Fishermen tie an awful lot of rigs in an awful lot of different ways, and jigging is no different. Beginning jiggers are often unsure of the correct way to connect their terminal tackle.
In a jigging system, a solid ring is the lynch-pin to having strong tackle. Shimano and few other brands have created solid rings that are nearly unbreakable, and they are marketed as such. A few packs of these rings should last an angler an entire season.
A split ring is then used to connect the jig to the solid ring with a pair of split-ring pliers. The assist hook is then connected to the solid ring by looping the hook point through the braided trace to which it is connected. Finally, the fluorocarbon leader is crimped to the solid ring, making sure to use the correct-size sleeve to the fluorocarbon.
This enables the jig to swing freely, giving it the greatest action in the water, but it also puts all of the stress in the system on the solid ring, which is the strongest part. Large tuna, grouper or amberjacks will expose just about any weakness in tackle, so connecting everything correctly will minimize the chance of being broken off and losing expensive jigs and assist hooks.
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