Surf Association Follow-Up – Oh, SNAP!

On this week’s episode of The Surfcast Podcast, we revisited a fan-favorite theme with another installment of “Surf Association.” One of the questions I posed to Jerry was simple: what would he do if paperclip-style snaps were no longer available? Would he tie direct, switch to another snap, or come up with a third option?

After some well-played stalling, he said he’d be fine tying direct—but would likely explore an alternative, such as the solid ring to split ring method commonly used in big game fishing. Initially, I assumed my answer would be easy—tie direct—but his suggestion got me thinking.

There was a time when I tied direct for all my jig and bucktail fishing, largely due to poor experiences with duo-lock snaps. I used both duo-locks and cross-locks when plugging, but neither proved perfect; each came with its own set of issues and occasional failures. Since discovering paperclip snaps, however, I almost never tie direct under typical nighttime surf conditions. Tactical Anglers Power Clips have effectively eliminated my concerns with lure attachment and, aside from a couple of very specific situations, have been completely reliable.

When fishing offshore, I rely on the solid ring/split ring method for most of my jigs, poppers, and soft baits. After landing tuna in excess of 300 pounds using this setup, I can say it’s incredibly dependable. The only drawback is the need for dedicated split ring pliers—I currently use Shimano CT-562P pliers—but that’s a small trade-off for the added strength and security.

While there’s no immediate need to replace paperclip snaps, this conversation has me considering the solid ring/split ring approach as a viable surf alternative. It’s something I may experiment with this season to see how it performs in a surfcasting context.