Diy Assist Hooks

17341 Views 117 Replies 25 Participants Last post by greg, Aug 3, 2015

rob bolt

Discussion Starter · Nov 7, 2012 (Edited)

15

Items Required

Super Glue
Hair Dryer
Lighter
Heat Shrink (in various sizes)
Hooks (Decoy)
Rig Rings (Drennan)
Split rings (Flashmer)
Dyneema Cord

Cost per completed assist hook - £1.03

1st take your Dyneema cord,lure and hook and measure how much cord you will require (dont cut it too short!)

2nd Remove the core from the Dyneema cord (makes it thinner and easyer to work with).Melt the ends with a lighter to prevent fraying.

3rd Thread on your Rig ring.

4th Thread on your hook.

5th Tie a overhand knot onto the hook shaft but dont over tighten because it needs to be slack so you can adjust length of assist.

6th Adjust length,tighten knot and apply superglue to knot for added strength.Trim the ends of the cord and tidy with lighter.

7th Cut heatshrink to desired length.

8th If using thin shanked hooks you may find the heatshrink doesnt shrink around the hook snug because the knot is relatively larger in diameter so you can heatshrink the hook shank with a smaller piece of heatshrink to reduce the gap.

9th Position and heatshrink the knot and the job is complete.

Fitted to lure.

This is only my second attempt at this so im sure after a few goes it will look abit neater.

*******UPDATE********

If you find your heatshrink doesnt quiet fit over the knot then you can stretch it using pin nose pliers or tweezers (dont over do it and risk splitting the heatshrink).

- Stretched vs Unstretched.

- Stretched over knot.

- Heat applied for finish.

(3.2mm heatshrink stretched over roughly the same size knot)

Alternative Materials -

- Kevlar/ Dacron cord
- Kite String
- Leadcore
- Catfish Pro Catlink
- Riverge Rig Rings
- Korda Wide Gape X hooks

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Reactions: 5

61 - 80 of 118 Posts

Mark C

· #61 · Dec 27, 2012

Nice one Mark

Mick Ward

· #62 · Dec 29, 2012

It is addictive eh once you start, I am going to make some more this week

andrew barmby

· #63 · Dec 30, 2012

Mick Ward said:
It is addictive eh once you start, I am going to make some more this week

i quite agree there mick i have a bloody great bag full what ive done .
at least its given me something to do over xmas ,its very easy to do and make a good job to .

Martin J Pearson

· #64 · Jan 8, 2013

This is a great, informative thread. Does anyone know of any uk shops selling the large eyed Decoy/Owner/Gamakatsu single lure hooks?
Am looking for varying sizes (1/0, 2, 4's). Any help appreciated.

Nick R

· #65 · Jan 9, 2013

Give Mick (Mr Fish) a call as he often has items in the shop that aren't on his website

http://www.mrfishjersey.com/fishing-tackle/trebles/single-hooks.html

Reactions: 2

Martin J Pearson

· #66 · Jan 9, 2013

Thanks Nick. Order placed. Not sure how i missed those as had looked on MrFish before posting here - i must be blind! :-0
That's my lures now sorted with singles for some floattubing for tarpon - really dont fancy a tarpon jumping around the inflatable with trebles.

Reactions: 1

Mark Sleep

· #67 · Jan 9, 2013

It's worth just saying that even with 50lb braid, you can use a hook with a normal size eye, using the knotless knot style.

I still haven't been out and tested mine on a living fish yet. I'm going to knock up some jumbo ones as well using 4/0 hooks for big metals, 70g+.

Robert Thompson

· #68 · Jan 9, 2013

The trickiest bit for me guys is not doing the knot, (i have tried a proper Roy Marlow Snell, but more often turned out to be the "knotless knot"......who the fcuk named that one......'cos it's easier, and most USA You-Tube vids, call it "snelling a hook"), the problem is getting the shrink tube round the bend of the hook ( a size 2 Sakuma Chinu.......the tubing is not as bendy as you might think! Can't do it from the top end as my solid 5/6mm ring is already in place. there must be an easier way......HELP please. Thanks, Robert.
ps. I have tried leaving the ring 'til the very end, but still have found it tricky getting the now stiffened loop of doubled braid attatched to the solid ring.......i can force it but the braid (80lb fireline XDS.....going cheap on the 'bay) starts to fray up and looks awful....unsafe??. I suppose at that b/s i could just use a single strand and tie the ring on with a 3 turn uni knot? Advice please!!

Mark Sleep

· #69 · Jan 9, 2013

I tie the knotless knot, tie a double overhand loop however long I want the assist, then slip over the shrink tube from the top, then attach to the ring by putting the top of the loop through the ring then threading the hook and all through that. The shrink is flexible (mine is anyway) so it goes no problem. My problem is when I am trying to make little assists, ie shorter than 5cm including the ring.

Mick Ward

· #70 · Jan 9, 2013

I have been tying up some 8/0 Sakuma manta Extras for the wreck fishing guys, they are so easy to do. I will make a video or some photos to show how I have been doing it. Robert you are right it can be a dick getting the shrink tube over the knot, my first attempt was sloppy but I re-invented the knot (lol) and seem to have found a new way of doing it (probably isnt new but its new to me). Very simple and takes minutes to do, I'll make some now and take some pics/

---------- Post added at 17:27 ---------- Previous post was at 17:14 ----------

In fact Robert I just read your post again, you say you cant slip it down from the top because the ring is already in place? Surely you can just take the ring off? I find it easier to bring the tubing round the hook myself, then I can leave a bit of a tag on the knot and it tucks in nicely. You know what I mean?

alan aubert

· #71 · Jan 9, 2013

make me some Mick for my metals

Reactions: 1

Mick Ward

· #72 · Jan 9, 2013

10

Pop in Friday Alan we can make some up it doesnt take long.

---------- Post added at 18:20 ---------- Previous post was at 17:58 ----------

Looking at the picture I have just taken it is the same as I did last time but with a bigger hook! What a div! Anyhoo I have taken them now so I might as well show that you can use any hook really (I suppose there is a reason why it is mainly short shank octopus style hooks normally used).

Found a load of Speed Jigs I had forgotten I had....which is nice! I had probably "lodged" them seeing they didnt have hooks....

Then the normal procedure..... These are 8/0 Sakuma Manta Extras, but I am sure the short shank versions would be just as good if not better..

I keep putting the loop through the wrong way I think, maybe it should go from the back of the hook to the front? This would make it hook up better I think, like how carp anglers do it...?

Then that simple knot I use, see how I leave the tags long, it tucks in under the shrink tube anyway.

I prefer to slide the tubing around the hook, so the tag tucks away neater.

Then you just need to add the solid ring and split ring.

Shrink it down with a lighter, hot water or a heat gun/hair dryer and Bobs your uncle!!

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Reactions: 5

Andy Marquis

· #73 · Jan 9, 2013

You've been practising Mick!! Looking very nice.

Reactions: 1

Robert Thompson

· #74 · Jan 9, 2013 (Edited)

Mark Sleep said:
I tie the knotless knot, tie a double overhand loop however long I want the assist, then slip over the shrink tube from the top, then attach to the ring by putting the top of the loop through the ring then threading the hook and all through that. The shrink is flexible (mine is anyway) so it goes no problem. My problem is when I am trying to make little assists, ie shorter than 5cm including the ring.

Yep Mark, I am making short assists like you, but the shrink tube catches on the barb, but don't really want to go bigger than 4.8mm, so maybe the doubled 80lb Fireline is overkill on these small hooks Sakuma Chinu in a 2 and Mini Manta....thanks Mick....., in a 4. I reckon a single strand of braid may be better, (can defo tie a Snell knot easy enough with single thickness braid) then attatch the solid ring with a uni knot, with this thick Fireline, three turns should hold.............Do you think?.....pulled up the tag with pliers. Thanks Robert.
ps. Mick, with the loop as you kindly show, and the ring on, with about a thumb-nails length of loop showing, do you then pull the whole lot, hook and tubing, back thru' the loop?

andrew barmby

· #75 · Jan 9, 2013

Mick Ward said:

they look spot on mick ,it just shows what you can do with a bit of time and patience
its been a very good topic

alan aubert

· #76 · Jan 9, 2013

Thanks mick for the offer but off to London for the weekend

steve pitts

· #77 · Jan 9, 2013

You should get a Blue Peter badge for that post Mick.

Nicely done

Reactions: 1

Mick Ward

· #78 · Jan 9, 2013

Robert Thompson said:
ps. Mick, with the loop as you kindly show, and the ring on, with about a thumb-nails length of loop showing, do you then pull the whole lot, hook and tubing, back thru' the loop?

Um, hard to know exactly what you mean Rob, do you mean when I ad the solid ring to the braid? I just loop it over the ring, not over the whole tubing and hook....you couldnt do that...?

I will try and make some micro ones when my small diameter shrink tube arrives.

---------- Post added at 20:58 ---------- Previous post was at 20:57 ----------

I still think I am going the wrong way through the eye of the hook....Yam yam will know I will ask him when he is back from that England.

Reactions: 1

Robert Thompson

· #79 · Jan 10, 2013

Mick Ward said:
Um, hard to know exactly what you mean Rob, do you mean when I ad the solid ring to the braid? I just loop it over the ring, not over the whole tubing and hook....you couldnt do that...?

Sorry for appearing being a [email protected] Mick, (ME not YOU!!) now that i have tried it, without pulling the hook and tubing thru' it is so simples.....it must be an age thing, but can't thank you enough for showing me the correct (and easiest) way to do it.
Still, it is tricky doing the 5cm ones, must just use finer braid, the hollow stuff would be great 'cos then i can get the splicing needle out and make my loop, like the Carp boys do with their leadcore leaders, plenty of you-tube vids showing how it's done, and the more tension there is on the loop with the braid 'pulled through itself', the stronger the loop!! Thanks again, Robert.

Reactions: 1

Mick Ward

· #80 · Jan 10, 2013

You were trying to pull the whole thing through wernt you? Excellent, its good to know I am not the only dumbass that does stuff like that

Reactions: 1

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