Make your own ASSIST HOOKS

[REEFMAN]

Make your own ASSIST HOOKS for Jigging.
 
2 methods shown here... first the newer version, followed by the old fashioned Dacron splice method...
 
WHAT YOU NEED:
 
Before, we used to use Dacron, but then Kevlar cord was brought onto the market for the Toothy fish.  Then the Japanese developed ZYLON cord - A step up from the Kevlar. If you are targetting fish with gnashers (Cuta and Dogtooth Tuna) - then ZYLON is the way to go.

The tut below shows how to do it using Dacron, but Kevlar or Zylon can/should be substituted in it's place.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
THE OLD FASHIONED VERSION USING SPLICED DACRON
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

[Tsutsuma]

Great stuff
Wonderfull pictures and advice
I will sure follow your detailed steps
and perfect my assist hook making.
}<(((*>

[Nepptune]

Hey Reefs,
 
Mind if I add my version?
I'm not a fan of using Dacron, its a little softe for my liking, and only use Kevlar cord these days.
Below is a Step by Step on building "Beefed up Kevlar Assists"
 
Ok guys, here is my somewhat shoddy attempt at a step by step on building “Overstrength Assists” using JigStar Kevlar Assist cord.

In a lot of areas, guys are having problems with toothy critters cutting them off on the Assist, or fishing in areas with high concentrations of fish with super tough toothy mouths, and want to beef up their assists without having to go to Wire assist hooks.

I took a leaf outta the Shout guys books, and had a look at how they did their ready made assists, and I think I’ve come up with a great solution, and using our Kevlar, you pretty much end up with a bullet proof connection.

1 word of warning, you will obviously use more Kevlar than normal using this method! But on the flip side, you end up with a vastly heavier Assist cord set up.

Here is what you need:

200lb or 240lb JigStar Kevlar
Jigging Hooks ( I’ve used a Jigging Master Monster 13/0 for this demo )
Solid Ring
Pair of strong scissors/pliers for cutting the Kevlar:

Ingredients:



What you want to do is cut two equal length pieces of assist cord. These pieces need to be approx 1.5 to 2 x the length you would regularly use for tying assists ( like I said, it uses a fair amount )


Thread both sections of the Kevlar through the spilt ring to equal length:


Now comes the slightly tricky part… it was tough for me to shoot using only one hand….
Basically what you want to do is start to plait the 4 sections together… what I do is take the two tag ends from one side of the ring, and use those as “one” piece and the other two tag ends as the other 2 legs for the plait.
Its easiest if you hook the solid ring over something and then start your plait.
You should end up with something like this:


Next step, once you have plaited a section long enough, is to thread all 4 tag ends in through the hooks eye. Make sure to use proper jigging hooks with the kinked eye, and thread the tag end into the eye from the hook point side:


Pull the cord through the eye till the eye traps up against the end of the plait.
Now is where having the extra length assist cord comes in handy, and is infact essential.

To finish off the Assist, you need to tie a simple overhand knot, in the 4 strands of Kevlar, around the hooks shank.
If you don’t have enough length to the Kevlar, this is nearly impossible…. Its important to keep the threads neat and lying next to each other, not bunches and twisted as this will give you a bulky finish:






Once you have threaded the Kevlar round into the knot, make sure all the strands are lying neatly and then start snugging them down one by one:



You should end up with something looking like this before you really tighten it down:


Once you’ve given it a good tightening down by pulling on all the tag ends individually, making sure they all lie neatly, you should end up with something like this:



You then can trim the tag ends of the 4 strands of Kevlar, and finish it off with a small section of Heat shrink over the tag ends to neaten it up if you wish, or leave them as is.
Below is an example of two finished Assists.

The Top one is using 240lb JigStar Kevlar and the bottom is using 200lb Jigstar Kevlar:


A close up of the 240lb rig:



And a shot of the two showing the plait:




Its pretty simple really, certainly not rocket science, but takes some testing to get lengths and neatness right.

Hope it helps if you having issues with any tougher or rough mouther critters.
My next experiment is going to be something similar, but employing steel cable as the “second” length of assist cord.

Any comments and thoughts appreciated.

Cheers
Nepps
 

[REEFMAN]

Yup thanks for that Nepps... ('twas about time you arrived here!  )....

I should have added that we don't use Dacron anymore... rather Kevlar. (Only use Dacron if you can't afford the Kevlar.)
There is also some stuff that is considered harder to bite through than steel that many guys are using now... it's called Zylon

Below, pics of the Kevlar cord... available through you know who!

And below that, the ZYLON - hectically expensive stuff!

[Tsutsuma]

Hi
LIMA - my crew member - took the task yesterday onto himself
to make us some assist hooks from the DYNEEMA I told you I managed to by here in Maputo.
I will take some pix in the sunlight later and post them here for you to see.
He followed your instruction pix step by step and did very well.
"KEVLAR" would be so much better - I will ask a friend of mine to look for it at the JHB
boat show this weekend and buy some.
}<(((*>

[REEFMAN]

Shot Carlos... glad to be of help.
The Kevlar Cord can be bought from the JigStar stand at the boat show... or contact them on this website Sponsors list - Royboy or Nepptune

[Half-Pint]

Can anyone tell me why Kevlar is much better than Dacron for assists?

[Capt. Hook]

Can anyone tell me why Kevlar is much better than Dacron for assists?

It is more resistant to sharp teeth.

[Half-Pint]

Thanks FA

[mukiwa]

hi halfpint just some info, kevlar is a special steel fibre and they also use it in bullet proof vest extremely stong stuff

[John F]

hi halfpint just some info, kevlar is a special steel fibre and they also use it in bullet proof vest extremely stong stuff

Well, not steel... it actually replaces steel... it's a synthetic fiber.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevlar

[Half-Pint]

Thanks for all the info guys. I was aware of what Kevlar was just wasnt sure of the impact it had on us. After all 200lb Kevlar and 200lb dacron will have the same tensile strength but the bite off story makes sense

[Machann]

Hi guys. Where can I get hold of Zylon cord? Regards

[REEFMAN]

Zylon cord you have to import yourself. (VERY expensive!)
The Kevlar cord is available from JigStar Africa, and is normally sufficient strength.

[shamwari]

Tony , heres another one that I use without any hassle - will save your kevlar bill, a bit more stealthy, hook less stifff and very quick - single strand, two turn snell on hook then single turn uni on the ring - pull it tight to embed the kevlar - if the fish cant bite through the leader he wont get through this and couta of course will go through one strand or four strands....

[REEFMAN]

Excellent Bruce! So simple!