Hey gang,

Fishing a big fish lake this coming Saturday. I will be throwing a chatterbait and I have concerns about the clip on the blade opening up. I've had it come unlatched before but I've never had it actually open after doing so. That being said, I've never caught a big fish on it either.

My question is...... Is there some way to weld it? Replace it? Do away with it? I'm not sure why it needs to open anyway since you just tie to it. Maybe due to the manufacturing process.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Jackson

Open the clip and bend it so that the gap opens a little wider and then fasten it again. The extra pressure on it should keep it from opening on its own. I fish chatterbaits a lot and I have never lost a fish due to the clip coming open

Biggest for me on one was nearly 6 and it didn't fail. I'm sure a lot have guys have caught multiple that size and bigger on them.Could you solder it? I don't know what type of metal it is but I've seen them get worn and start to open up. I wonder how the action would be if you put an oval spilt ring on instead. Maybe bend it with some needle nose so it would be more secure but that may weaken it also.a

I would think silver solder would work on it if you wanted to solder it closed.

My partner and Ihave caught fish in the 6-9 lb range and never had a problem.

OK guys, I have a secret. I used to build jigs and flys and back then I bought the clear cure goo light and a couple of tubes of the thin clear goo IR activated epoxy. First on all my chatterbaits, I put a tiny drop of the clear goo on the gap in jig eye and set it with the light. There is no way for the blade to ever come off again. Second I put a tiny little drop on the blade clips when they are closed and set them with the light. No way to ever come open. If it looks like I need to replace the clip, I just cut it off and insert a new one. I love that clear cure goo. Instant set with the light and hard as a rock. I also put a drop on the twisted wires on my A-rigs so they can't grap the line. I have not ever had a clip come undone but I have had the blades come off the jig eye and lost the whole jig. That is when I started using the goo.

I take a pair of needlenosed plyers and crimp section that locks the clip....

You can also go to lure parts online or another supplier and buy the next bigger duo lock snap. It will have a heavier rating. I think the size that come on them is rated at 20 lbs. And it's 20 lbs of pull, not weight. But that's another topic.

I've caught some big fish on it and had it open, but never come off. I used to worry about it but after I tried to change it one day I don't worry anymore. It's impossible to take off, maybe even requires the user to have a masters degree. I haven't caught many fish with a masters so all is good!

Buy a brand that's not Z man and u won't have issues

Do this and put a dab of super glue. That clip has always scared me even tho I've never seen one come unbuttoned. I always crimp and glue mine.

Hi, I'm with Z-Man Fishing Products and was directed to this thread earlier today, so we figured we would register and chime in with some info that hopefully will help. We've had a number of people question the clip on our Original ChatterBait, but honestly, we've received very, very few actual complaints regarding fish being lost due to the clip straightening out or coming unsnapped. During testing of the original prototypes of this bait, the inventors found that the blade thickness along with the size and placement of the holes in the blade made a very big difference in how the bait performs. Increasing the size of the holes diminished the action considerably, but the small size of the holes can only accommodate certain styles and sizes of clips. We use the largest duo-lock snap that can be consistently attached through the blade holes after plating.

As some have noted, a drop of superglue or UV knot sealer, or bending the tag on the snap with a needle nose, will ensure that the clip does not open up. Even if the clip does open up, it is still extremely difficult to detach the clip from the blade under normal fishing conditions. To address concerns we've received and in an effort to continue to improve a great bait, we've recently modified the tag end of the clip to have more of an overhang (kind of like an upside down "U" shape) to further prevent the snap from coming undone.

In addition, we've recently completed testing on a completely new clip design that we will begin to incorporate on some of our new ChatterBait models beginning this summer. Thank you for using the ChatterBait, and please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or concerns!

Well....how about that......pretty cool

I did have the clip open a few weeks ago on my Zman elite when I caught a 2lb fish. I did not lose the bait or the fish. I noticed when I unhooked the fish. I took some needle nose pliers to it and went back to fishing. Coach

Replace the original clips or you WILL be sorry at some point.

Lost a few big ones before I got wise and started changing them out.

The original gold ones seem to be worse that the original silver ones when is comes to opening up on their own.

I replace them with Eagle Claw (Black) clips and stopped having opening and straightening problems.

Almost everyone I know replaces theirs so that is probably why nobody complains.