Weedless Hooks

[Kal-Kevin]

     I was wondering if an one has made their own weedless hook on here? I was looking at a few and they look easy to make for my self. They look to be a piece of heave line doubled over and hand tie to the shank of the hook.
     I use to tie flies and if I used the same way I tied flies I could take a piece of line or even leader wire tie it to my hook with the loop up ward.

so here are my questions
     1. What would you use for making it weedless?
     2. what size would you use?
     3. do you think it would work?

Thanks for your thought on it
Kal

[jesse1378]

i use southbend. they are 98 cents for a 4 pack. the weed guard is a piece of wire looped back and secured to the hook shank with more wire. i will cover the hook shank with shrink wrap and it lasts forever. i would think that you could get a roll of thin wire like that and put it on a spool (like thread comes on) and then use the fly tieing thing to wrap it around the hook and make you own like that.

[BIG PAPA]

Cheap stiff 80lb mono
Saw a clip with KVD showing that is what he uses.

[bigjim5589]

Kal, like you I've made weed guards when tying flies, and have tied flies on hooks that have weed guards on them from the manufacturer, but have not done it otherwise. I've used heavy, hard Mason mono, which is what a lot of fly tiers use, and various sizes of stainless steel wire & tinned music wire. Old guitar strings, the single strand type make pretty good weed guards. I've also used heavy fluorocarbon line. On some flies, I've used the loop method, and the 2 prong method. I've come to prefer the 2 prong guards on my flies, because I feel I get a better hook up ratio over using the loop method.

I have some hooks (Owner, I think) that have a piece of multi strand stainless wire tied to the shank just behind the hook eye, and the strands are separated some to protect the hook point, similar to how a fiber guard works on a weedless jig. I like this method, as the guard is limber enough that I don't feel it will interfere with hooking, but still should prevent snagging very well, and I can manipulate the strands if needed. I would think that with a little experimenting this could also be done with several strands of mono or fluorocarbon.

I also have some hooks that have the folded single wire that fits over the hook just behind the point. I bought them to tie flies on. I usually end up cutting them so they just just make 2 prongs on either side of the hook. I've had better hook ups this way too. The tension with the wire over the hook is sometimes too strong, and when you get a light bite, the hook never seems to take hold & is just pulled from the fishes mouth. At least with flies, with plastics it depends on the bait, I think the heavier the bait the better with this type of weed guard.

I'll try to take some pictures & post them, but I'm no photographer! 

[Kal-Kevin]

Thanks for your ideas and I plan to try some of them while I'm waiting for better weather.