Tying hempseed onto a hook

Hooking hemp seed can be a real problem for some anglers, with the bait not gripping the hook securely and therefore falling off the instance it touches the water.

Most anglers hook these hard seeds by gently squeezing the ends of the shell to open up the seed a little, then inserting the hook shank and allowing the seed to clasp hold of the hook.

In the vast majority of circumstances this technique works well, but some anglers prefer to use the method detailed below, as it allows more than one fish to be caught on the same grain of hemp.

Follow the eight simple steps below and you'll soon be able to tie a grain of hemp to your hook in a matter of minutes, and catch lots of prime roach on it too...

1. To be able to tie hemp to your hook, you'll need a good, sharp, medium-sized sewing needle and some 3lb breaking strain monofilament line

2. Place the hemp on a flat, hard surface like a bait table (not your knee!) and push the needlepoint through the blunt end of the seed

3. Pick up the seed and push the needle all the way through. Wiggle the needle to make a bigger hole in the hemp seed

4. Thread your monofilament through the eye of the needle

5. Push the needle all the way through, taking with it the monofilament line

6. Tie a simple overhand knot in the line and pull the knot tight against the seed

7. Repeat process 6 so that you have got a solid knot. Then neatly cut off the tag ends. Make up a dozen of these before you go fishing

8. Slip your hookpoint under the tight loop of line you've created in the seed. You may catch a dozen fish without the bait coming off!