HINOTSU - ASSIST LINE AL-1/AL-2/AL-3 PE KEVLAR SLOW/LIGHT/VERTICAL JIGGING SINGLE ASSIST/DOUBLE ASSIST LINE

Hinotsu Assist Line AL-1 / AL-2 / AL-3 — PE Kevlar Assist Cord

This is raw material, not a finished rig: heavy-duty cord for tying your own single- and double-assist hooks for metal jigs. Every model uses a braided Kevlar exterior for abrasion and bite resistance, which keeps the rig alive against sharp teeth, the edge of the jig and rough structure. Inside that sheath sits a core, and the core is what changes between the three models — it sets how stiff the finished assist sits, and therefore how the hook behaves on the fall.

AL-1 is a balanced Kevlar/PE construction for all-round single- and double-assist tying — the default choice if you build one type of rig for everything. AL-2 has a firm fluorocarbon core; the added rigidity holds the hook standing away from the jig body, which is what stops tangles on the long horizontal flutter of a slow-pitch fall and gives responsive hook-setting. AL-3 combines Kevlar with a solid braided PE core for strength with flexibility, letting the hook swing freely — the softer feel wanted for vertical and speed jigging, and for light jigging where a stiff cord kills the action. Supplied on 5-metre spools, two colours per model.

Key Features

• Braided Kevlar exterior resisting abrasion, wear and damage from sharp-toothed species
• Three core constructions: balanced Kevlar/PE (AL-1), rigid fluorocarbon core (AL-2), flexible solid PE core (AL-3)
• Breaking strengths from 80 lb to 310 lb depending on model
• Suits double-fold, needle-thread and double-assist slow-jig configurations — fold the cord over the shank, thread the tag back through the sheath with the needle, then whip with assist thread
• Inner core can be exposed or removed when creating loops and attaching hooks
• Rigging needle included with AL-1 and AL-3
• 5-metre spool — enough material for multiple custom assist assemblies

How To Tie And Fish It

• Setting the length — Measure the finished assist against the jig: roughly one third to one half of the jig's body length, split ring to hook bend. Too short and the hook never reaches a short-biting fish; too long and it wraps the leader on the drop.
• Single or double — A single assist gives the cleanest jig action and fewest tangles; a double assist raises the hook-up rate on fish that swipe rather than eat. Run doubles at slightly different lengths so the two hooks cannot foul each other.
• Front or rear mount — Front (nose) mount is standard for vertical and speed jigging, where fish attack the head of a rising jig. Rear, or front-and-rear, suits slow pitch, where the jig falls flat and fish take it from behind and below.
• Slow pitch versus vertical — Slow-pitch rigs run short and stiff (AL-2) so hooks stand off the jig through a long fluttering fall. Vertical and speed jigging want a slightly longer, softer assist (AL-3) that folds against the jig on the lift and opens out on the drop.
• Teeth — Kevlar's cut resistance is why this cord is used on tenggiri, barracuda and hound species. It handles a rasping mouth far better than plain PE, but it is not a wire trace — inspect after every fish and re-tie when the sheath is furred.

Target Species By Region

• Southeast Asia — Assist rigs for gerepoh (giant trevally), queenfish, tenggiri (Spanish mackerel), red snapper (ikan merah) and grouper (kerapu) on reef and wreck marks off Rompin and eastern Indonesia.
• North America — Amberjack, grouper and snapper on Gulf and Atlantic wrecks; yellowtail, lingcod, halibut and rockfish on West Coast jigging trips.
• Japan & East Asia — The home ground of the technique: buri and hiramasa on standard and speed jigging, madai, kasago and hirame on slow-pitch (スロージギング) rigs where assist length and stiffness are tuned deliberately.
• Australia, Middle East & Europe — Yellowtail kingfish and samson fish on Australian reefs; queenfish, cobia and GT in the Gulf; pollack and cod on European wreck marks.

Specifications

Rigging needle included with AL-1 and AL-3. Example SKUs: 53503220GR (AL-1, 220 lb, Grey), 53504170RR (AL-2, 170 lb, Rose Red), 53505280SB (AL-3, 280 lb, Sky Blue).

Recommended Pairing

• 80–110 lb for light and slow-pitch jigs to around 150 g on PE 1–2 tackle
• 160–220 lb for standard vertical jigging on PE 3–5, matched to a solid ring and heavy split ring
• 280–310 lb for heavy jigging and large jigs where drag is locked up on PE 6–8
• Hang the finished assist on a solid ring, not the split ring, so the cord never sits against a seam
• Pair with assist hooks sized to keep the point clear of the jig body, plus assist thread for whipping the shank