Using Snaps

[papajoe222]

I made a rookie mistake today and of course, it costs me a nice fish.  I've been using snaps to attach my cranks for a couple of seasons without incident.

The habit I've been lulled into is not checking my knot. There was I time that I was OCD when it came to checking my line and knots and retying when switching lures insured my knots were fresh.  This happened on the third day after tying on that snap.  Lesson learned, the hard way of course.

[GreenPig]

The fish will always let you know where your weak link is. Depending on my line, I've been known to retie after every fish, especially if our Spotted Bass was rubbing it's sharp teef on my 6lb FC. I figure 5 inches of line and 30 seconds saves me some heartache. Three days?! That's kinda asking for it.?

[Deleted account]

Blame the snap, nice...  

[Bankbeater]

I always check the knot and I check to make sure the duo lock snap is still closed. 

[casts_by_fly]

I'm not great at checking my snap knots either, especially this time of year when one rod lives with a snap (it gets a plopper, a crankbait, or similar depending on the lake).  Also if you're a snap user, check that its closed and always use a good quality one.  I lost a big pike in May that pulled a snap.  I got it back part straightened.  I think it just pulled the wire through and it wasn't a heavy enough wire snap.  It was a leftover snap that I had laying around and I think was already on the crankbait when I pulled it out of the box so it just got tied on without thinking.  Needless to say, all of those lighter snaps are gone.

[Revival]

It’s a good habit to check all of our knots in general but I always forget myself…haha.

[WRB]

It’s not wise to leave mono, copoly or FC knots ties over 24 hours do to cold flow pressure over time deforms the line.

Tom

[Big Rick]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

It’s not wise to leave mono, copoly or FC knots ties over 24 hours do to cold flow pressure over time deforms the line.

Tom

Wow. This is news to me. My Palomar knots are often used for months with no issues. Now that I know this they'll all fail tomorrow.....

[Captain Phil]

I retie every time I change lures or hooks.  When I fished tournaments, I retied before each tournament and between each fish.  Some lessons are learned the hard way.  

[WRB]

1 hour ago, Big Rick said:

Wow. This is news to me. My Palomar knots are often used for months with no issues. Now that I know this they'll all fail tomorrow.....

The knot weakens and fails under stress like fighting a good size bass.

Tom

[PressuredFishing]

On 8/9/2022 at 7:49 PM, papajoe222 said:

Lesson learned, the hard way of course.

Did the knot or snap fail, if so what style/brand.  just curious to hear to add to mental archive

[Bird]

Wait ! I'm a really nice person and don't like to offend...... BUT are you saying retie after every fish ? ....... ludicrous I say ?

[steve carpenter]

No snaps and retie and sharpen hooks often

[Woody B]

I removed the split rings on most of my crankbaits and installed snaps.  I leave each snap on the lure, just like the split ring.  IE I don't use the snaps to change lures.   I retie as needed(most of the time)   

[RevoSEMIpro]

3 hours ago, Woody B said:

I removed the split rings on most of my crankbaits and installed snaps.  I leave each snap on the lure, just like the split ring.  IE I don't use the snaps to change lures.   I retie as needed(most of the time)   

Cuz why?

[FrnkNsteen]

^^Yep^^ I don't get that either..... If you're replacing the split rings on all your lures and leaving them on the lure,... Why do you need a snap??

 

The only thing I can see is because snaps are smoother and you don't have to worry about your line getting caught in the split of the ring and cut it??

[Darth-Baiter]

my friends use snaps so they dont have to re-tie.

 

am I missing something here?  I retie 100% when I change lures which kinda requires a new knot.

[Mike L]

First 

I hardly ever throw a crank bait. 
At certain times I’ll throw a jerk, trap and a lot of times I’ll throw a Spook type walking bait. 

Point is I don’t use a snap. 
I tie direct to the split ring and never really had a real problem. 
When it comes to the point where what I’m using is not working, I won’t just change colors or the size.
 I’ll just pick something else up entirely because to get to that point I used it long enough to prove to myself I made the wrong decision in the first place. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[detroit1]

On 8/10/2022 at 6:45 AM, Deleted account said:

Blame the snap, nice...  

He's not blaming them snap.

[throttleplate]

Meet my little friend, never fish without one.

[Koz]

I tie on hooks for soft plastics, but use VMC Touch Loc snaps for most everything else. Having to tie on all the time when fishing from a kayak can be a bit of a pain.