Tech Tricks
The Simple Snell BRISBANE
Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com
Presenting baits well will increase their effectiveness greatly. A bait that is straight is less likely to spin in the current and appears more natural. Using a rigging system that promotes better presentation whilst offering increased hooking potential when that strike does come, will maximise your chances of returning home with a few quality fish in the esky. One very easy, yet highly effective, hook rig that can be made to any size and with multiple hooks is the simple snell. The simple snell rig is basically two or more hooks, which are attached to the leader a set distance apart.
How far apart is up to you and you can quickly make this rig to fit the particular bait that you wish to present on it. Whether assembling a size 2 rig with suicide hooks for presenting a whitebait to a flathead or a 10/0 circle hook rig to pin on a fusilier to target a cobia, the simple snell will allow you to do it all. Sometimes a rig might be made with two different sized hooks such as when you want to present a tapered fillet bait. The leading hook may be a 3/0 and the trailing hook, which goes in the thinner portion of the fillet might be a 1/0. These rigs can be made on leaders of many sizes and with the hooks at any desired distance apart. One stipulation is that the leader needs to be passed through the hook eye twice. It won’t
work too well if trying to snell a large hook onto very light leader however common sense says that you don’t do that anyway. If unsure, make the rig and then do the tug test to ensure it will hold, which it will with most sensible leader and hook combinations. Because this rig is so simple to make, you can quickly assemble it whilst you are fishing. This allows you to customise it to the particular bait type and size that you get. This is especially good when catching live bait as you don’t know what size it will be until it is secured. Snelled rigs allow more flexibility and less metal than a ganged hook rig which means a fish will usually mouth and hold onto a bait longer. Let’s look at how easy the simple snell is to make.
2 Both monofilament and fluorocarbon leaders can be used to make simple snell rigs. As mentioned previously the leader will need to be thin enough to pass through the hook eye twice. I have made simple snell rigs with leader material as light as 15lb and as heavy as 200lb.
4 Turn the remaining leader slightly back towards the hook gape and begin wrapping around the shank. It doesn’t matter whether you go clockwise or anti-clockwise with your wraps. 56
OCTOBER 2021
1 The snelled rig will work with most hooks whether they are suicides, circles or heavy gauge live baiting hooks. Hooks with a slightly turned out eye (such as the three on the left) offer better presentation than a straight eyehook. The stiffer connection that a snell offers is ideal for circle hooks and actually increases their effectiveness.
3
Cut a section of leader that is a little longer than you want the finished leader to be. Pass one end down through the eye of the hook and hold it against the hook shank between your thumb and forefinger.
5 Wrap the leader down the hook shank with 6-8 concentric wraps (for this example which is 80lb leader and 7/0 hook). In heavier leader you will do less wraps and in light leader a couple more.
