Your Favorite Weed guard

[tidewaterfly 0]

I certainly prefer not to have to need any type, but sometimes they become necessary. I've tried various types, and primarily use a double prong hard mono type, or a doubled wire type. 

I've been using 16, 20, 25 & 30 lb hard Mason nylon for the mono type, typical for inshore saltwater flies that will mostly be fished thru grasses. And, the wire types I use are made form .015" diameter stainless wire, folded and tied in place so the fold rides just behind the hook point with some tension on the weed guard. They're been the best for me for limiting snags in some of the worst places, like downed trees or Spadderdock pads.

I will also invert the wire, so the resulting guard is two prongs that shield either side of the hook point. This has been good in snags that are larger, solid objects like rip rap. 

I used to use the single & double loop type made from hard mono, that lop down under the hook, but they seemed to get kinked up too easily and lost the effectiveness too quickly. 

I don't feel that any of the are perfect. 

The fly below is a two prong hard mono type. I learned that angling them away from the hook, still deflected away from snags, but also allowed for better hook ups than if the guard is angled back or at a 90 degree angle.

I don't know if I have a photo of the wire guards. 

[Shmang 0]

40 LB bass pro catfish line for me.  The Cream was spot on to tie a smallish section of the line so it extends just to the hook point.  It os not foolproof but keeps snags to a minimum while offering a good hooking percentage.  CHeap but effective.

 

Shmang

[TheCream 0]

This is how I do the single strand guards on the small crappie streamers. They will still get hung off and on, but most of the time they come out unscathed. 

[tidewaterfly 0]

These are the wire weed guards that I've been using. I mount them so that the folded end sits just behind the hook point, or barb on some hooks. I will also mount them so the open end forms two prongs on either side of the hook point.  Similar to how Capt Bob has shown his mounting of wire guards, except a doubled wire. 

The first mounting has been best in a lot of snags, the second mounting has been good for snags with less smaller places that can hang a fly up, but where the mono guards are not stiff enough to deflect the fly away. 

I've searched through my fly photo's and don't seem to have a fly with the wire guard on it. 

With the dimensions shown, these will fit a variety of hook sizes & types, 2 to 3/0, but has been best for 1/0, 2/0 or 3/0 sizes. I use straight shank plastic worm hooks for flies, and they fit them very well. The wire is .015" diameter as I mentioned previously.