# Flyfishing Tip #91. Removable Wire Weed/Snag Guard



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

Tip posted on the "Tips" forum.

Fly Fishing Tip # 91
Removable Weed/Snag Guard
I fish shallow, grassy and snaggy water at least 90 percent of the time. A fly without some sort of snag protection gets fouled or hung every few casts. I've experimented with every sort of weed guard imaginable and have settled on a few that work for me.
Weed guards that are tied right into the fly sometimes make tying an awkward experience. I've experimented with removable weed guards for at least 10 years and my latest version works best and is super simple to make.
Here is how I make a removable weed guard.
All I use is my el-cheap-o rotary vise, small wire cutters a sewing needle and a little #2 or 3 single strand leader wire.
First: Lock a regular sewing needle into your rotary vise as shown below with the needle eye extending about 5/8” past the end of the vise jaws.








Second: Insert the end of the leader wire through the needle eye and wind a tight (20 turn)coil of wire around the needle as shown.

Third: Remove the needle from your vise and slip the coiled wire off the needle.
Fourth: Trim the almost completed weed guard as shown. The guard on the far right side of the photo shows how to make the final little bends. After making a few, you will get it exactly right. The final photo shows how the weed guard is used.









To install the weed guard, simply slip it on to your leader before tying on the fly. Tie on your fly then slip the long end of the wire through the eye of your hook and carefully pull the leader tight through the coil.


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## joe bag o donuts (Oct 23, 2007)

Wow! Excellent idea, and would work for us spinning guys too.


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## REDFISH101 (Mar 27, 2009)

Very nice work Thanks for sharing I will be trying it.:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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