Making my own rigs?

[bus33]

I am going to start making my own lindy's and such. I want to put a box together with all of the necessities. What are the must have's as far as hook type, size, etc? Line type, weight? My other thoughts are beads, blades, etc. Also what do have keep for the just in case situations? I should mention this will be for targeting the eyes.

Thanks!

[broken_line]

i love making mine while riding shot gun gives ya something to do on those long trips... i use the red snell hooks, 14lb fire line, and assorted beads picked up from a craft store and medium blades..

[Set n Hooks]

i use the red snell hooks, 14lb fire line..

You shouldnt use FireLine, even if its crystal, because its a lot more visible then mono. Use mono for lindy rigs just as you should for leaders when using braided lines.

[goose89]

A Cabela's T.U.B. (tackle utility binder) works great for me. A few filler spools of 4-8# XL, assorted colors and sizes of hooks, plain pre-made crawler harnesses, couple boxes of assorted beads (faceted glass and plastic),ball-bearing swivels, and selection of spinners. They fit nicely in most bags that use the Plano 3600 util boxes. Good luck.

[gregg52]

I think maybe i'm old school but i make all my snells outa 6lb xt green

#6 hooks varity of colors

spinners i use colarado metal hammerd gold or silver 99% of the time

dont pull spinners on a rig much though usally bottom bouncers

or a 3 way depending on how deep

[MIDNIGHT777]

I tie all my rigs. I always tie them the longest (8+ feet long) I will ever need. Mille lacs often requires a 8-10 foot rig. You can always shorten them up if needed. I use 10 pound flourocarbon (or low visability mono). The sky is the limit when it comes to imagination (colors, ect) I always put an inline float in the rig to easily adjust the depth the bait runs. Get a couple different size hooks in a handfull of colors, different color beeds, and floats and you will be set with rigs. I cannot remember for sure, but i think i use #4 and/or #6 hooks. Spinners are a different story. For the most part they are going to be shorter in length. I buy pre-tied 2 and 3 hook snells cause I cannot tie them.

I love the red hook, red beed, red float combo. But, I have plenty of different colors tied and let the fish tell me what they want

I usually run 1/4 and 3/8 oz. lindy no snag sinkers.

Matt

[Nate McVey]

I tie all mine as well. You can go to the craft store, or buy a kit from an outdoor store, then the skies the limit. I will tie 30-40 different patterns, some with treble hooks, some with big blades, some with no blades........it's up to you and your imagination.

[Cast A Way]

I have tied my own walleye rigs seems like forever and only use my own. I snell my hooks mostly with Eagle Claw Red Lazers and #8 mono or #6 fluro. For blades I like the Indiannas for a faster spin, but Colorados will give you more vibration. Spinners about 3 feet in length and Lindy style rigs up to 6 or 7 feet. You can find just about anything you need thru online auctions or in catalogs from component suppliers. The sky is the limit to what you can make in color, styles, and lengths. Crawler harnesses are a little harder, but with practice I learned to snell all the hooks inline.

[Sandmannd]

I make all of mine as well. Anywhere from 3 to 7 feet. I use #4 & #6 hooks. Red's my favorite, but I usually have all colors. Some I put beads on, some beads with spinners and others just plain hook. I use 6 - 8 lb berkley vanish.

Use a snell knot on the hook and then just tye a surgeons knot on the other end. I buy the round foam tackle holders and just wrap them on there.

[solbes]

I made up a bunch last year using 10 lb Vanish. I had a lot of hook sets and rigsones. Probably gators were chewing threw the stuff, so I switched to 15 lb 100% Flouro this year.

I tie both ends of them using a palomar knot. Anyone reason to use a drop of glue on both knots as well? I thought I had heard of that before.

[bus33]

Thanks guys..your pointers should get me started in the right direction.

[B D]

Matt -

Others have done a nice job outlining basics to get going. Here is a pic to get you thinking as well.

You can start with what you have (mono, swivel snaps, hooks) and see how it goes from there. I included a pic to show my supplies and the quick change approach I have been using the past few years. This allows the overall snell to be changed (at the snap by tying a loop on each snell), the weight (above the swivel) and the blade when using.

Have fun tying these up !

BD

[buddha]

Does anyone use small Fireline(8lb or 2lb diameter) for leaders? Since fluorocarbon is heavier then mono or fireline it can cause a bait to sink especially with a long leader. Fluor is nice because of the lack visibility but walleyes have been caught for years on line much more visible then fireline crystal. Any thoughts?

[bus33]

Thanks for the visual B D......great first post!

[B D]

You bet. Buddha asks an interesting question on line weight. I have been a believer in fluorocarbon and usually key on variables such as snell length, floats, hook color, bead or no bead, bead color, type of bait. Line weight is not a variable I have explored - particularly if fluoro may have a tendency to run too deep / drag with longer snells.

BD

[metrojoe]

Northland tackle has a huge selection of components for tying your own spinner rigs. I think they even sell a kit that has the beads, blades and clevis.

For line I like to use 6 lb either the low vis green mono or fluorocarbon. The hooks I like to use are from Gamakatsu. The Octopus hook in size 6 or 8. I use either the size 2 or 3 spinner blades and I think the beads I use are 5 or 6mm. I’d also suggest getting a couple of those tube storage systems. They work great for keeping your entire collection of rigs tangle free.

[Sandmannd]

Welcome to FM BD, very good first post.

[croixflats]

For storage of leaders I'm not a big fan of wrapping the leader around something, seems like the leader gets memory from that.

I think a better method would be coiling them up and put them in a plastic sleeve like they have when you buy them commercialy then stick them in a leader wallet for easy access and storage.