Hi Group,

Every now and then you stumble across a technique that saves time or materials. This tip seems to do both for me.

Problem: I alway preweight my hooks when tying an order requiring extra weight. In the past I would cut a piece of wire (lead or non-lead) to the length that I wanted to add to the hook plus an additional half-inch. I'd wrap the wire on the hook by hand and trim the waste pieces at both ends of the application. Yes, I know you can use your fingers to "chase" that last little strip of wire on the hook but it costs time and for me time is $.

Solution: I buy my lead/non-lead wire on one-pound spools. I set the spool on the table diectly under the hook/vise jaws. Then pull the loose end up above the hook shank equal to the length you want to put on the hook. Then take two wraps around the shank to anchor the wire. Grab the loose wire end with a rotating hacke pliers so you capture only a small part of the wire in the pliers. Finish wrapping the wire like you were winding thread with a bobbin. When you get close to the end of the wire don't slow down but keep going at the same pace. When the rotating hackle pliers hits the hook shank it snaps the last bit of wire from the jaws and places the wire tip tight into place. Trim the wire coming for the one-pound spool from the back of the application, apply glue to the wire wraps, and place the hook in a turner to dry.

I can't believe how fast I can weight a dozen hooks using this tip. After almost 50 years tying you would think I would have come up with it before. I suspect after posting this several of you will tell me you figured that out xxx years ago. Take care & ...

Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:3836d]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:3836d]