Lead, Line, Leaders, Hooks, Components

Once again, abrasion-resistant lines tend to be best for snells, unless you truly need to reduce visibility as much as possible during tough conditions. Then switch to something soft and supple like Trilene XL, but retie snells often. In recent years, short spools of fluorocarbon leader material have been popular on saltwater flats—an obvious snell candidate due to its low visibility and toughness. Try it, but don’t expect it to be quite as thin or flexible as mono. Dense fluorocarbon also sinks. Worth experimenting with. So are fly leaders—71⁄2- to 9-foot lengths of mono that are thick at one end, tapering to a smaller diameter at the other. They’re available in numerous light line weights from companies like Berkley, Orvis, L. L. Bean and Cortland. Convenient, but pricey.

Superlines for livebait rigging snells? Don’t think so. They’re thin and flexible, but opaque and therefore visible. For spinner snells that keep moving, they have durable applications. But for livebait rigging where fish are able to study paused or set rigs, they’re probably not good snell choices.

Pretied livebait rigs are available from manufacturers who cater to walleye anglers. Livebait snells, packaged snells with sinkers and swivels, or component kits are widely distributed by Lindy-Little Joe, Northland Fishing Tackle, and Quick Change Tackle. They’re also regionally available from other manufacturers and tackle shops. Many offer spinner snells as well. Mustad features a line of long Ultra Walleye Snells with small, sharp hooks for added finesse. Owner’s 6-foot Walleye Plus snells feature premium hooks with hot glow shanks.

The major players offer a variety of pretied snell configurations with different hook sizes, floating jigheads or on-line floats, tiny spinners, snell lengths, and sometimes even line weights. Even weedless snells. And you can generally depend on the quality of the mono. Bargain bin snells? Well, you never know until you set the hook.

Hooks—Look Sharp, Hook Sharp

Improvements in hook sharpening technology in recent years have exploded onto the walleye scene, offering sticky-sharp hooks right out of the package. If there’s one major update most walleye anglers could and should make, this is it. As you use up old hooks that require sharpening, replace them with the new high-carbon-steel, razor lazer-sharp cone-cut chemically-sharpened Accu-Point Ultra-Point (whew!) variety of small premium hooks. You won’t waste time sharpening hooks, and you’re assured maximum hooking ability every time.

Because livebait-rigging hooks are small, powerful hooksets aren’t needed to make them penetrate. Sweepset in most conditions. Extra-sharp hook points need only a little pressure to start penetrating. Once started, all you need is constant pressure to work them in past the barb.

Livebait, octopus, or walleye hook designs are the most popular rigging hooks. Each manufacturer has its own designations. Carry a variety of sizes, and match hook size to the bulk of the bait. Effective combos feature sufficient hook gap to allow good hooking ability, yet not so much weight as to overcome the bait’s natural swimming or wiggling ability. Generally, use a #8 for leeches, a #6 for nightcrawlers, and a #4 through 1/0 for minnows, depending on bait size. Hooks with tiny barbs along the shank help hold livebait in place and are good options where barbless hooks are required.