PDF - Preston Innovations

Tactics
Tackle it with
TOMMY
Former World Champ and angling coach Tommy Pickering answers the key questions
he gets asked on the bank most often. His simple advice will sort out your problems
“How do you tie
the perfect
hooklength?”
T
OMMY SAYS: You wouldn’t believe the
number of times I get asked how I tie
on spade end hooks and make up
hooklengths of the same length. It’s
high time I covered this subject.
I’m a big fan of using a hooklength on my rigs,
which I make with a slightly stronger mainline.
Although fishing with your line ‘straight
through’ to the hook is the strongest method,
it’s not the most practical.
Sometimes you need to change the hook on
your pole or float rig – you might encounter a
problem such as a snagged rig or a big
fish which snaps the line. Or, you
might simply want to change to a
thinner line and smaller hook to get
more bites.
If you have your line straight
through, you have to tie on a fresh
hook, making the rig shorter, or
you might have to put on a new
rig altogether. But you can put
on a new hooklength in
seconds and, if you have spare
hooklengths of the same
length, you won’t have to
alter the rig at all.
Although you can buy
perfectly good ready-tied
hooklengths, by tying
your own you can use
the exact hooks you
want with the line
strengths you want.
This is how…
60 • IYCF Issue 295
STEP ONE
Tying a spade hook
Spade end hooks are the most popular choice for
pole and general float fishing. Because they only
have a small spade at the end of the shank, not a large
eye, they weigh less and are easier for fish to suck in.
You will need:
Line, hooks and a hook tyer.
Note: To begin, the line must be held tight by putting a weight
on top of the spool or by trapping the spool between your knees.
How to tie on spade end hooks using a tyer
1
2
3
Fro
ms
poo
l
Push the hook into the opening with the gape
facing away from the small post
Now push the big lever to an upwards position
with your thumb so line can be wound round it
Take the tight line and run it under the big lever
like this. Come from an anti-clockwise direction
4
5
6
Bring the line around back to the hook and
start to make full turns around the shank
Make seven neat turns, no less than this. You can
do more but it adds weight and affects balance
Keeping everything tight, take the end of the
line around the little post in the tyer
7
8
9
Push the big lever over the little post and trap it
in place. Pull the line tight from spool end
Gently pull the line tight. The knot comes over
the levers and catches around the shank
Wet the knot with saliva to prevent it burning
due to the friction of a knot in the nylon line
er
Twist ty
10
Throughout the process, make sure the line
locates beneath the spade so it’s neat like this
11
If the line goes above the spade it can go into the
fish instead of the point, leading to bumped fish
12
Cut off a small tag, as this gives a little extra
security in case the knot isn’t properly tightened
IYCF February 18 – March 18, 2015 • 61
Tactics
STEP TWO
Fitting your
hooklength
in the box
Plastic hook boxes such
as these Preston versions
are great – they offer easy
storage, a choice of lengths
and they are very light and
compact
1
2
With line still attached to the spool, put the hook on
one of the prongs on an edge side of the box
Take the line to the corresponding prong at the
length you desire. Form a loop and fit over the prong
6
7
Grip the base of the two loops. Now pull the two line
sections to ensure a small loop is created
The later you release the grip, the smaller the loop.
Small loops for the pole, larger for rod and line
What length hooklength?
❚ 4in = Method and pellet feeder. I use a short
hooklength because this ensures fish hook
themselves when the hookbait is fished inside
or on top of the feeder.
❚ 6in = Polefishing. Perfect for pole rigs,
lengths of 6in enable you to place a dropper
shot or bulk shot near the hook but on the
thicker, more durable mainline.
❚ 1m = Bomb, waggler and normal feeder. By
starting with a long stored hooklength, you
can then shorten it down to the length you
require by tying another loop.
“Lengths of 6in enable you to place a
dropper or bulk shot near the hook ”
62 • IYCF Issue 295
3
4
5
Lift off the loop and hook. Rub the loop between
two fingers to twizzle the line and keep it intact
Bring the loop back on itself 360 degrees to form a
second loop. Hold both loops together
Take the original loop through the second loop
twice to form the main knot, an overhand loop
8
9
10
Keep tightening. Just before the knot comes
together, moisten it to prevent friction burn
Test your knot and then trim a small tag end on the
loop. This allows for any potential knot slippage
Fit the hook first then bring the loop over its prong.
Both can be pushed down to make room for more
STEP THREE
Attach your hooklength to the mainline
The loop-to-loop method is the easiest and strongest way of connecting a pair of loops.
Tie a loop in the mainline using the method shown above. Join the two of them like this
1
2
3
Take both lines, the orange line is the mainline
and the dark line is the hooklength
Push the hooklength loop over the mainline loop
on to the mainline itself like this
Holding the hooklength loop, take the hook
itself and drop it down through the mainline
4
5
6
Pull both the mainline and hooklength and a
figure of eight is created
Pull both loops tight together – they intertwine
to form a strong and secure connection
If you put the hooklength through the mainline
rather than over it, a weaker connection forms
IYCF February 18 – March 18, 2015 • 63