This is a quick video showing how I rig stinger hooks to jig heads when fishing with soft plastic lures like paddle tails or swimbaits . Rather than just clip on a short trace to the eye on the jig hook, I drill through the jig head to give a cleaner route under the belly of the shad. I have found over time this also reduces the weed gathering abilities of the singer and the trace. For pike fishing it tends to keep the lure out of the fish’s mouth and often makes unhooking fish rather easy.


Tools and Materials

I am currently using 8g lead jig heads on 4/0 or 5/0 hook bought from fleebay, but this should work with any soft metal jig apart from the very smallest.

The Lures are home made 125-150mm paddle tails

The drills I have been using a 2mm high speed steel, these need to be reground to cut soft metals like lead. This is link to a video that goes a little more in depth into sharpening drill for soft metals,    • Spare parts #7 - Modifying A Twist Dr...  

Trace wire is 20-30lb coated 7 strand stainless steel, i normally buy this in a pack which comes with suitably size crimps

For the singer hooks I have downsized to size 6 vmc 4x treble, but a gain personal choice and i may yet go to single hooks

For the ‘P Clip’ I use 125lb Toothproof solid,stainless wire from AFW

The trace covers are available widely on the internet, I cannot remember where I bought mine.

The crimping pliers are by savage gear, but I think this is a generic design that a few companies are using and rebranding as their own.