Split ring
A small doubled metal ring, like a tiny keyring, that attaches a treble hook or a snap to a lure.
The doubled wire means the ring cannot pull open under load the way a simple split of wire would, so it holds a treble to a hard bait through a fight. It also lets the hook swing freely, which matters for a lure's action.
Opening one with fingernails is unpleasant and slow. Split-ring pliers have a small hooked tooth on the nose that spreads the ring in a second. That feature shows up on most fishing pliers now, and nobody who has used it goes back.
They rust, especially the cheap ones on budget lures. A seized or corroded split ring is a common reason a treble tears off on a decent fish, and it is worth replacing them across a whole box of older lures in one sitting.
Stainless and coated rings cost pennies more and last far longer. Size matters too: a ring that is too large lets the hook swing into the line, and one that is too small restricts the hook and kills the lure's action.
Check the split rings on any lure that has been sitting in a wet box for a season. Replacing them costs pennies and saves fish.
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Split ring is one of 206 terms in the glossary.
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