Fishing Hook Knot Tying Illustration

How to Snell a Fishing Hook

Fishing Hook Knot Tying - strongest fishing knots

Snelling is a very simple method of fishing hook knot tying and the snell knot is the strongest of all saltwater fishing hook knots.

Tying fishing hooks

1. First pass the trace through the eye of the hook from the front of the hook. Only pass it through about half an inch.
2. Hold the shank of the hook and the half inch tab end and wrap the trace around both the shank of the hook and the tab end 7 or 8 turns.
3. Pass the trace back down through the eye of the hook from the back of the hook.
4. Pull the trace tight while holding the hook to set the snell.
5. There should be very little or no tag end protruding when the knot is set.

If the hook curls up towards the trace you have snelled the hook correctly. We believe that snelling a hook like this makes the trace act as a spring and improves the hook up rate and also prevents the fish from throwing the hook.

Knot Tying Illustration-Two Hook Rig

How to Tie a Two Hook Pilchard Rig

Once you have perfected snelling a hook, it is very simple to make up a two hook trace.

Simply snell the first hook on, then pass the end of the trace through the back of the second hook and you're ready to snell the second hook on.

Set the distance between the hooks at about two thirds of the length of the bait fish you intend to use before snelling the second hook.

If using whole fish baits, put one hook through the head and the other hook through the body behind the gut cavity and make sure the second hook goes around the spine of the bait fish.

The head of the bait should be on the bottom hook.

The Finished Two Hook Pilchard Rig

Fishing knot, snell hook- fishing hook knots