There are many bait clips on the market.
Everyone including myself seems to be asked which is the best bait clip and what makes it different from the rest.
Well in this article I will go through the pros and cons of bait clips and how they may improve your fishing.
What is a bait clip? A bait clip is a device that allows you to clip down your snoods or trace lines on your rigs thus reducing the risk of tangles and also to present baits effectively at distance.
The use without a bait clip can result in your bait being thrown off the hook during a power cast or even worse hitting the water's surface and coming off the hook without realising and then you sit there watching your rod tip for bites thinking the bait is presented nicely on the bottom when in fact it's been eaten ages ago by a school of Bass.
Anglers refer the use of a bait clip to a distance rig; by clipping down the trace and bait it makes your rig more aerodynamic thus giving you a better distance when casting out.
Main design types on the market Breakaway Impact Shield A simple hook over system which physically ejects the baited hook on impact with the water.
The cone shaped cap above the hook acts as a windshield to protect your bait from being broken apart by the rapidly passing stream of air during a cast.
Breakaway Imp (Imp2) Miniature combination impact bait clip which works in conjunction with a fast link Easy to use with fool-proof hook release, excellent in flight stability and offers bait protection during the cast.
They can be used with any type of sinker.
Gemini Alpha Bait Clip A streamlined, releasable bait clip, that has the advantageous option of the one slider holding and reliably releasing one or two bait clips, or placing two single clips in line for larger baits.
Breakaway Relay Clips A neat plastic bait clip which is fitted on to the trace line preventing it from accidentally pulling out of the rig tubing also this clip is very adjustable.
Breakaway Impact Lead A combined lead and bait clip system.
Very well designed as a streamlined lead which allows you to create a streamlined rig in seconds by securing the baited hook so that good casting distances can be achieved.
As soon as the lead hits the water the coloured plastic tip is forced upwards releasing the hook so that the rig is free to fall into its intended formation in the water.
So which one do I use? To start they are all priced differently with the relay clip being the cheapest and the Imps & Impact Leads being the most expensive.
Most Anglers would of heard or be using the Breakaway Impact Shield bait clip for years as it is the market leader for simplicity and effectiveness.
However since then there have been new designs brought to the table allowing us the angler a spoilt choice of bait clips to try out.
Here are some pointers to look at: Cost, Effectiveness, Set up time and how well they suit your needs whilst fishing different methods.
The Breakaway Impact Shield can be added to any rig design of your choice with a simple rubber tube holding it in place.
Unfortunately it is not the easiest bait clip for large baits at distance and sometimes can fail to unclip if you go down that route.
For Sandeel squid and worm baits it's a great all round clip to use and very easy to apply.
These clips are used a lot in distance rigs.
Breakaway Imps, these are quite smart, The advantage with these is that there is no need to incorporate the clip into your rig design, This clip clips onto a Breakaway Fastlink which connects your rig to your lead weight allowing you to use any sized weight and rig design you wish.
Disadvantage with these is that they don't offer as much protection during the cast as the famous Impact Shield.
Gemini Alpha Clips are great for large baits and also multiple hook rigs as they have a nice long wire that sticks out with plenty of space to clip the hooks down.
The only thing with the Alpha clip that I found not to my liking is that in the winter when your fingers feel like they are going to drop off or for people who have no patience! This clip can be fiddly to setup and clip down baits.
Breakaway Relay clips are a simple solution to a problem! It's just a clip! They could not be easier to use.
They have no mechanism or release system, and can be incorporated into any of your rigs, however because there is no function as such they sometimes can fail to release baits at short distances.
Breakaway Impact Leads are my personal favourite and is the newest clip on the market, this clip very rarely fail to release the hook, they are very streamlined because they are incorporated into the lead, and as with the imps they can be added to any rig to make it clip down.
Impact Leads are available in different sizes and types ranging from Grip Lead styles to Flatfish leads.
The only problem I have found with these is if you fish a beach that has very coarse sand you may need to clean the sand out from under the cone to stop it jamming before you cast it back out.
Otherwise the plastic cone cannot push your hook off the clip on impact.
Overall this clip is second to none! Remember what ever bait clip you decide to use make sure you are comfortable with it and that it does the job.
However for all you Impact Shield Anglers out there, why not try something new this year and see if it can improve your fishing, with so many new designs you might just find the cure to your bait clipping problems or needs.