BAIT CLIPS

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:23 pm

Bait clips are well worth fitting to rigs you want to use for longer range fishing. These hold the hook and hook length tight to the rig body during the flight of the cast giving better bait presentation and improved casting distance. The hook is released as the lead weight strikes the surface water and tension on the rig lessens.

Best of the plastic molded bait clips are the Paul Kerry Clip or the Breakaway relay Clip. Both use rubber sleeving to hold the clip on to the rig body.

Also good are the bait clips made from stainless steel wire and electrical tubing. Cut off a 1.5" length of 18 gauge wire and round off the ends with a file. Using long nosed pliers bend the top .5" in to a half round shape at an 90 degree angle. The straight length of the clip then slides into the tubing which is slid onto the rig body, then bend up the bottom end slightly to stop the clip pulling upwards through the tubing under pressure. You can make smaller clips for smaller baits and hooks. This type of clip is also commercially made.

Standard clips like these are the best choice for two hook rigs and also for long range work with single hook rigs fishing smaller baits.

Very popular and extremely effective when maximum range is needed with medium to large baits are the Breakaway Impact Shields. These are a wind cutting disc with a bait clip at the back. The disc cuts a whole in the air during the cast with the bait travelling in the protected hole which improves it's presentation. Impact shields can improve casting distance by as much as 25yds.

To set up the Impact Shield, tie on the base split ring and work from the top of the rig. Slide on the supplied rubber sleeving cut to fit the shields leg and fit the shield in the tubing. Now slide on a 5mm bead and crimp. When the rig is completed position to Impact Shield just above the split ring to hold the hook length tight and position the crimp with the bead touching the top of the Shield, but with the crimp fractionally higher to give a minimum of slackness.

Guest

and don't buy the Fox clips.

They look like a good idea.

But in fact, they are crap. Avoid !!

Had two break on me and one lip out of the sleeve this week.

Guest

Impact Shields, Impact Leads and Cascade swivels. I don't use anything else.

I still think that Breakaway gear is the best stuff.

Guest

Mustad clips and/or breakaway impact leads.

Guest

concrete wrote:

Impact Shields, Impact Leads and Cascade swivels. I don't use anything else.

I still think that Breakaway gear is the best stuff.

Breakaway impact leads - nothing better.

Guest

But they don't hold a very large bait. For these I use the shields.

Guest

One thing I have noticed with the breakaway impact leads is that they do seem to release the hooks well enough but come back with the cap stuck in the up position. Any way to stop that?

Guest

Some do it, some don't. I live with it.

Guest

Give them a good rinse and move them up and down a lot to get rid of the grit / sand.

Guest

I'll give it a try screamin. The reds seem to be the worst for it.