fish_4_all said:
Have you noticed a difference in the number of snags you hook up on when using a split ring and/or the sickle hook?
I don't think that the split ring has an effect on snagging up.
The Sickle hook has a "beak point" where the point is turned inward. I don't have any scientific data, but I would think that this design would be a little less prone to snagging as compared to a straight point design.
The beak point design also protects the point sharpness.
For new hardware fisherman......
One maneuver that is
very important to learn in regards to freeing snags is this :
If you're in rock and the snag occurs in the latter stages of your swing or on the retrieve....stop....don't tug and make it worse.
Roll out about 15 or 20 feet of line and with the rod parallel to the water and pointed at the snag, lift fast. I would describe it as "pop-pop" with the rod finishing directly overhead. I do it in two pumps, hence, pop-pop.
0-45 degrees on the first pump and then quickly 45-90 degrees on the second. It's almost all one motion.
Most of the time you will pop it free because for an instant you are pulling from the downstream side due to all of the line you rolled out.
If you don't know that maneuver you are losing easily twice as much brass as you should be.
Exceptions, if you're in wood, you're toast unless you can bend your hook, which with my system I can't. If you can bend your hook on a snag, Mr. Big can bend it too.
If you get slammed into a rock at the start of your swing, you're toast, usually.
If you get slammed into grass (weeds) you can usually get out if you're geared up correctly (line test).
If you can learn the "pop-pop" technique, you can take it to the bank.