#ASK YOUR OUR EXPERTS ANSWER MONTH QUESTIONS EVERY
QI want to give long hooklinks a try. How long should I go, and what situations are best? Also, are we talking just mono here?
AThe wonderful thing about trying ‘new’ presentations is it expands your understanding of how to tie rigs and when to use them in the future.
Assuming that you’re talking about using these long hooklinks for conventional rigs (not zigs) then I think that the scenario in which they offer the clearest advantage is when fishing over silt in conjunction with a lead clip arrangement.
It’s simple, solid mechanics really, as the hookbait is allowed to settle gently into the silt without being dragged down by the weight of the lead sinking into the sediment, which could easily end up burying a shorter hooklink.
Mono and skinned hooklinks like Ultra Skin are both a popular option for long hooklinks as they are less prone to tangles than uncoated braid. Having said, that you could use a supple braid as long as you are mindful of tangles, and you will find that adding a stringer or small bag and watching the rig doesn’t wrap on the cast will ensure you still end up with effective presentation.
As for what length of link to use, well, in my experience 14ins-16ins is more than ample to allow good consistent presentation in all but the most outrageously ‘soup’y silt.
These long links are particularly effective with balanced or slow sinking hookbaits as the hookbait can move freely/uninhibited into the fish’s mouth, which itself can cause them to bolt off in fright (hooking themselves), particularly on venues where they see conventional short hooklinks all the time. Lewis Read, Gardner Tackle