Piking snap tackle

[Unimexsol]

I am fed up with ready made snap tackle. I've lost count of the number of trebles that have come off the wire trace, number of trebles where one or more of the hooks have snapped off and the several rigs where the whole trace has snapped.

 

I have now bought a pack of trebles, some wire and crimps and have started to make up my own kits.

 

I affix the bottom treble with a mahseer knot which is then crimped and use a surgeons knot at the top, again crimped.

 

Have others had the same problem with shop bought stuff or am I just unlucky.

 

Is this the way you'd recommend to set up your traces?

[Steve Redrobe]

Hello again, Unimexsol.

 

I gave up on ready-made snap-tackle about thirty years ago, for similar reasons.

 

Depending upon the wire trace and crimps available, I've often not bothered with knots, with no problems.

[GlennB]

Though I've got a lot less experience than 30 years, funnily enough I've pretty much given up on crimps, except to tidy up tag ends

Try this for trace making :

http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article.a...v=3&UAN=894

 

It's by some geezer called Burgess

[Poacher]

I prefer crimping only because I can never tie a trace without leaving a long tag, no matter how close you cut the tag it allways seems to catch on the braid I use. As for wire I use Fox 7 strand easy twist and just whatever crimps I can find in the tackle shop. I also cant seem to find long enough ready made snap tackle. I like mines to be around 750mm long.

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

oh yes i make all my own traces,

i use and love to bits-fox carboflex(coated wire)- amazing stuff i cant fault it super reliable and strong plus it lasts longer than your average seven strand trace,doesnt get kinked very easily.i can make my traces to my exact sepcifcations and to go with whatever method i am using-live traces,paternoster traces etc

 

i do twist seven strand traces,and crimp carboflex traces,and in defence of shop bought traces,my 20+ pb was caught on a fox shop trace

[GlennB]

.... I can never tie a trace without leaving a long tag, no matter how close you cut the tag it allways seems to catch on the braid I use....

 

Leave it long, twist it back over the trace and hold it in place with some shrink-tubing.

[ColinW]

That link is exactly the way I do it as well. I do like to heat up just the last inch or so to red hot momentarily with a ciggy lighter to soften it up before spinning because I find the 30lb Berkley Steelstrand I use is a bit springy. I think they've stopped making the stuff now but the spool I've got should see me out!

[pikergonecarpin]

Making your own traces is definately the way to go. You can vary the length between the trebles to suit the size of bait your using rather than the "one size fits all" shop bought items. I also crimp, i find it much neater and faster to make them this way.

paul.

[Andrew Burgess]

I make all my own traces

 

You can you this if you are willing to follow the link I will give you to make your own snap takle

 

http://fjames.proboards6.com/index.cgi?boa...read=1104509258

 

and for your own spining traces

 

http://fjames.proboards6.com/index.cgi?boa...read=1106406878

[Steve Burke]

Most shop bought snap tackles are reliable but I prefer to make up my own. Firstly, it's cheaper and secondly I can make them exactly how I want them.

 

For a start, although I'm in the minority here, I prefer a sliding top treble (for discussions on the pros and cons see http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.p...sliding+treble).

 

Secondly, I use 49 strand wire that is much more kink-resistant than 7 strand. In fact it's so kink-resistant that you can screw it up in your hand, shake it, and the kinks just fall out!

 

It's also much more supple, so much so that you can't twist it to put hooks and swivels on. Rather you can crimp it, but I much prefer to knot it. I use an untucked half blood knot (= US Clinch knot for the newer American members). With the 15lb wire I use 4 turns, but just 2 turns for the 25 & 40lb. Make sure you pull on the short tag end though otherwise you'll end up with a curl.

 

Best of all it just lasts and lasts. In fact 1 lure trace lasts me all winter (I kid you not!). It's not so long with a snap tackle, but even taking into account the higher cost per metre it costs a lot less in the long run than 7 strand wire. In fact, I've now no use whatsoever for 7 strand wire.

 

BTW, it's also worth looking at titanium wire for lure traces, although I've yet to try it for snap tackles.

Edited July 17, 2006 by Steve Burke