Fishing for trophy blue and flathead catfish around structure is tough on your terminal tackle. Break-offs are frequent, requiring anglers to re-tie leaders and hooks. For maximum abrasion resistance and to withstand the rough teeth of big catfish, most veteran anglers recommend using at least a 50-pound monofilament leader. Tying secure knots in stiff leaders can be a chore. Snelling hooks rather than trying to tie a standard fishing knot in that stiff leader makes things easier on the angler and provides just a strong, if not stronger, connection to the hook.
To snell a hook, start with a 3-foot section of leader material and insert one end down through the eye of the hook with the line parallel to the hook shank. Heavy duty circle hooks with turned up eyes work well for snelling. Wrap the opposite end of the leader around the hook shank and line for five to six turns, and then run the leader back out through the eye of the hook and pull the wraps down tight.
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