Impressions: The Ultimate LureSaver is a relatively new addition to the terminal tackle available to anglers, but has already been making a real splash in the industry. The Ultimate LureSaver won "Best of Category Winner" at ICAST 2001, and "Field Test Approval" from the NAFC. The LureSaver is also endorsed by both Jimmy Houston and Bill Dance.

Dance states "The Ultimate LureSaver is one of the most innovative new products I've ever had the pleasure to fish with. LureSaver lets me fish heavy cover without fear of losing my lure. It doesn't release when fighting even the biggest fish and if I get hung-up, I can recover my lure in seconds without disturbing my spot. LureSaver is a real timesaver because more casts equals more fish. I'm hooked"

Upon initial inspection the Ultimate LureSaver seems very simple, consisting of unpretentious Titanium split rings, but behind this motif is a carefully crafted system designed to help save more lures, and catch more fish.

Setting up: Setting up the Ultimate LureSaver system is as easy as switching out your old split rings for the LureSaver's Titanium ones. But before you do this you need to make sure that you have properly determined your rod and line rating, are using the appropriate line test, and choose the LureSaver that best matches your outfit. If you improperly match up the line or rod you may find yourself defeating the principles that make the LureSaver function properly.  
 

Make sure to match up the right LureSaver for your application, color on the packaging and rings are there to help identify the right LureSaver

  
The idea: How does the Ultimate LureSaver work? After removing your standard split rings and rigging the appropriate LureSavers the system is designed to break away when desired. When your lure becomes snagged you point your rod tip towards the snag, reel in all the slack, and thumb the spool, then turn your face away from the snag and pull steadily. At this point the LureSaver's titanium ring will open up and abandon the snagged hook, and release your lure.

Compare the Titanium LureSaver (left) to a standard split ring

The reality: Why does the system work? Right away I asked Ultimate NiTi the question that they most often receive... "if the LureSaver will release a snag what prevents it from releasing a fish on the line?" The answer is that when properly matched to the right rod and line your rig won't allow it. The rod actually generates very little force and actually acts as a shock absorber, so unless your completely clamped down on the line and there is no rod flex the Ultimate LureSaver will not open. To put the LureSaver to the test we spent a great deal of time in a variety of lab and field tests.

Once armed with the LureSaver your lures have a built in retrieval system

Lab Tests: The first thing we did was pair up a variety of variety of outfits with the right LureSavers for pressure tests to see just how well this system could save lures from impossible snags. Against a immovable chain link fence we used a Shimano scale to measure how much pressure it took to release a lure. (Do not try this at home as this test requires serious eye, body, and hand protection. During one test I forgot to put on my gloves during one pull and with a quick pull found a treble hook buried in my knuckle...ouch) In the water the lures tend to shoot back with much less speed and energy, but it is important to always turn away from the snag when you pull to make sure you don't end up being the next target snagged by your lure.

In the test we found that it was absolutely crucial to match up the right line test with the LureSaver you choose. For example if you put 8lb LureSaver on and only use 6lb line you will likely snap your line before generating the force necessary to free your lure. In most cases it takes 1-2 lbs less pressure then the LureSaver is rated at to free your lure. For example we pulled the 10lb LureSaver ten times in our lab test and the average pressure it took to free the lure was 8.25lbs. Of those 10 pulls the LureSaver remained on the lure 70% of the time, but in some cases it did pop off with the hook. While the LureSavers proved very easy to use out of the water we were eager to see just how well they could handle tough underwater snags, and strikes from big fish.

Field Tests: To test the Ultimate LureSaver we embarked on fishing for largemouth in some serious structure, and Striper fishing to test for fierce strikes.
 

Our first tests pitted the Ultimate LureSaver against some submerged trees. While casting deep diving cranks much deeper into the structure then we would ever normally be inclined to do, I soon found my favorite Norman DLN snagged about 5 feet down. By positioning the boat above the lure I proceeded to tug away on the rod to see if the lure would pop out. Sure enough, the rod alone could not free the lure, and probably drove the treble hook only deeper into the branch below. At this point I reeled in all the slack I could and pointed the rod straight down so there was no pressure exerted at the line from the rod at all. With my thumb on the spool I pulled straight away from the snag, one, two, and I felt the line go loose. I reeled back and my sure enough my lure, minus one treble hook, had been salvaged.
 

During the rest of our tests we snagged up multiple times on purpose and 9 out of 10 times the LureSaver rescued my lure. The only exception was against some rocky structure in which my line came in direct contact with some sharp rocks, so that when I tugged unfortunately my damaged line snapped before the LureSaver could open. Never once during Striper or Largemouth bass fishing did I lose a fish as a result of the LureSaver unintentionally opening up. Because the fish are not anchored objects and your rod is flexible there simply isn't enough pressure generated to open the LureSaver during typical fishing situations.

The Ultimate Luresaver never once released the hook on any fish during our tests

Benefits: The Ultimate LureSaver is no gimmick, it works! During the tests it saved a number of my prized lures with little difficulty. The only downside is that you will lose one hook each time the system is employed, but a hook is a small price to pay to save your lures from a watery grave. The real benefit of the system is that it is flexible to adapt to multiple types of lures, and actually will help you catch more fish. Here are the top 5 reasons why the LureSaver is superior to many other Lure Retrieval systems today:

1) Fish More: With less fear to cast into heavy cover you will find yourself presenting lures into areas with more confidence. We all know that fish like cover, and where there are more snags there are typically more fish.

2) Flexibility: The Ultimate LureSaver is the only lure retrieval system that is built onto your lures and can be adapted to work on multiple baits and tools. See here for some interesting uses

3) Any Depth: Most Lure retrieval systems require a pole or rope to retrieve your lure, the problem with that is you are actually quite limited to the effective depth of the system. With the Ultimate LureSaver you could actually use the lure 100 feet down on a rock cod jig!

4) Quick Change: LureSavers make changing hooks quick and easy due to their flexibility, no more split ring pliers are required.

5) Reusable: The Ultimate LureSaver is designed to stay with your lure as long as possible, and can be used to save your lure again and again.
  
Ratings:

Pluses and Minuses:

Conclusion: The ultimate LureSaver is truly an innovative product that has proven to be effective in both our lab and field tests. This is one system that makes retrieving your lures quick and easy, regardless of the type of lure, snag, or depth. This patented technology not only saved us a lot of headaches, but also allowed us to fish longer and with more confidence since we wouldn't lose our favorite lures, ultimately resulting in the single most important outcome...more hooked fish. While the entire system may seem like a lot of investment at around $1.32 per LureSaver, it is a small price to pay to keep your favorite lures in your arsenal, and increase your fishing effectiveness. One thing we would love to see is branded lure manufacturers partnering up with Ultimate NiTi to release more lures sporting this added value option, but until that time the Ultimate LureSaver is definitely worth looking into to protect your cream of the crop lures.