Split rings or not

[Albe]

When purchasing new crankbaits, do you leave the split rings on the lure or remove them and clip on right to the lure?

Have seen some guides that always take them off all of their cranks and others that leave them on. When taking them off, they say the lure has a better action. If that is true, why do the lure manufacturers put them on their lures? Why do other manufacturers not put split rings on their lures?

Does it make more of a change to the lures action if the lure is a shallow running lure or a deep diving lure? I have saved all of the split rings I took off and would like to know if I should put them back on either type of lure.

Albe

[Unlogged T-Mac]

The old addage is: If they come with split rings use them...if they don't...don't add any.

[vetspet.ind]

i just lost a nice steelhead by not having solid rings or a snubber on the end...a vet from bloomington had three steelhead of six on...shoulda had four...the lure came flying back min-leap and the split ring was stretched out...i gave him the split ring as a souvenir...steve

[T man]

For what it's worth...

I tend to remove the split ring on "Minnow Baits" (minnow shaped crank baits), but generally leave them on the rest.

At a walleye seminar a couple of years ago, one of the tips was to remove the split ring, if you have a snap or snap swivel at the end of the leader. I always use a cross-lock snap at the end of my leaders - mainly for ease of changing lures.
Leave the split ring if you are tieing the leader / line to it.

Another tip was to use pliers, and slightly "flatten" the nose "eye" on the minnow bait - IF you desired more side-to-side wobble or movement of the minnow bait.
In my experience, sometimes the walleye like more side-to-side minnow bait wobble, sometimes not.

T man

[RANGER]

I remove them or weld them. There have been times that the line was caught up into the ring and became cut.

I prefer to use good quality coast-lock or duo-lock snap swivels at the end of my line. They are black and I haven't had a dropoff of strikes compared to my partners'.

[md22]

Good question... I fish with a guy who takes the split rings off all his lures and just connects with a cross lock snap. I don't take any of the split rings off any of my baits and still connect with a cross lock.... He doesn't catch anymore or less fish than I do so I'm not sure which way is better. Until someone proves to me that taking them off catches more fish, I'm leaving them on.

[Terroreyes]

If they're on the bill, like a Shad Rap, I leave them. If they're on the nose, like minnow baits, I pull them.

Someone commented on the rings pulling apart. I had the same thing happen with a Shad Rap this spring. Those copper colored rings Rapala uses are garbage!!! Instead of leaving them off completely, I just swap them out with a better quality ring.