Learn to tie a Rapala knot,Gives the action you are looking for, and
eliminates unecessary mechanical parts.

--
D.Norton

"Dan, danl, danny boy, Redbeard, actually Greybeard now"
wrote in message
...
I too have had split rings on my stick and crank baits for as long as
I can remember. I first did it to lessen the places a weed or other
chaf could attach to my lure. I also have had snaps open on me. It's
no fun to watch a hard fought fish swim away with your lure in its
mouth.

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 11:08:54 -0600, "Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers"
sent into the ether:


"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
That is the question.

I always use a duolock type clip for crank baits. I do that for two
reasons. First is because I feel it gives me a much better action
than
tieing driectly onto the nose ring of a crank bait. The second is
because
of being able to change baits quickly. I have had circumstances
where I
have caught a couple fish and then the stopped hitting, but they
would
still
chase. As soon as I changed colors or body styles just slightly I
would
nail a couple more int he same place. I know some guys can break off
and
retie quickly, but I feel the pressure of time with bait in the boat
instead
of the water.

Now lets get to topwater. With buzz baits, except some swimming
minnow
types or a Norman's weeedwhacker you have to tie directly on, but I'm
talking about stick minnows or poppers. I usually work these baits
on the
same rods as I do crank baits for much the same reason. To keep fish
from
pulling loose on a run. As a result they often get put on the clip
that I
already have tied onto the line. I also seem to get a lot of fouling
of
the
bait particularly when working a stick bait like an Excalibur spittin
image
all the way back to the boat. I am wondering if eliminating the clip
will
reduce the back and forth action just enough to keep the bait from
over
running the line and fouling.

Unless I'm forced to use a leader, usually wire because of pike/muskie
cutoffs, I rarely use a snap or clip. I have had snaps open up when
I'm
really pressuring a fish, so I try to avoid that when ever possible.

I do however realize that some crankbaits have reduced action when the
line
is tied directly. So, for lures like that, I simply put a split ring
on the
line tie and cut/retie when I want to change lures. Yes, I know that
this
takes a little bit of time, but I also found that I had a tendency to
go too
long on retying and lost fish too.

I prefer to have as few connections between me and the fish as
possible,
especially ones that are easy to open like a snap.

Tying direct might solve the topwater problem, hard saying.


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