hook lengths

[glider]

Recently i bought a matchman hook tyer ,look at the instructions followed them to the letter but even then seem to be lacking in the third hand needed to use it i end up with a lovely knot just not on the hook ,so to my question why not just buy them ready done? avoiding the hassle and trust me i`ve sat down many times trying to fathom out what i`m doing wrong to no avail

 

[Steve Spiller]

Tye them by hand Glider, 30 seconds tops when you get the hang of it.
Much cheaper and if one lets you down it's your fault. I can't trust the ready tyed ones myself!

 

[Beecy]

Stick with it.


I remember when I first got a hooktyer, spent hours and hours sat practicing.


Its worth it as you can then tie up any combination of hook type and line strength and is a lot cheaper than buying ready tied.



Next time your out fishing and you see someone using one why not ask them to show you? Im sure most people would be happy to.

 

[Disco stu]

I bought a Drennan one and only just managed to tie some.
Problem is that I dont trust my own tying yet. I would feel happier I think if I blobbed the end with super glue.What do you reckon?

 

[Steve Spiller]

I would be very wary of that Stu, especially on light lines (1.1lb) it might make the line brittle.
Your next bite might be a pb, you wouldn't want it to break!
That is why I stopped using a match tyer, I didn't have faith in it. I felt that when you push the two prongs down, if it was too tight it might weaken the line.
So I learnt to tye by hand, it really is easy.
There must be a picture of how to do it by hand in the rigs section.

 

[Chris Bishop]

I used these things years ago. Try practising with larger hooks and thicker line until you learn to form the knot and snug it down neatly without damaging the line as you tighten it.

 

[Steve Spiller]

Good tip Chris.

Did you get the B.A.A write up done?

 

[Chris Bishop]

Write-up done, waiting to hear back from Pete as need to speak to him before I send it out.

 

[Joskin]

As DB said mate learn to tie them by hand.

I brought one myself several years ago and couldn't get to grips with it.
I taught myself to tie by hand and have never looked back. I have yet to come across a hook and line combination that I cant tie by hand.

 

[Steve Spiller]

Have a look for the Domhof knot (I think that's the one) in the rigs section, sorry I can't do links.

 

[Mark Wintle]

Glider, which bit are you struggling with? It is vital to hold the spool of line in some way so that you can get a little tension into the line. I sometimes attach the hooklink to the main line so that the bend of the rod/stretch of elastic does this for me. I don't have a problem with these tiers, and use these on the bank and an old Esi-Tie at home. As for hand tying, I've seen it done and can sometimes manage it but in many conditions and for very small hooks far too much trouble!

I have got a sequence of photos on using the Matchman tier but need to re-photograph it which is not that easy, but I intend doing it for the site.

 

[glider]

Mark, using the hook tyer the hook doesn`t sit in line with the line and every thing seems to be at odd angles to each other also when i push the clips down i end up with it having a loop around the forward metal pin,if that makes any sense?

 

[Mark Wintle]

Glider,

The alignment is down to where you hold the spool but it helps if the line is in alignment.

When you have finished tying the hook you do have a loop around the front pin. If you hold the tyer in your left hand with your thumb holding the pin down, and pull on the main line to the hook then the loop will be pulled out as the loose end is trapped under the knot.

 

[Steve Spiller]

Make sure the line is wet, or you will get a curly wurly.

 

[glider]

ok , back to the workshop, next question what the best way of storing your rigs a wallet or some sort of jig and where to buy that from?