Tech Tricks: Simple Snell rig

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.

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.

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.

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.

6

Hold the bottom couple of wraps between your thumb and forefinger to prevent them undoing then take the tag end from the other end of the leader and pass it up through the hook eye as shown.

7

Hold the hook securely and pull this tag end up very tight. The tighter you pull, the more the knot will lock down on itself making it even stronger under pressure.

Now that we have the first hook attached, we need to do the second one. Pass the leader up through the back of the hook eye then place your rig next to the desired bait. Alter the distance between the hooks until you get it how you like. For this pilchard I want the leading hook to pass through the head and the trailing hook roughly where the tail section begins to taper down.

9

Hold the second hook between thumb and forefinger at this position with the hooks the desired distance apart and both facing the same way.

10

Do the same as with the previous hook – 6-8 wraps around the shank and then pass the tag end of the leader back up through the back of the hook eye. Pull up firmly so it all locks down.

11 12

Often when float-lining I will snell three hooks on like this having all three penetrating the bait from the top of the head and along the back as shown. This increases the chance of the bait holding onto the hook maximising the chance of a solid hook up. The upper rig is a basic snelled circle hook rig, which is ideal for live baits. Whilst you may want to make a few snelled hook rigs before heading out, they are so quick and simple that you can just make them on site to suit the particular baits you have at hand.