Old fisher
Well-known member
A lot of years ago now, I started using the safety lead clips as I thought them a good idea. Sometime later when I saw the first safety clips that came with a tiny locking pin I started using that kind. I have never had any problems with them, but I also never had a problem with the pin less ones. Three summers ago I was fishing near to a guy who had a swim in the corner of the lake and he had hooked a large fish but seemed to be having trouble landing it. I reeled in and went to see if I could help. He had been fishing under some overhanging branches. He had hooked a carp that went straight into some sunken branches. After a while the fish had freed itself and swum out. However, the lead was still in the branches and the fish was running away. He could not bring it to the net as every time he recovered line the fish was being pulled back to the snags. Eventually I held his rod and he went in and freed the fish. Afterwards, like you do, we had a chat about it. He was using the old style clips with no locking pin and the swivel had come out of the clip. I don't know for sure but I wondered if a clip with a pin would have given him a better chance or just trapped the carp in the snags. What do others think about the so called safety clips. Pin type or pin less ?