Eyes on small hooks

Graham Whatmore · May 22, 2008

As all anglers will have discovered it is virtually impossible to tie a knotless knot using line of about 8lb and upwards because the line will not pass through the eye twice, neither is it possible to tie a palomar knot for the same reason. Yes, I know to make a slanting cut but it is still just not possible to tie most size 14 hooks and even some size 12's, Drennan hooks are particularly guilty of this. Surely someone has told these hook manufacturers of this problem but if that is so they certainly have not listened or acted.

To tie a hair I have tried using very fine pre-stretchedhooklength tied through the eye and kept in place with small piece of pole float silicon tubing but the finished article looks a bituntidy to me and with my rheumy banana fingers its a bit finicky to put it mildly but it is the best I could come up with.

How do you do it?

Geoff Brown · May 22, 2008

Just ran some tests with what I had to hand:

8lb Daiwa Sensor (rated 0.26mm) will fit twice through Kamasan Animal size 14 and up.

Hope that's of some use to you.

Deanos · May 22, 2008

Blooming heck!

I was thinking this myself Graham, I find it even worse when using a coated braid.

Come on you carp lads, give the clueless (me!) a clue on how to pass the coated braid through the hook eye with the knot less knot

TJD Notts · May 22, 2008

I can remember years ago Andy Little using fibres from dacron to whip hairs to hooks. It's a bit fiddly but with practice it's not too much of an issue.

njb51 · May 22, 2008

Use a spade end knot?

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · May 22, 2008

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Deanos wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>

Blooming heck!

I was thinking this myself Graham, I find it even worse when using a coated braid.

Come on you carp lads, give the clueless (me!) a clue on how to pass the coated braid through the hook eye with the knot less knot</blockquote>

Hi Deanos

Strip the coating off the braid at the hook end before tieing the knot. You can get a tool to do this. You can also leave a short length (say 1-3") uncoated near the hook end to give the line a bit of flexibility.

Hope that helps

Matt

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · May 22, 2008

I'v noticed the same problem with Drennan Super Specialist hooks. There's a Barbel version which I think has a larger eye. However, I use ESP raptors now which handle the line OK.

As for spades. OK for smaller fish, but the spade will cut your line pretty quick even on 8lb if there are larger fish about -happened to me last trip to the Trent.

njb51 · May 22, 2008

I didn't say use spade end hooks..... I said use a spade end knot. /forum/smilies/tongue_out_smiley.gif

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · May 22, 2008

Which is used on a spade end hook /forum/smilies/tongue_out_smiley.gif/forum/smilies/tongue_out_smiley.gif

njb51 · May 22, 2008

Knot (/forum/smilies/big_smile_smiley.gif) if you use it on an eyed hook....

captain carrott · May 22, 2008

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Jonny wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>I didn't say use spade end hooks..... I said use a spade end knot. /forum/smilies/tongue_out_smiley.gif</blockquote>
that's what i do

Maggie · May 22, 2008

<blockquote class=quoteheader>Trevor Davies (The angler formerly known as Barbel Novice) wrote (see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>I can remember years ago Andy Little using fibres from dacron to whip hairs to hooks. It's a bit fiddly but with practice it's not too much of an issue.</blockquote>

Didn't they once usedental floss for the hair with shrink tubing on the hook shank?

Will Smith · May 22, 2008

Mustad specialists have a big eye./forum/smilies/disappointed_smiley.gif

Lark · May 22, 2008

That's what we used to do with the original Jack Hilton hooks and Dacron- usingthe largest 'Matchman' hook tyer.

Alan Tyler · May 22, 2008

Domhof Knot - but you'd have to tie your hair loop after you had tied the hook on.

Iain Riley · May 22, 2008

I use the knottless nott but it,s made us all lazy .like jonny said use a spade end knott or by a hook tier

Graham Whatmore · May 22, 2008

There arequite obviously alternative knots but that isn't the point is it? Most rigs that have a hair use the knotless knot, it is an easy tiedwell used and reliable knot used in various specialist forms of fishing so what is the problem of specialist hooks having a big enough eye for specialist knots? They tweak the points, offset the eye, shorten or lengthen the shank so how come they can't produce a hook with a slightly larger eye?

tinca steve · May 24, 2008

There are several ways, some as stated above -like stripping the coating back or even using the spade end knot and passing the hook length through the eye so you get the same presentation. But there is another way and that is to tie the knot-less knot with a braid ( I know you said mono) then stiffen as much of the hook length as you need to. And its amazing how small you can really go if you want to.These are size 18 hooks

John Howard · May 27, 2008

Try tying a hair using 3lb nylon using a knonless knot then a half hitch around the shank of the hook below the eye. Slide on a pice of tubing thats a very tight fit on the hook shank. Trapping the loose end of nylon. Once its trapped trim off the nylon and continue sliding the tubing down till it covers the knot.

Cakey · May 27, 2008

eyes these days are the wrong shape as on the left need to be more like on the right for twice through !

Eyes on small hooks

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