# Crimping supplies



## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Can anyone guide me to where I can get started with crimping? I'm looking to make some float rigs with gami's and heavy fluro, and I want the floats right up with the hook. I've got the beads and floats, from dismantling my rigs with rusted hooks  ... now I want to use them to make some quality float rigs for floating chunks this fall.

Why floats ... well, I usually use my own fishfinder rigs, but there are times when I want to put out a line that's up off the bottom, either because crabs are there or I just want to make a slightly different presentation to tempt a big blue or maybe a striper. I've never found very good float rigs already made up, so I figure I'll make some.

Any crimpers out there? Where to I get the tools and crimps? Also, anyone use homemade float rigs? I've used whole mullet rigs and the little "double ball" bluefish rigs ... I'm looking to make some of my own to see how that works. I've definitely caught more fish once I started making my own fishfinder rigs, so I'm looking for a new thing to try in an effort to catch even more 

Thanks,
fishhead


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## HellRhaY (Jul 6, 2007)

jannsnetcraft.com

terminaltackleco.com

hagensfish.com

EAngler.com


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## BentHook (Dec 22, 2002)

The do's and don'ts of crimping.
http://www.leadertec.com/tipsandtechniques/crimp_techniques.html


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## Hannibal (Aug 10, 2007)

I bought mine at the local hardware store and just experimented with what sizes produced the best crimps. I've never had any fail to this point.


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

Forget the crimps for float rigs...too much extra hardware. Take a look at this diagram (sorry, no digicam at work...). Tie on the hook on one end, thread on a bead, a float and another bead, and tie on the swivel. Now, you should have a leader with two beads surrounding a swivel sliding around. To secure it up against the hook, take another piece of leader material, and tie a nail knot at the location shown and trim both ends so that only the knot remains. Slide it down to the top of the top bead, and it'll hold the whole shebang tight to the hook. The nail knot acts as the crimp, holding everything together. No need for extra hardware; if you're taking apart old rigs, you've got everything already.


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## OBX_Nomad (Mar 8, 2005)

Yeah, if you don't need the crimper for other tasks then save your money and just pin the beads, or pin the float. What I mean by pinning is to place a toothpick in the hole of the bead (or float ) and then snip off the excess. It will hold great and should you decide you want to adjust the float you can.


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## HellRhaY (Jul 6, 2007)

is the nail knot stronger than the stop knot?
arent they the same?

just curious.


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

So simple ... I never thought of it ... I'll try the stop knot and see how it goes. Lower cost, less to mess with, perhaps more reliable, and less weight to conteract the bouyancy of the float


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

The nail knot is the same as the bobber stops that are commercially available, just tied in different materials. One could also use a uni knot in the place of it. Essentially, what's needed is just a knot to hold the bead/float against the hook, or at some other location. An overhand knot in a rubber band would work. I just happen to have leader material (along with the floats, beads, hooks and swivels) when I fish (duh ) so that's what I use. I usually buy the floats from wallyworld...the 2" red cigar shaped floats. Also, Harbor Tackle carries some egg-shaped floats in different colors.


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## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Thanks for all the feedback ... I tried the stop knot using 50lb flouro over the leader of 80lb flouro to keep the float and beads down at the hook end ... worked very nicely 

Now I'll see how they work in a few weeks down at AI ,,, I plan on putting a bunker chunk on the hook to keep it away from the crabs and maybe give the fish a more visible target 

I think that the 4/0 gami "regular" and 5/0 gami circles will give me a better hookup than the often questionable noname steel grey j-hooks that came with the original rigs


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