Snelling a Multiple Hook Rig

[McQ]

I have fielded a question from a number of fishermen regarding tying a multiple hook snell. Searching the web for an illustration proved fruitless, until I recalled a fellow anglers comment to me 15 years ago about using the European knot for spade hooks.

Thanks to ukangling.net and a bit of modification for the purpose of the multiple hook application here's the result:

http://groups.msn.com/McQonFishing

Just scroll down the left side menu and click on Multiple Hook Snell Knot.

[Tourney Fan]

That link needs a id and password to access.

[McQ]

Just use your hotmail account to join or get one, unfortunately it's one of those annoyances that MSN puts us to when using their services. This is not a website, rather a free group site for exchanging information - works like a list.

Your information is as private and anonymous here as anywhere else on IE.

I can also be emailed through my profile here at WC and I can send the doc back to you. Of course you'll have to register here to access my profile for email purposes.

[ChadM]

The easiest way to make a harness!

This knot is quick to tie, it is easy to learn and it is very strong. Start out with a 6-foot piece of line. Longer is better since you can always trim it shorter on the water. Insert about two inches of line through the eye of the hook from the top down. Hold the hook with your left hand, pinching the line between your finger and the hook. Then, grip the long end about one inch above the eye of the hook with your right hand. While keeping good tension on the line, begin to wrap the line around the shank of the hook beginning just below the eye and slowly make your way downward. Do not overlap the line. A minimum of 5 wraps should be made. Once you have them completed keep them tight while you run the long end back through the eye of the hook from underneath and pull the line tight. If you are making a double hook harness simply take a second hook and run the long end through the eye from the bottom up and repeat. The hook will stay in the exact location you wrap it in.

[Stormsearch]

Doing a quick search with "snelling hooks" produced these two ways we commonly make our harnesses.

http://www.fishing.sh/htmfiles/knots/snelling.html

http://dns.advnet.net/mkg/index.htm

[McQ]

Stormsearch & chadm, you both have pointed out the same problem any of us has had in the past, these methods are descriptive of single hook rigging. The spade hook method allows for continuous line feed off the spool and you can cut your snell to any length for finishing.

I wish I had an easier way for you guys to get the info but my group site is all that is available to me or send me an email for the file in return. Man it's tough to get the right information out by times.

[Stormsearch]

What do you mean for "continuous line feed off the spool and you can cut your snell to any length for finishing"? When I snell my hooks, I can make the snell length as long as I want and shorten later or am I missing something like being able to set the gap distance between the hooks while on the water or something.

Also, what do you mean "these methods are descriptive of single hook rigging". Do you mean we can only snell one hook at a time, or only snell one hook on a leader? The links that I copied, you can snell as many hooks as you want, just start from the rear.

If I'm not getting it and you are having a hard time getting the right info released we can be patient, because if there is something that we are missing, would love to know. Thanks.

[McQ]

I understand what you are saying Stormsearch now take a second and let me explain production hand tying of snelled rigs.

The last thing that you need to do is precut snell lengths before tying, which is what must be done to accomplish the single hook method (starting last hook first).

By following the multi hook illustration provided in my first post you start your hook tying with a tag end and finish the process with the last hook, the spacing is automatic and the method is really much more simple. A complete reversal of the accepted practice.

Pulling line off the spool and tying with my method allows you to determine whatever snell length from the get go, requiring no trimming to get a desired length while fishing. You can prepare rigs in advance and have no waste.

Unfortunately to see the illustration will take a bit of effort from you guys to get the visual impact.

[Stormsearch]

Are those knots originally setup to tie spade end hooks? If you have the file handy, can you e-mail it to stormsearch@netzero.net

Thanks

[McQ]

stormsearch, you have mail.

[Stormsearch]

Got it, thanks McQ. For those that are curious, I found a link that you can view what McQ is describing:

http://www.floatsgone.btinternet.co.uk/knots/spade/spadeendknot.htm

The back hook is tied the same way from the tag end left over.

This site has a few words to describe what a spade knot is:

http://www.swinton54.freeserve.co.uk/rigs/knots.html

For some of you flyfisherman, it is also referred to as a Whipping Knot.

[McQ]

Great sites stormsearch but I feel the description and illustration are better at http://groups.msn.com/McQonFishing

[REW]

I really appreciate this illustration.
I do agree that this knot looks easy to tie and will be great to be able to tie - simply free spooling off the line.

The other thing that I like about this knot, is that the line wraps on the hook, "lock" the knot in place.

The problem with other snelling methods described by others is that there is not a positive lock on the knot.
With some kinds of line, the knot will loosen and slip or fail.

thanks again for sharing the pictures.

Take care
REW

[Serious Question]

Gosh... I am confused.
Is this a supposed to be a "new" method... or are we being alerted to take note of a new, graphic demonstration of this time honored method of snelling multiple hooks on the same length of line?
Or have I been snelling my hooks on my line the way Dad showed me, 40+ years ago, using a method just now invented and did not know Dad and I were ahead of our time?
I am not trying to be a smart a$s, but I am confused. My apologies, please

[McQ]

Serious, the method has been around for quite some time, not being an artist I just couldn't come up with an illustration. I've been asked by many to show them how to tie the knot and as long as they could follow visually there wasn't any problem but trying to describe it without them watching an actual demonstration proved difficult - they weren't catching on.

There are always new people coming into the game, many who like to experiment and/or tie their own rigs and this I think is an easy way to show them how to tie an excellent snell.

I learned it from a manufacturers rep from Europe who was over here setting up sales for prepared trout snells on spade hooks too many years ago to admit to..

[doubleb]

This snell style is just a Hangmans noose ( minus the second loop)with the wraps going along and around the shank of the hook. I hope that makes it easier to understand.