Fishing Split Rings

So, what the heck are fishing split rings? Welcome to the wonderful world of predator fishing! You may recognize angling terms such as spinner blades, swivels, lures, crankbaits traces and jerkbaits. However, when it comes to the assembly of these fishing bait components, there’s another hidden world of technical jargon to digest.

Splits rings are an essential part of lure making, and mending lures that have seen better days. In this article we’ll discover how split rings are used and why they help anglers catch more predator fish, such as perch and pike. Let’s get started…

Best split rings for fishing?

Fishing split rings need to be made from high quality stainless steel to prevent corrosion, heavy duty enough to cope with maximum weight of your target fish and a variety of sizes for different rigs and lures.

Mustard and Savage Gear make great split rings designed for fishing, not jewellery making and have the best reviews from happy customers. Just be careful not to buy cheap imitation split rings, that may contain toxic chemicals and rust easily.

What is a split ring used for?

Split rings are prominently used for lure construction in fishing. You use then to either attach hooks to the lure, or lure to the leader or trace. The circular close ring design enables hooks, swivel and leaders to rotate freely in every direction, reducing strain on weaker components and prolonging the longevity of your fishing rig.

Fishing split rings are tested from 10–420 pounds, to cover sea and freshwater fish specie weights. The double helix of strong metal pressed together gives split rings their strength.

How do you open and close a split ring?

Split rings are opened by applying pressure in-between the layers of the helix. To do this you’ll need a strong thumb nail, or a specialized tool like split ring pliers. Luckily, most modern fishing pliers are designed with a tough metal tooth specifically for this purpose.

Use pliers or a similar implement to hold open a space towards the end of the coil, slide on lure or hook rings, rotate around the length of the split ring until running freely, and close gap created with pliers. The split ring is now secured.

How do you use split ring pliers?

Split ring pliers are very easy to use, but rather than explaining how to use them, I thought it’d easier to understand with the help of a visual aid in the form of this video tutorial.

Simply follow this step by step guide for using fishing split ring pliers, and you’ll have your treble hooks and swivels connected to your lure in no time! This is the quickest way I’ve found to thread split rings and saves your fingernails from being torn to shreds. Win, win all around!

What is the difference between a split ring and a jump ring?

The difference between jump rings and split rings is the position of coil ends. The two ends on jump rings sit flush together, and are commonly used in jewellery making to help prevent sharp edges catching people skin.

However, for fishing jump rings are a bit if an overkill, and are more difficult to thread. Even though split rings have a larger gap between ends, we’re using them to connect to other metal components, so rubbing isn’t a problem. Split rings are easier to thread and just as strong.

Where to buy fishing split rings?

You may find it difficult purchasing fishing split rings at your local tackle store, but may have better luck checking out nearby DIY or craft shops. However, I’d recommend buying split rings specifically designed for fishing, and there are plenty of reputable suppliers online.

You can buy splits ring in packs that contain a variety of sizes, allowing to have the ideal one to hand when you need it. You can also search for “lure clips” or “spinner clevis” which do the same job. Good online retailers for splits rings are…

• Amazon
• Mustard
• Savage Gear
• Spintec
• VMC
• eBay
• Lure Heaven

Fishing split ring size chart

Here’s a simple fishing split ring size chart image to help guide you what test strength split ring you require for your target fish. The larger the size the heavier the fishing you can land without the treble hooks breaking loose from the lure.

I usually fish with size 3 split rings for pike, because they’re quite compact, but can handle fish up to 25lb. Enough for UK waters, unless sea fishing.

Conclusion

Using the correct split rings for your pike fishing setup, may not sound like a very important aspect, but can make all the different when trying to land a monster. Pike fishing rigs for lakes and rivers are only as strong as they’re weakest link, so making sure your have components up to the job is paramount.

The 250pcs set by Milepetus are ideal for lure making beginners and experts alike. With 5mm to 9mm size rings, handling weights from 34lb to 120lb this set will have you covered for most freshwater and sea fishing predator species. Happy Fishing!