Fastach Clip

[DDSBYDAY]

   I happened to catch an episode of the Infisherman ice show.  They had a topic I was not familiar with.  They talked about the fastach clip.  The said it was one of the most popular segments on a previous show with tons of success stories following the episode.

    What is it?  The fastach clip was designed by musky fisherman as a way to attach a large bait to your line without tying or snapping anything.  You basically screw and unscrew your bait onto the clip.

    How does it effect ice fishermen?  The clip can be placed at the bottom of your jigging spoon in place of the treble hook.  The treble is then screwed on and off so you can swap out your hooks. 
     What happens then?  You get a longer pivot point and more action on your bait.  You also can take the hook off, mount your minnow head on the hook imbedding it in the head.  You then screw the hook back on.  The fish can no longer remove the head without getting hooked. 

     This technique is also effective for the bottom hook on a jigging rapala.  I will be giving this a try.  I also see that by making them out of light wire and different lenghts a person could easily fish a very tiny tear drop in deep water by attaching it to a heavier spoon.  Lot's of potential here.

[markn]

DDSBYDAY, do you know where we would find this? Is it something that needs to ordered through the mail or purchased at a store (like Fleet Farm ect.)? Looks like a great idea. Thanks.

 

[DDSBYDAY]

  You should be able to get these anywhere.  I made my own so I don't know for sure.  Google Fastach and I am sure there are plenty of places online to get them.  It is a new item with an odd name so some of the employees at some of the big box stores may not know what you are talking about.  I am going to show how these work in pictures.  I will try to do it tonight.  It is really a pretty cool little item.

[DDSBYDAY]

  Here goes.  It's a wire extension added to a split ring that allows you to spin a new hook onto the lure you are using.  I do mean spin.  It adds length to the hook without increasing the length of the hook shaft.  What it does is open up a new way to stick that minnow head on the treble. The bait is set further from the jig head. I pity the fish that tries to pick this clean.      

   The problem with the 47s, or any other lure with an extended pivot point is dropping it too fast and catching the treble on the line.   Using jigging raps with the bottom hook replaced will also run in to this problem.    It will happen.  I think with care and feel this problem can be overcome and payoff.  Time will tell.    

[lentz]

I like how it keeps the bait at about the same hight

[DDSBYDAY]

  Thats a good point.  Another interesting feature is it should be almost impossible to have the head fall while you are jigging.

I will be trying these this weekend if the ice is good enough. 

[markn]

DDSBYDAY;
Thanks for the tip. I'll taking a look on the internet to find them or try making them myself.

 Mark.

[MTCOMMER]

Scott, I think that is a fantastic addition to the 47's.  Its always a bummer to reel up a jig and see that its been caught on the line, cause who knows how long it had been like that!   

   Nice work - Ill be using the 47's up in LOTW again in a few weeks!   :fishing2:

[Retired on Osakis]

That looks like a killer set up. I might have to try and find some of those fastach clips.

[DDSBYDAY]

   I was finally able to do a field test of the 47 with the fastach clip.  I consider the results as highly successful.  The lake of no fish gave up a rare limit of male walleyes to this set up last night.  I found out that the clips work very well.  There are a couple of things to consider though.  If the fish are biting you will not be taking the hook off to re bait.  It just does not matter how easy it is.  I would send the first bait down impaled on the treble.   Friday I caught 3 fish on one minnow head.  The thing to keep in mind is you are limited to a minnow head that is as long as the shank on the treble.  I like a bigger piece than that.   To do this you have to slide the minnow head up the clip wire first, attach the hook and slide the head down.  The head will then be partly up the clip wire.  I think this inhibits the action slightly.

   After the first fish on Sat.  I ended up hooking the minnow on the treble the old way.  It allowed me to use a larger head and gave me the action I was looking for.  I can see how these would be great for perch fishing.  It is really hard to pick the bait off the hook if you take the time to impale it.  Smaller minnow heads would not be a problem.

          The biggest plus was I could jig very aggressively and had no hook foul ups.  (That is the only problem I have with the 47s).     

[Retired on Osakis]

Nice work DDS. good looking fish. 

[fishwiz4]

DDS, you must have alot of experience making lures and bending wire.  that looks great and i have seen another of what i assume is your creation recently (that one looks great too).  you have found a side-job if you want one i think.

[DDSBYDAY]

  It has turned into one.  It's cutting into my  time.