# snelling hooks



## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Things seem quiet on the forum so I thought I would share a new knot I just learned, or rather, a new way to snell circle hooks. I prefer to snell all my circle hooks on line up to 150#s or so (ballyhoo circle hook rigs, tuna live bait and chunking etc..) rather than crimp. When I am snelling line up to say 80lbs or so I have no trouble using the traditional methods below:






or





I almost always used the first method above, but when I am using heavy flouro for chunking (say 80 lb and up) or ballyhoo rigs with heavy mono, I have always struggled with the above methods. Just hard to tie with stiff line.

Well I came across what apparently is a common method that had ecaped me, called the uni snell. After tieing it few times, I find it easy to use with the heavy lines, much easier than the two methods above.

Thought this might help others.

Uni snell
http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/snell-knot-uni-version/


I will definitely be using this on my winter chunking trips.

Robert


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## xyzzy (Oct 26, 2008)

I think the uni snell you show there is weak. I'd pass through twice, and wrap over both ends and the shank with the loop instead.

I also think the snell in the first video above will test weak as well.


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

The second video is how I do it..


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## Capt. Alex Pinney (Jan 23, 2008)

I use the second video snell ,I've snelled 400# for live baiting , you get a better hook set vs crimping.


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

xyzzy: I agree about the first not being as strong, it is not, but I have tested all three on my ******* produce scale knot machine and they all test well over my drag settings, past 50 lbs on all three with 130 lb mono.

I see the second method most often, that's the way they do it at Tropic Star in Panama, I just have a hard time doing it with heavy mono, maybe it's just my clumsy fingers? Sometimes when we are chunking and the bite is hot or sharks are a problem I find myself snelling quite a lot and I just find the uni snell to be easier for me to tie.

Capt Alex: I agree on the hook set versus crimping, that's why I snell almost all of my circle hooks.

Robert


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## Capt. Alex Pinney (Jan 23, 2008)

It can be a little more difficult with bigger mono you just have to do it more ofte and you'll get use to it. It's easy with light line cause people use lighter line more often. I snell all my hooks from snapper fishing to live baiting for marlin . Trolling for whites and pitch baiting for blues.


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## billin (Oct 14, 2007)

*Snelling*

I use the second method but pass the line through the eye twice. I have always crimped anything over 125lbs fluro cause it wouldn't fit through the eye twice I look foward to trying there method


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

I also use the second video method and easily snell hooks with up to 400lb mono no problem. Since I have started using single hooks on my trolling lures vice doubles I have started snelling those hooks as well. One thing to make sure of is to use quality hooks that are smooth and have no sharp edges at the eye of the hook.


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## Lil' Scout (Oct 1, 2007)

I started uni-snelling a few years ago. It's the only hook knot that I use now. The uni is arguably the most versatile knot out there.


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