PeteL

Picture this, Ben ... a screw eye (homemade or purchased) running horizontally for the line tie. For the belly hanger, another screw eye running vertically from the belly up towards the lure's back. A pull between the line tie and the belly hook results in a force that is nearly completely a side load (with reference to the screw eyes and their holes, that is. With reference to the lure, it's a forward/backward pull of 90 degrees). To avoid this situation, I try to angle the pointy end of the line tie screw eye downward toward the belly hook a bit, and angle the pointy end of the belly hanger screw eye forward toward the nose of the lure. This results in a more "in-line" pull between the line tie and belly hook. Using optimal tilt angles, the line tie, belly hook, and tail hook all happily become largely in-line pulls.

Thanks, Ben! I usually use through-wires/swivels, but I'll keep that in mind for the few I do with a fixed hanger.

"T" them? Please explain. TIA, Pete