Adding lead to a “weedless” AKA “worm” type hook

 

This is how I add weight to weedless / worm hooks. I generally do 4 at a time as set out below.

Process

A
  1. Tie the thread in just behind the bottom of the vertical post on the hook shank and wind the thread about a third of the way back along the hook shank with tight touching turns.

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B
  1. Tie in a length of lead wire.
  2. Tie a half hitch in the thread.

ASM-b

 

C
  1. Wind the lead wire forward ten tight turns and worry of the excess lead wire at the intersection of the vertical and horizontal parts of the hook.
  2. Lock the lead wire into place with tight horizontal wraps of thread in both directions.
  3. Do a couple of half hitches in the thread and trim away the excess thread.
  4. Apply a drop or two of super glue to the tie in of the lead wire.

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D
  1. repeat the first 3 steps three times.
  2. Load the 4 partially complete hook onto a cork that has a needle in the middle of the opposite end of the cork.
  3. Mount the needle and the cork into your vice.
  4. Mix a small amount of epoxy and using a tooth pick coat the lead wire on each hook witha thin coat of epoxy.
  5. It doesn't matter if your doing one fly or a few flies at a time but to ensure smooth uniform finishes you must rotate the fly or flies well before the epoxy starts to go off and then until the epoxy has gone right off.

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E
  1. Once the epoxy has completely hardened paint the epoxy covered lead wire with nail polish.

ASM-e

 

F
  1. The hooks with their coloured lead weight are now ready for dressing to complete the fly.
 ASM-f


Last Updated: May 21, 2021
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