Simon Haggis
Senior Member & Supporter
I’ve basically fished the same rig but with varying hook sizes for the past 15-20 years now maybe.
Coated braid, stripped back at the hook end to allow a bit of movement. This is fished on a quick link so I can take off the hooklink and then pull the hooklink through a PVA bag to cover the hook point so I know the hook isn’t snagged in weed when it gets down to the riverbed.
Once the bag has been threaded on I then put rig putty on the hooklink to pin it down. This all takes a while and is a bit fiddly at 1am after another bream.
Last season I was trying out the Korda hook clips so I could change hooks without having to replace the hook length every time. I caught some decent fish so I know they work but I was always slightly wary about the hook paraphernalia getting bigger and bigger. I was sort of ok with that as I thought it would at least put off some bream but I keep catching them anyway.
I was using big size 4 hooks last season and now want to go down a few sizes and the hook clips don’t really work for 6 and 8s.
I’ve just got found this little thing which might be just what I’ve been looking for. Korum specimen quick snap swivels they’re called. Allows me to make up Combi rigs but instead of an Albright knott or a small swivel you have these clips.
The advantage of them being clips is that they allow me to remove the short hook link and thread on a new PVA bag. Or I can prep short braid hook links with pva bags on and just clip a new one on - no need to re-putty the main hook link as that stays on permanently.
It’s a lot cheaper than replacing the whole hook link each time and provides a good anchor point for some putty to stay in place - sometimes putty can slip down braid and end up on the hook so that’s useful too.
They’re 69lb breaking strain in the large size and I’ve tested a couple, the short braid bit goes before anything else which is as it should be. They re smaller than ESP size 11 swivels for reference.
Couple of pics to show what I’m on about with quite a big size 6 hook on, thought it might be useful to someone.
Coated braid, stripped back at the hook end to allow a bit of movement. This is fished on a quick link so I can take off the hooklink and then pull the hooklink through a PVA bag to cover the hook point so I know the hook isn’t snagged in weed when it gets down to the riverbed.
Once the bag has been threaded on I then put rig putty on the hooklink to pin it down. This all takes a while and is a bit fiddly at 1am after another bream.
Last season I was trying out the Korda hook clips so I could change hooks without having to replace the hook length every time. I caught some decent fish so I know they work but I was always slightly wary about the hook paraphernalia getting bigger and bigger. I was sort of ok with that as I thought it would at least put off some bream but I keep catching them anyway.
I was using big size 4 hooks last season and now want to go down a few sizes and the hook clips don’t really work for 6 and 8s.
I’ve just got found this little thing which might be just what I’ve been looking for. Korum specimen quick snap swivels they’re called. Allows me to make up Combi rigs but instead of an Albright knott or a small swivel you have these clips.
The advantage of them being clips is that they allow me to remove the short hook link and thread on a new PVA bag. Or I can prep short braid hook links with pva bags on and just clip a new one on - no need to re-putty the main hook link as that stays on permanently.
It’s a lot cheaper than replacing the whole hook link each time and provides a good anchor point for some putty to stay in place - sometimes putty can slip down braid and end up on the hook so that’s useful too.
They’re 69lb breaking strain in the large size and I’ve tested a couple, the short braid bit goes before anything else which is as it should be. They re smaller than ESP size 11 swivels for reference.
Couple of pics to show what I’m on about with quite a big size 6 hook on, thought it might be useful to someone.