I just bought a 2oz kastmaster lure w/tube, single hook for surfcasting this spring. I noticed when I took it out of the package it did not have a splitring. Do I need to put a splitring on ?? I will be surf casting witha 50lb. shock leader. thank you

I would...the edges of the top can slowly scrape the line and weaken it. Make sure the split ring is large enough to handle the distance from the leading edge to the hole. I've not found any difference in the action...if anything, I would say the addition of the split ring gave more wiggle...which is what I'm looking for in a metal.

I strip my kastmasters and install a 150 lb. Sampo split ring on each end. Then I put on a 7/0-9/0 Siwash. Look for Siwash with straight point, not curved point, which don't catch as well for me. Stainless or tinned work. I like closed eye. Open eye stainless seem brittle and I've had quite a few break when crimping. The Siwash is a much stronger hook and drops less fish. Sharpen hooks though, not sharp enough from factory.
No dressing on hook. No loss in attention from bass, and when blues arrive nothing to worry about. Matches both herring and squid well. Adjust hook size depending on size Kastmaster.

no split ring gives the fish a leverage advantage to get itself unhooked too :read:

Throw it out.
Buy Pt Jude Tins instead! :D

Throw it out.
Buy Pt Jude Tins instead! :D
i second that

i second that

...Add a third to that, too.

Kastmasters have nowhere near the action that Pt Jude does - and Joe has re-introduced pretty much the entire line which fits every baitfish profile there is.

I like - and use - the Nautilus, the Sea Scallop and the Butterfish - also had very good luck with the new Golden Mullet this year during the mullet run, but it's also available in silver. I also use the Black Knight series and a teaser up front at night when there's smaller baitfish around like Habs used to.

Ya know, all the old-timers used tins a lot in many situations - mostly because they work like very few other things will. You can really punch them into a good headwind when the bass are in the wash.

***BTW, this is an unsolicited testimonial - if more guys realized how well they work around here they'd use 'em more just like they do in NJ - which is BIG on tins for a good reason. And Joe's a helluva nice guy to boot - he's pretty meticulous about his stuff, uses VMC's and HD split rings too - and Joe has his little brother Jeff - :hihi: - tying the bucktails for the VMC's :lasso:

And the kicker is, they're also less expensive than KM's or Hopkins - a lotta bang for the buck if ya ask me :uhuh:

Try 'em, plugger11 - believe me, you'll like 'em :kewl:

...Add a third to that, too.

Kastmasters have nowhere near the action that Pt Jude does - and Joe has re-introduced pretty much the entire line which fits every baitfish profile there is.

I like - and use - the Nautilus, the Sea Scallop and the Butterfish - also had very good luck with the new Golden Mullet this year during the mullet run, but it's also available in silver. I also use the Black Knight series and a teaser up front at night when there's smaller baitfish around like Habs used to.

Ya know, all the old-timers used tins a lot in many situations - mostly because they work like very few other things will. You can really punch them into a good headwind when the bass are in the wash.

***BTW, this is an unsolicited testimonial - if more guys realized how well they work around here they'd use 'em more just like they do in NJ - which is BIG on tins for a good reason. And Joe's a helluva nice guy to boot - he's pretty meticulous about his stuff, uses VMC's and HD split rings too - and Joe has his little brother Jeff - :hihi: - tying the bucktails for the VMC's :lasso:

And the kicker is, they're also less expensive than KM's or Hopkins - a lotta bang for the buck if ya ask me :uhuh:

Try 'em, plugger11 - believe me, you'll like 'em :kewl:


great post. using tins more this year is a large goal of mine. i feel like with the wooden custom plug craze over the past few years, i have used my tins only a couple of times and wish i had packed them in my bag. time to get some more for the holidays :agree:

I've hada lot of success with Kastmasters. Stripers seem to really like the red surgical tubing the best. I also use Joe's tins a lot with good success.Deadly #^&#^&#^&#^&'s work well also.

As one post said above I too am going back to more tins this year. I fell in love with custom wood the last year or two. Too expensive to lose to a blue or bail closure.