Assist rigging Poppers/Stickbaits

[Sam Morrison]

Hey guys,

I'm just playing around with options for creating rock solid connections. I wired this little popper the other day, it is relatively short being 130mm and only runs a tail hook for this reason. I would like to start experimenting more with assist rigging off of the cupped mouth.

I would like to see how you guys are attaching assists, and rigging it up.





Here's a close up... Grommet for your leader/uni knot to sit nicely in and a ring to attach your assist cord too... I would like to incorporate a swivel in here, and will give it a go when the swivel option arrives.

Unnecessary over kill?

[Mark Harris]

I would say overkill Sam, although they are nice touches and it is good to see a lure maker really thinking.

I suspect most folks keep assists with a ring already attached and the use of grommets is not widespread as far as I know?   

As for a swivel, I think most anglers have their favourite brands and sizes depending on the set up. So again you might not be achieving too much by adding a standard one to the lure which cannot be removed.

Just my thoughts.

[Trevor Skinner]

Sam,

I agree with Mark.

Keep it simple and let anglers customize their own rigging. They'll do it regardless and if there is a failure they'll blame the lure and its maker rather than the hardware.

Regards,


Trevor   

[Sam Morrison]

Well I agree with you both, but I thought I would put it out there...

As for the grommets Mark, I have one guy who likes tying direct to the stick bait but finds the uni-knot can flatten out because of the tight bend. So I just cut the ring and add the little grommet when wiring it up... It's about the only application I could think of which would help... He doesn't use a swivel or split ring...

Now we need to come up with a way to hold a single hook to the belly of the stick bait this is attached via assist cord to the nose for Tuna... No rubber bands etc... Some way the hook can clip in and release, but not break on the first fish  Thinking hats on Trevor, Mark! 

[Mark Harris]

For the grommet-man, he could just use a thimble - cheap and easy solution

For the assist hook held to the belly, hard to think of anything easier than a rubber band or a cable tie.

[Sydney Neal]

For me, when I use either cheap lures that may break or expensive ones that I don't want scratched by fish with teeth, I use a extra long assist hook made from jigging cord,from the split ring and use small rubber bands to attach to the belly hook or tail point.

[Mark lynch]

Hi Sam,

If it's not a secret mate, where did you get the little grommets? Could you get them onto a split ring?

Cheers,

Mark

quote author=Sam Morrison link=topic=6164.msg52204#msg52204 date=1366260736]
Hey guys,

I'm just playing around with options for creating rock solid connections. I wired this little popper the other day, it is relatively short being 130mm and only runs a tail hook for this reason. I would like to start experimenting more with assist rigging off of the cupped mouth.

I would like to see how you guys are attaching assists, and rigging it up.





Here's a close up... Grommet for your leader/uni knot to sit nicely in and a ring to attach your assist cord too... I would like to incorporate a swivel in here, and will give it a go when the swivel option arrives.

Unnecessary over kill?
[/quote]

[Mark Harris]

Jigstar Mark.  http://www.jigstarrods.com/rings.aspx

There is also a brand which I think from memory is called Pro-Magnum. Have a search and you might find those.

[Ed Nicholas]

Slightly off the subjest here but the Grommets dont solve the problem for flattening leader at uni. I have seen them break time and time again here in S.Oman, you simply cannot wrap anything once with any of these soft leaders. Most will disagree with me as do alot of guests when i try suggesting it .. they all hang their heads and apologise though when their monster GT destroys their rig 

For any fish minus 30kg then no issues but once you start locking up on 50kg+ fish then any mono leader HAS to be double wrapped.

I am writing all of this presuming you cant double wrap a grommet? My bad if you can 

Mark those fig 8 rings you left me are awesome and thats the way i rigged this lure (Double wrapped) 4 turn Uni to swivel, Split ring to lure with fig 8 attached to split too. It also had a treble on the back but the first fish came in on the assist so i took the treble off and 20 mins later landed this fish with just the assist single hook on a BIG Popper .. stoked.

[Mark lynch]

Cheers Sam and Mark,

Thanks for that. Learn something new everyday. Couldnt count the number of times my leader has come apart right at that point. On big and small lures alike.

Ed - I wish I was having to deal with fish of that calibre mate. Will remember that though.

[Mark Harris]

you simply cannot wrap anything once with any of these soft leaders. Most will disagree with me as do alot of guests when i try suggesting it .. they all hang their heads and apologise though when their monster GT destroys their rig 

Yep, I can vouch for that and I was one of those people. I now always double thread the Uni or use a thimble.

Mark those fig 8 rings you left me are awesome and thats the way i rigged this lure (Double wrapped) 4 turn Uni to swivel, Split ring to lure with fig 8 attached to split too. It also had a treble on the back but the first fish came in on the assist so i took the treble off and 20 mins later landed this fish with just the assist single hook on a BIG Popper .. stoked.

Pleased have they worked for you mate. It is a Jigging Master product an they are the best assist solid rings around I think.

[Robert Tapert]

HI Ed

I am wondering if you have a diagram (photo)  of the figure 8 for the connection that you mention above. I have had that issue with a single Uni flattening and breaking.  I use a san diego jam which is a double but a bit bulky.

thanks

rob

[Brandon Khoo]

Can someone explain to me what is meant by flattening of the uni knot? I gather it means that the knot is compromised somehow but I am trying to understand the "flattening" aspect.

Ed, any chance you can illustrate a double wrapped four turn uni knot? I am trying to picture it in my head but just not getting there. It's the double wrapped or double thread part I want to understand.

This is a good thread!

[Mark Harris]

Hi Brandon,

The double refers to doubling back and threading through the eye twice in the way that some anglers use for a Trilene Knot:



That is the wrong knot admittedly, but it shows the process clear enough - just translate that to a Uni.  There is no double wrapping - only a double feed of the leader through the eye. With stiffer leader, it can sometimes be a little tricky getting the double to stay in place on the swivel while forming the knot, but with the supple leaders typically used for GT fishing, it is OK with a bit of practice. 

I should also admit that I was sceptical about the necessity of this until this year. When fishing heavy drag (about 15 kgs), I lost the fish of a lifetime to the very issue which Ed had warned about. 170lb Varivas Shock Leader sliced by the eye of a 3/0 NT swivel.  The fish hooked up and as soon as it ran, ping and I was loose. The leader came back with the Uni wraps intact but the section which was threaded through the swivel was cut.  Later the lure (a Seafrog!), floated back to the surface with the swivel and split ring still attached.

I think this is only a problem when fishing super heavy drag, but since then I have made a habit of double threading leader through the eye of the swivel.

I hope that helps explain a bit.

[Mark Harris]

HI Ed

I am wondering if you have a diagram (photo)  of the figure 8 for the connection that you mention above. I have had that issue with a single Uni flattening and breaking.  I use a san diego jam which is a double but a bit bulky.

thanks

rob

Hey Robert, Ed is referring there to a bag of Jigging Master figure 8 solid rings which I left with him to use for assist hooks.