December 25, 2011

DIY: How to make ultra light assist hooks

I like dealing with small sized jigs, hooks, softbaits and everything that is ultralight. Months ago I found a jig that featured a small micro sized assist hook made the same way as the bigger ones used on 60-100g. jigs.
The principle is the same. The assist hook goes to the top or bottom of the jig and allows a secure hook up to the fish. 
I am interested in tying flies as well so I realized that I should get some fun by tying this small assist hooks for fun. The materials are quite easy to obtain. A wide gap small sized hook (iseama or chinu type are good for me) , some 50lb PE line as assist line, fly tying thread, crazy glue and some flash.
The result is a nice looking micro assist hook. Below is a quick explanation step by step. 

Enjoy :)



I use a small size 8 or 6 wide gap hook. Iseama - Chinu models are fine.

For the assist line you can use a 30ln or 50lb braid PE line.

Red colored thread and bobbin.

Cut the PE at the desired length.

Make a loop and place it on the shank of the hook.

Start wrapping the thread

Add some flash material. I use Crystal Flash.

Drop some crazy glue for a finishing and securing the wrap.

Hook is ready to go.

You can attach it to a small jig with a split ring  or directly to the lure snap.

5 comments:

Andy said...

Nice one thanks.
One word of caution, when you make these, be sure to use a length of braid that will be long enough to attach your assist hook to the lure of your choice. A couple of my early ones were a tad too short and I couldn't manage to get them attached to the lure - DOH!!

RC fishing said...

Hello Andy,

You mean long enough to make a complete loop?. I usually put the assist line to the snap.
Thanks for the comment by the way :)

Andy said...

You only use the assist at the head I take it??
I use single on all my hard plastics now. The ground I fish isn't that rocky, but it is shallow (8 to 10ft max on a big spring tide) and very weedy too. I would be forever having to return as the tide went out so I could wade out and retrieve my lure from the bladder wrack it had snagged on. Since moving to single - touches wood! - I have not had a snag on the weed that I couldn't pull out of with relative ease.
I usually use carp or catfish hooks in sizes #2 down to #12 - depends on lure size as to what size I go for - often adding a small length of shrink tube in a nice bright colour, over the whipping / knotless knot.

RC fishing said...

Very interesting Andy!
how long is the "hook eye"? Do you have a picture? How is the hook up rate? Does it chance the lure's balance and anction?

Very eager to learn more!

Andy said...

I had already read from Keith Whites blog about replacing trebles for singles a fair while ago. So, after trying the little lead "dots" that you stick on the lure to help "tune" it. But that started to cost too much money because of the amount needed. I then tried using soldering wire, but found tat it bulked out the hook too much for my liking, so I did as Keith did and simply weighed the treble I was removing and then added split rings and a suitable single hook to the same or a tiny amount more.
With the front hook(s), I simply tie off a suitable length of braid to a hook and attach it where the front trebles would go, trying to get the bend of that hook to come roughly to where the middle hooks / centre of the lure would go.
With the rear hook, I either use a jig hook or I carefully heat the shank of the hook, near the eye, with a small gas flame until the metal glows red hot. Then, using two pairs of pliers I turn the eye of a normal hook so that it is parallel with the hook bend, as opposed to 90 degrees to it. That way when you fit the hook, you can have it either pointing straight down - good for snag finding. Or straight up - good for skipping over snags.
I have taken a couple of photo's of some of the of my hard lures rigged this way, but cannot attach them via a comment. If you email me at tatts64@gmail.com, I can email them to you.

Oh yes, the heated hook thing.....
Now to cool the metal so that it remains strong and not brittle, I simply dip the hook, eye first, deeply into some vaseline. If you use water, it cools too fast and the metal of the hook shank may well become very brittle as a result. The blacksmith who used to come to our yard, made his own cold chisels by immersing the semi finished object in oil. Somehow, this anneals the metal in a way that gives it very good strength but doesn't leave it as brittle as using water. As I have no oil laying around my flat, I use vaseline instead.
I also leave the hooks in it until they have fully cooled.

Hope that little lot helps. If nothing else, carp and catfish hooks are much much cheaper than jig hooks as well as being very strong for their size too.