crawler harnesses quick changes

[penalty box]

I've been tying my own this year and used some white quick change clevis to hold my blades. When the fish get in the net sometimes the double willow blades get knocked off the quick changes. Has any one else had this problem and is there a good brand quick change to purchase?

[limitlypps]

you need to get the clevis with the sure hook, it keeps your blades from shaking off, my walleye pro bud buys them by the thousand lot, I bought half for 80.00, not cheap but blades are expensive to lose

[walleye2go]

I've had worse luck this year losing blades with the white quick changes too. We've lost a few here and there in the past, but this year they are shaking them off something terrible. I'm looking to switch to something better myself.

Greg

[wakina]

I no longer use any of the quick change clevises. The reason is that I lost to many blades for the reasons already alluded to. Instead I started making my harnesses on solid wire about 4 inches long and attach the snelled hooks with a snap.

The harness can be changed as fast as you can change the blade on the quick change clevis maybe quicker. I have several and carry on board between 60 and 80 harnesses that are made up ahead of time since they are easier to store. I also can use the stirrup clevis without worrying that they will wear thru the leader and they also allow a little higher speeds.

I simply use the same leader as I would use for a spoon and switch back and forth on some days. I have not lost a blade since going to this system and have found cost wise that I have been able to actually save money on blades, even though I purchased enough new blades to make all of the extra harnesses. I would have ended up spending the money anyhow just to replace the lost blades. When the hooks go bad I simply unsnap the bad ones and snap on a new set and do not have to retire that harness for the day nor do I have to retie it later. I have not noticed any difference in catch rate with this system either.

Once the wire gets beat up to the point that you feel it is necessary to change it you simply snip the end off and you can reuse all of the components such as beads and blades to make a new one. I know it takes all of the fun out of shopping for new components but it also eliminates the cost of replacement components as well. I buy the new blade patterns in groups of 3 and make them all up to try with different bead combinations, the wires cost less than $.08 each so it is not a high dollar item to remake them if the combination of beads and blades do not work out..

[BRED]

I also switched to wire for the same reason no lost blades so far.

[forefathers]

A drop off super glue on the opening stops the loss of blades. It hardens on contact with the water. Also easily breaks free with a twist.

[dunn782]

I no longer use any of the quick change clevises. The reason is that I lost to many blades for the reasons already alluded to. Instead I started making my harnesses on solid wire about 4 inches long and attach the snelled hooks with a snap.

The harness can be changed as fast as you can change the blade on the quick change clevis maybe quicker. I have several and carry on board between 60 and 80 harnesses that are made up ahead of time since they are easier to store. I also can use the stirrup clevis without worrying that they will wear thru the leader and they also allow a little higher speeds.

I simply use the same leader as I would use for a spoon and switch back and forth on some days. I have not lost a blade since going to this system and have found cost wise that I have been able to actually save money on blades, even though I purchased enough new blades to make all of the extra harnesses. I would have ended up spending the money anyhow just to replace the lost blades. When the hooks go bad I simply unsnap the bad ones and snap on a new set and do not have to retire that harness for the day nor do I have to retie it later. I have not noticed any difference in catch rate with this system either.

Once the wire gets beat up to the point that you feel it is necessary to change it you simply snip the end off and you can reuse all of the components such as beads and blades to make a new one. I know it takes all of the fun out of shopping for new components but it also eliminates the cost of replacement components as well. I buy the new blade patterns in groups of 3 and make them all up to try with different bead combinations, the wires cost less than $.08 each so it is not a high dollar item to remake them if the combination of beads and blades do not work out..

Sounds like an interesting system. Can you post a couple pictures? I'd like to see how your hooks are tied and attached? Is it a real short snell so its close to the blades? Single hook or double? The wire/blades sound like they would store easier than a standard harness.

[wakina]

Sounds like an interesting system. Can you post a couple pictures? I'd like to see how your hooks are tied and attached? Is it a real short snell so its close to the blades? Single hook or double? The wire/blades sound like they would store easier than a standard harness.

Here is a link to the pictures that I had post earlier this year. The harnesses are on top of one of the boxes that I use to store my harnesses. There are about 40 harnesses in that box.

http://community.walleye.com/attachm...9&d=1402098270

As you can see the hooks are attached with a crimp. I no longer use this method to attach the hooks but instead use a small snap which is crimped to the snell then snapped onto the Blade/Bead assembly. I keep an adequate supply of assembled snells on board to change out bad snells if needed and to outfit a different harness if changing the whole set up to a different Blade/Bead assembly. This makes changing the hook assembly fast and simple. At the end of the day I simply remove the snells and store them on one end of the harness box.

The snells are tied on 20lb nylon coated 7 strand wire in both black and red. The clevis is a Number 4 stirrup clevis and is large enough to allow the blade to be at a 90 degree angle and not touch the center wire. Touching the center wire or leader while fishing is one of the main reasons the leaders twist. Always use a clevis that is large enough, to big is 1000 times better than to small.

I never use beads smaller than 8MM on the main body below the blade, but do from time to time use a single 6MM bead above the blade. I learned this from Al Linder along time ago on one of his TV shows. It makes a larger profile and he claimed that is better for walleyes. I can't complain so I have made them like this for years long before switching to wire.

I have found that for me, there are several advantages to this system, there are no exposed hooks on pool noodles to get caught in your fingers, they store in a much smaller area, they are almost indestructible by the fish or the movement of the clevis on the wire (no wear) while trolling, easy to switch to spoons or change harnesses by using the same leader for both, no wrapping the leaders around pool noodles while fishing and most of all no lost blades unless your leader fails.

These things are just my personal preference and how I make my harnesses. Everyone has to do what they think is right for their situation and fishing programs. I posted this as an informative post as another alternative to harness making. I am not trying to tell anyone what they should or should not do.

[Firetiger]

I really like these and they handle big blades and don't hinder the spin action of big blades .

[kybob]

Planning a trip back up to Erie soon. I saw/read what you have done and I like it. Makes since to me. But, I have a question. So, when using weights, you or i'm using a snap swivel on my main line. I just attach the weight to my snap then attach the -blade assemby --that is the wire w/beads, clevis, blade,snap --to my weight and then attach my harness. Is this correct?? Thanks ahead for your help