ain are s oft baits .
W e attach thes e so ft baits to tuna
circ le h oo ks u sin g h os iery elas tic w hich
is s old in fis hing tackle o utlets as B ait
M ate. H ere is how we bait up with a
p ilch ard. A s lim y m ackerel req uires th e
same t re atmen t.
3. Bind the bait tightly all
the way down to the
hook.
l. Impale the bai t f ish
sideways through
the nose.
bait. Note particu-
larly that the gap
between the point
and the shank is not
obstructed.
1. Dr ive the point into the bait just
behind the breast bone, but not
too deep. Then push it forward and
bring i t back out again.
2. Lay the leader alongside the bait with a st rand
of Bai t Mate, preparatory to commencing a
binding down the bait from the tail wrist.
4. Then bind it all the way back again,
continuing right past the tail, then
back to the tai l wrist before snapping
the elastic so that it bites into the
bait and will not come undone. These
baiting methods ensure excellent
results with conventional hooks as
well , but they are part icularly suited
to tuna circles because they do not
obstruct the gap between the point
and the shank.
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Fish Head on Two Hooks-
When pickers and lice are on the job, flesh baits do no t las t
very long. T hat is why fis h heads , like this sm all barraco uta
head, are preferred w hen seeking large fish like snap per
which may take their time in coming along.
leader through
the sliding
hook.aws with
the sliding
hook.
and pin the head above
the gil l cover as shown.
Rigging with Wire: Flemish Eye
The Flemish Eye is used to attach hooks, rings and swivels to seven
and fo rty -nine strand wire when spo rt and game fishing. The Flemish
E ye is secured with a s leeve, which is firm ly crimped with a special
pair o f p liers called a crim ping to ol.
l.First sl ide a sleeve of the correct size over the
wire you are using. The size of sleeve required
is speci fied on the packaging of the wire.
Sleeves may also be supplied with the wire.
2. Thread on the hook and
in the wire on the
eye of the hook.
~1(iS: SfiLTWfiTE~
1. Tie one hook to the end
of your trace of leader
and bind the other in
place using hosiery
elast ic (Bait Mate) so
that i t sl ides under
pressure.
hooks once more by
pulling the leader
gently through the
binding on the second
hook.
5. Slide the Flemish EY~
up tight on the eye of
the hook, slide the sleeve
r"";~~~,,-right up against that,
then cr imp the
sleeve with the
crimping tool.
4. Thread the tag through
the sleeve alongside the
standing part.
Multiple Hook Rigs:
Double Rigging on Wire
T wo -ho ok rigs are us ed in gam e
f is h ing, p a rt icul arl y when t ro ll in g
lu res . T his rig, w hich co ns is ts o f
tw o h oo ks , a s wive l, a len gth o f m ulti-s tra nd
w ire an d c rim pe d s lee ve s, is as semble d
u sing a s eries o f F lemis h
Eyes, a conf igura ti on
described above .
6. Trim off the tag
and your hook
is secure. Or, an
alternative is to
leave a short tag
which is taped
to the
standing part to
avoid injury from
wire splinters.
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Rigging with an Egg-Shaped Bubble FloatB ubble flo ats are us ed in fres hwater fis hing. T hey are m ade fro m clear p las tic and m ay be sp herical o r egg-shap ed.
B ubble flo ats are designed to be p artially filled with water to give them added weight fo r cas ting. T his is achieved by
rem oving bungs in the s pherical flo at and by dis placing the central tube in the egg-s hap ed flo at.
T he bubble flo at is rigged as a running flo at but differs from mo st running flo ats in that it do es no t suspend the baited
ho ok. T he baited hoo k is susp ended from a tiny seco ndary flo at which is fixed o n the line to regulate the dep th at which
the bait w ill be p resented, and as a s to pp er on which the bubble res ts when being cas t o ut or retrieved.
FRESHWf iTER
3. Shown is a length of pliable,
extruded foam from which
4. Make a hole right through the piece of foam
with a needle. Should you use a piece of
cork, you will need to heat the needle fi rst
so you can burn a hole through it.
5a. Thread enough
line through
your piece offoam for your
hook-length
or leader.
line back
through the
foam to fix it
into position.
5c. I suggest threading
the line through the
foam a second time,
just to make sure it
won't slip when you
cast out.
58
1. Displace the centra l tube and
partially f ill the float wi th water
so it will be heavy enough to
cast out.
Replace the tube
and thread your
l ine through the
float.
2b. Occasional ly a small bal l sinker
is first threaded onto the line.This is only done when the
angler is f ish ing from a wind-
ward shore. When the rig is
cast out , the sinker rests on
the bottom and prevents the rig
from being blown ashore.
6. Shown is the completed rig baited with
a dragon fly larva. The baited hook is
suspended from the tiny piece of foam
so that the fish can take the bait with-
out having to move the bubble float
which would probably scare it of f .
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3. Make a series of tight wraps down the
shank of the hook. Eight wraps are
shown here but the number of
wraps is determined by the size
of loop required. Then thread the!l~ther end of the leader back '
through the eye of the hook I
eaving a loop large enough to make
several more wraps around the hook.
4. Turn the hook
around the other way
and commence
wrapping the entire
hook and standing part
of the leader - the part
you just passed back through the
eye of the hook - with the loop.
Close the loop by extract i ng
the standing part of the
leader with one hand
while holding the wraps
against the hook
with the other.
7. Trim the tag
up short and
the knot is
finishei/
R IG S : F RE S HWAT ER
Bumper Knot or Salmon
T his kno t p roduces a lo op alo ng the shank o f the ho ok enabling the
use o f so ft, delicate baits like salmo n ro e. W hen tes ted this kno t
retained the full breaking s train o f the line.
six or seven
wraps.
1. Begin with 24 to 30
inches (60 to 80 cm)
of leader material
and thread one end
through the eye of the
hook.
2. Adjust the length of the tag to the length
of the hook and begin wrapping the
shank of the hook, and tag, with the
standing part of the leader. Wrapping in
an anti-clockwise direction is
suggested because this makes finishing
the knot easier.
Lay the standing part of the
line alongside the second
hook to be added and twist
a loop into the line near the
eye of the hook as shown. The method of wrapping the added hook
is shown and becomes relat ively easy with
practice.
C: : :Ow;"he single hook Bumper knot
and trim the tag.
Double Hook Bumper KnotU sed fo r s lo w-tro lling, and drifting w ith s mall, live and dead fis h
baits fo r a variety o f s alt and fres hw ater p redato rs , the do uble ho ok
B um per kno t is well wo rth learning ho w to tie.
A fter adding a seco nd ho ok to the leader, it was sho wn during
tes ting that p rem ature s ep aratio ns co uld o ccur if the ey e o f the
ho ok w as threaded befo re w rap ping w as co mm enced. T his
hap pened when weight was exerted o n the bo tto m ho ok caus ing
the line to p inch down into the gap between the end o f the wire
fo rm ing the eye and the shank o f the hook. The p roblem was
comp letely o vercome b y u sin g th e fo llo win g s trateg y.
Commence a series of
t ight wraps down the
shank of the hook, just
as we did when attach ing
the f irst hook.
Rigging Spinnerbaits
C am ero n Jo nes d evis ed th is in ven tive m eth od
to allo w quick
chang ing sp inne rba it s .
3. This can be prevented by a short
length of plastic tube, the type
used for aquarium aerators.
4. Just slide the piece of hose
over the bend in the wire
before attaching the snap.
2. Trouble is, sometimes
the snap slides up
one of the arms, ruin-
ing the presentation.
59
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R IG S : F RE SHWATER
How to Hook Freshwater Baits
SCRUBWORMS
Earthworms and scrubworms are excellent bait
for most f reshwater species. They may be used
singly or in a bunch of two or more as shown
in these diagrams.
BARD IGRUBS
Bardi grubs are a great Murray cod bait . They
are best f ished alive but will soon die and
discolou r if pierced with the hook. Th is is
why we bind bardi grubs to the hook with the
elastic thread Bait Mate to which we referred
BARDI GRUB TIPS
To best prepare bardi grubs for storage,
blanche grubs in boi ling water for 28 seconds
and freeze overnight. Then store in freezer
bags-almost as good as fresh baits and will
keep for ages.
Try Fred Jobson's method to make bardi
grubs irresistible by cut ting a large fresh grub
in half and filling the body of the grub with a
f ish scent , such as Halco Scent .
CATERP ILLAR
Best hooked through the body.
60
MUDEYES
Mudeyes, the aquatic
larval form of various
dragon flies, are prized
for bait . Most ly they
are used live, the hook
penetrating their newly
forming wings.
GRASSHOPPERS
Grasshoppers are
most effective when
lightly hooked and
drifted downstream
MAGGOTS
Blowf ly maggots are used in fresh water
for a wide variety of fish, but will take
saltwater species like garfish,
bream and whiting to name
just a few.
Maggots are hooked in the
tail (large) end on a srnall
hook say size 12 down
to 16. They may
be used singly
or several at
a time.
FR ES HW AT ER C RA YFIS H
Freshwater crayfish are usually f ished live
with the hook through the tail, with or with-
out a running sinker. Remove or break the
moveable joint on pincers to prevent it f rom
crawling under snags.
When using dead crayfish crush the body
to bet out all juices. Place a piece of bardi
grub on hook end as shown.
SHR IMPS
Hook in tail and always use live if possible.
They can be single hooked backwards or
double rigged with the hook through both tai ls.
~\ 1I'
t / , .
\ ,
M INNO WS & GALAX ID S
Minnow are used for t rout in fresh water. Two
minnow hooked on the same hook will often
be taken eagerly when single presentations are
ignored. Try any of the presentations shown,
twin minnow hooked through tail , above the
lateral l ine behind the shoulder, through the
upper jaw or with two hooks and a half hitch
on the tai l.
W HITEB AIT & G LA SS IES
Hook through gill and eye with a half hitch on
the tail. Also can ernploy a free running hook
and at tach just forward of tail . To rig whi tebaitfor t roll ing behind a downrigger hook through
the jaw and again under the belly.
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R IG S: F RE SHWATER
Soft Plastic Rigs
T EX AS R IG
The advantage of Texas rigging a worm is to allow
the angler to f ish in heavy cover without hanging up.
Use an intermittent and slow retrieve.
This is a very effective rig for \
covering lots of water fast. Best Iused off points and on humps.
Slow retrieve.
/--)'\SPL IT SHO T R IG f / (Similar uses to a
Carolina Rig but also
useful in running
water.
RIG GING A JIG HEAD
Jigs are an effective presentation
for soft plastics. The exposed point
allows for better hook set tings. It
Rigging Rubber Worms on Worm Hooks
HOW TO RIG A RUBBER WORM HOOK : BERKLEY
To rig a worm, start the hook in the nose of the bait and
bring it out 1/4 inch from the nose. Slide the worm up over
the eye and rotate the hook 180' and re-enter and push the
hook back unt il it's just under the surface of the worm.
M U ST AD W EIG HT ED
WORM HOOK
MUSTAD POWER LOCK
WORM HOOK
R EN OS KI E AS Y
WORM HOOK
M U ST AD W EIG H TE D
WORM HOOK W ITH
POW ER LO CK
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GAME AND SPOitT
, Rigging a Strip BaitT his is an excellent w ay o f rigging an unw eighted s trip bait o n heavy tackle.
It is ideally s uited fo r drifting do wn a berley trail becaus e it can be dep lo yed
a nd retrieve d co ntin ually w ith ou t d efo rm in g o r s p in nin g.
Yo ur leader m ay be heavy ny lo n m ono filam ent o r m ultis trand w ire and y our
ho ok s ho uld be s traight, no t kirbed o r revers ed, becaus e this m ay caus e the
bait to s pin.
In addition to your hook, leader and bait, you will need a length o f .7 mm
galvanis ed tie w ire w hich is available fro m alm os t every hardw are s to re.
Should.7 mm no t be available, you can use .8 mm.
1. First cut a sui table str ip,
either from a small tuna
or other oily fish. The st rip
should be in the shape of an
elongated, isosceles triangle.
Cut off the pointed end so
there is some width to the
narrowest end. Then, using
your hook as a needle,
draw your leader through
at the narrow end, then
back again about a third of
the way down.
= = - - . .
3. Turn you hook around
and, with the point of
the hook facing away
f rom the leader and
down toward the end of
the bait, push it into the
skin side of the strip.
4. Then back out the same side so the point of the
hook emerges from the bait near the end of the
strip.
Having secured the hook in the bait, we now
need to secure the leader to the bait with the
galvanised tie wire. Push a 30 cm or so length
through the bait where you first punctured it with
the hook.
5. With the bait central on the wire, bend both wire
tags back along the leader and, beginning as close
as practical to the end of the strip, wind one tag
t ight ly around the other, and the leader, in series of
barrel rolls.
6a. Having completed about eight
wraps, wrap the protruding tag
tightly around the leader also,
making sure that you leave
about 10 cm of tag st icking
out f rom each wrap.
/' 6b. To break the tags off close to the wraps, we
/~i- bend the tag over so that it f.orms a handle
or crank. Do this with each tag in turn.\.
, ~S= 6c. Using the handle you have made,
~ wind the tag around until it breaks
off. Do each in tu rn so that there
are no sharp tags to catch in your
hand or clothing.
Shown is the
completed bait.
62
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1a. The bridle i tsel f is simply
a short length of
monofilament with
itIG S: G AM E & SPOi tT
Making a Double Loop Bridle for Live Bait Trolling
5. Pul l the second loop right though
and hook it over the point of the
hook. Then disengage the loop
from the open-eye needle.
T ow ing bridles fo r live bait tro lling vary a go od deal.
W e us e the do uble-lo op bridle p re-tied in m ono fila-
ment because it allows the bait to be attached and
p laced back in the w ater in the s ho rtes t p os sible tim e:
This is aro un d 15 s eco nd s fo r p ractis ed o perato rs .
To make a do uble-lo op bridle we need a rigged
leader w ith a s uitable ho ok attached, a length o f 24
kg m on ofilam ent o r th ereab ou ts , an o pen -ey e live-b ait-
ing needle and a loop gauge which can be a pencil o r
pen.
2a Then we tie another sliding noose in the
other end of the monofilament, keeping
in mind the bridle needs to be_q:;u:;,it~e'91ffqr;.~nshort, say 100 mm for A.
towing striped tuna
and about 75 mm for
slimy mackerel or frigates.
Tying bridles of
this short
length does
take a li tt lepractice.
2b. Close the loop up on
your loop gauge or
pen, but not so tight
that you can't get
i t of f.
4. When the bait fish comes aboard,
the hook is usually cut st raight of f to
save time, and the needle is passed
straight through the eye tunnel of the
bai tf ish taking care not to damage the
eyes.
6. The bait is placed back in the water and trolled slowly, usually as slow
as the boat can go - and if possible - back toward the shoal of fish
f rom which the bait was caught.
Note there is a little slack in the br idle. This allows the hook to fold
bait easily when it is taken by the game f ish. Anglers who rig the
hook too tight ly on the head miss fish because of this.
lb. We begin by tying a
noose on the hook
and pulling it up tight
using the knot con-
figuration shown here
and elsewhere in the
book as a Centauri
knot.
3. Slide the loop off
your loop gauge and
engage your open-eye
live baiting needle.
\,
7. The angler holds the line by hand and pulls about twenty metres of
line from the reel to act as a drop back when the fish takes the bait.
At this point the drag adjustment on the reel should be just heavy
enough to prevent an over-run when the drop-back is taken up.
The fish is struck by the angler by placing the reel in strike drag,
and signalling to the boat driver to accelerate the boat forward. This
takes up any slack line in the water and, hopefully, hooks the fish.
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R IG S: G AM E fi S PORT
Rigging a Garfish as a Skip Bait
G arfish may be rigged as s kip baits o n either heavy m ono filam ent o r w ire. T his m etho d deals w ith rigging a garfish
o n m ono filam ent but 49 s trand cable co uld be s ubs tituted w here m ackerel o r o ther "to othy critters " are s ought.
To rig this bait you will need a large garfish, a length o f heavy mono filament o r 49 s trand cable w ith a suitable s ize
hook fo r the garfish you are us ing, and a ro ll o f 0.7 o r 0.8 mm galvanised tie w ire which is available in hardware
s to res . A n awl o r s to ut needle is als o useful fo r m aking p ilo t ho les fo r the wire.
1. Begin by taking 60 cm or so of the galvanised wire, bending it over
and twist ing it together to form a baiting needle.Push the rounded end into the gills of the gar , down through body
and out of its anus. Then, thread the bend in the wire with your
leader and draw it inside the body of the gar.
2. Pull the leader all of the way through until only the curve and
spear of the hook protrude.
3. Take a 30 cm length of your galvanised wire and bend it into a V
shape but with one side of the V about twice as long as the other.
Push the long side of your wire V down through the centre of
the gar's jaw hinge. Then, push the short side of the V through
the gar's beak, r ight at the apex of the bottom jaw.
You may need to use an awl or stout needle to make the pilot
holes for the wi reo
64
4. Push the wire V right down so it's flush with the jaw hinge and the
longer side of the wire now faces forward alongside the bil l.
Next, wrap the short piece of wire around the bill of the gar, the
leader, and the longer piece of wire.
5. Having used up the short piece of wire wrapping the bill, leader and
long end of the wire, snip the bill off just ahead of the wraps, then
wrap the leader tightly with the longer wire until it too is used up.
6. Rigged this way the gar can be trolled as a skip bait to entice a
wide range of pelagic f ish including tuna, sail fish and marlin.
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Geoff Wilson's passion for knots and their correct
tying and application comes to life with the release
of this first full colour edition of Geoff Wilson's
Complete Book of Fishing Knots and Rigs. For the
first time you can combine the detailed and preciseinstructions-complete with written description and
intricate drawings-for tying each knot with a full
colour macro photograph of the completed knot.
Additionally, Geoff demonstrates the tie of
many of the line to terminal tackle knots-both
monofilament and superlines-in Geoff Wilson's
Fishing Knots and Rigs Instructional DVD that is
included free in this package.
Knots covered in this book include attaching
lines to terminal tackle, tying loops, special knotsfor super lines, tying and attaching leaders, tying
doubles, making up fly leaders and basic rigs-for
fresh and salt water.
With this new package there is no excuse for any
angler not being able to tie the correct, perfectly
secure knot every time.
"AFN~ AUST:ALIAN FISHNG NETWORK
ISBN 186.513100-8
Published by Australian Fishing Network
48 Centre Way, Croydon South, Victoria, 3136
Tel: (03) 97614044 Fax: (03) 97614055
Email: [email protected]: www.afn.com.au