Quick Change Clips

[myst]

What do you guys generally think of these? Do most of you just always cut and tie a new knot when changing lures, or do you use a quick change clip? If so, what brands do you use? I don't want to hook a big fish and then have it break on me! Do you find they cause more snags or cause a change in the action of a lure?

[MCTFisher9120]

I tie my line directly to the lures and soft plastics i use, same goes for when i use live bait.

[forrest]

I have been using quick release clips with some light tackle and have liked them a lot. They have a 15lb rating and I got them from Bass Pro and recommend them. BPS has a crummy pic of them. Cabelas sells them too:

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0000044110226a.shtml

 

forrest

Edited September 6, 2008 by forrest

[bassjnkie]

I use the clips mainly for spinners and crack baits. There are different rating, 15-??Lb, they are strong and the different sizes give different actions to the lure. For crank baits the small clip is a tight wobble action, and as you go up in size the more aggressive it is.

 

These are the ones I use:

 

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s...010000_100-10-5

 

These work well also:

 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...&hasJS=true

 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...t20293&rid=

Edited September 6, 2008 by DanielM

[bigugli]

Berkeley cross loks, coast loks, Mustad snaps are all pretty good. I use them a lot piking with a 30lb snap. 40lb if I'm making wire leaders.

[SlowPoke]

I've used Berkley "Easy-Clip" snap swivels. The strong enough and work as advertised but are useless for "R" bend spinnerbaits and some topwaters like the Skitter Pop. They slide too easy on the "R" Bends and not enough room on the Skitter Pops to hook onto the eye.

They're ideal for most inlines and crankbaits. Would I buy them again? Probably not.

-Brian

[OhioFisherman]

I used duo-locks, size 2 or 3 for most of my bass fishing, 1`s were to small and not strong enough, maybe ok for panfish. Never lost a bass because of snap failure using a 2 or 3, probably not the best for huge pike or skis, had issues with a number of different styles and brands of snaps fishing for them. The stringease snaps would be my choice for them.

 

A heavy snap and swivel on a lure can alter the action, especially on smaller lures.

[bbog]

Another Berkley "Easy-Clip" user. I haven't got the patience or young eyes to retie constantly They are a bit pricey but I'd likely buy them again.

[jwl]

I tend not to use a snap..swivel...or leader most often then not. I am one of those guys who thinks sometimes the action of a lure gets inhibited too much, or like with big crank baits, they do not run properly on a swivel. For me, I catch more fish without a leader that with one...I lose the odd lure due to bite-offs but I really go by this theory for myself. The only time I use a leader is when I specifically go out to target big muskies, and at that even...3 out of 4 of the biggest ones I ever caught (48 inches and up)....guess what, came at a time when I was fishing with no leader, or swivel of any sort go figure

[bigugli]

Another Berkley "Easy-Clip" user. I haven't got the patience or young eyes to retie constantly They are a bit pricey but I'd likely buy them again.

I concur. You forgot about fingers seized up with arthritis. I used to hand the line and lure to my son to tie. He's not around too much now when I'm fishing.

[jwl]

I concur. You forgot about fingers seized up with arthritis. I used to hand the line and lure to my son to tie. He's not around too much now when I'm fishing.

 

hey!!, you can come fishing with me for a couple days in my boat at the trailer, but if you think I am tieing your line the whole time we are there...you better think about bringing the boy

Edited September 7, 2008 by jwl

[bigugli]

hey!!, you can come fishing with me for a couple days in my boat at the trailer, but if you think I am tieing you line the whole time we are there...you better think about bringing the boy

That's why I use the snaps. By the way, I found something real good to add to the "roadkill" chilli

[Raf]

 

Stay-Lok snaps made by Stringease. Come in all sort of sizes. I generally use these unless I need something really small.

[jwl]

great example there Raf, as of last year when I lost about a 30lber musky near boatside I started using that type of swivel/snap. When I lost the fish, I first thought that it broke me off, but when I checked out my line I had discovered that it straightened my snap swivel right out and my hook came off. I like the option of the fish having to kind of go through 2 locking methods with that style of snap much better now if the snap does open up on you, it still has the secondary loop that will keep it shut

[kemper]

I always tie on directly, I find snaps are just something else dangling in the fishes face that doesnt look quite right

[myst]

Thanks guys, once again great info here!

[Fisherpete]

I have been using the Berkley easy clips for four years now. Never had a fish come off due to them, but I have lost some spinnerbaits - when smacking the water to get the weeds off. Only with a spinnerbait, never with any other lure. I use the clips alone when bass fishing, and the 12" or 18" fireline leader with easy clip when going for pike and muskie. I have never even had one of these fray yet. They have my stamp of approval!