The makers of the Ultimate LureSaver™ Titanium Release System understand that confidence is the name of the game in fishing tournaments—and they claim that their product can give you more of it.

Of course, an angler would first have to have complete confidence in the Ultimate LureSaver™—no one wants to test a new fishing product in a tournament and risk losing a prize-winning fish. But after hearing the benefits of using the LureSaver™, most experienced anglers want to learn more about the product. Hence the company’s tagline is, "One snag and you’ll be hooked."

Just what is the Ultimate LureSaver™? Simply put, it replaces the split rings that attach the hooks to the lure. If your lure becomes snagged for any reason, point your rod directly at the snag, reel in the slack and pull steadily—The LureSaver™ will release and leave only the hook behind. This frees your line from the snag, saving the lure and the LureSaver™. You then slip another hook on the LureSaver™ (no tools required!) and throw your line back in the water. Replacement time: well under one minute.

Mike Brault, Ultimate Niti Technologies general manager says, "We encourage anglers to just try it during practice. Put out of mind any worries about losing a big fish. You will be amazed at what it can do for you." Over three years of worldwide independent testing has proven the Ultimate LureSaver can be trusted to land big fish.

If a simple pull on the rod can release the hook, won't a fish pull do the same? No, says Brault.

To understand why not, you must review the physics. Contrary to popular belief, the size of the fish does not determine the maximum amount of force felt at the hook. The rod determines it. As Brault says, "The whole purpose of the fishing rod is to absorb the fighting energy of the fish. That’s why the rod bends. The fish is pulling on the rod, not the hook. The fish at the end of the hook feels only 3-4 pounds of force because the rod is diminishing the pull. Think about it, if you could pull on a hook with 10 pounds of force, a three-pound fish would come flying out of the water—but it doesn’t."

LureSaver™ will release only when the rod tip is pointed directly at the snag and steady pressure is applied. Anglers are pleasantly surprised that the LureSaver™ can be reused after a release. One LureSaver™ can easily save a lure repeatedly, quickly recouping its cost.

Brault says, "Most people think metal is not supposed to bend and go back in shape." But Ultimate LureSaver™ is made of nickel titanium. Metallurgists refer to nickel titanium as a "memory alloy" because of its spring-back properties.

Ultimate Niti Technologies, (and its umbrella company, The Ultimate Companies) specialize in the design of products using shape memory alloys. The company is headquartered in Bristol, Conn. and has 65-70 employees. Its products find use in the automotive, medical and aerospace industries. One of its divisions, Ultimate Wire Forms, produces 50 percent of all orthodontic arch wires ("braces" for teeth).

Ultimate Niti Technologies got into the fishing industry making spinner bait frames. The Ultimate LureSaver™ debuted in 1999. Initial marketing focused on building brand recognition at the big trade shows, on TV and through well-known fishing pros. Jimmy Houston and Bill Dance are among their strongest promoters.

Ultimate Niti Technologies has also reached out to the fishing industry’s grassroots and got involved with the Federation. Brault, who has been with Ultimate Niti Technologies for 10 years and spent the first eight as manager of research and development, says, "We wanted to meet the bassaholics of the world."

The company contacted every state federation president, and offered to send free LureSaver™ to 10 percent of the membership. They sent out 10,000 samples in 2003.

"Our pitch is very simple," Brault says. "The LureSaver™ is a Win-Win-Win. First, it helps the fisherman save time and money with fewer hassles on snags and lost lures. Second, it helps the environment because you’re leaving less lead, lures and line in the water. Third, it helps catch more fish!"

Brault’s first and second points seem obvious. But how does LureSaver™ help catch more fish?

Think about the usual method of lure retrieval. You troll up to the snag, spooking any fish that might have been there. You may retrieve your lure, but then you spend the next 20 minutes finding fish. (This assumes you have a boat—shoreline fishermen don't even have this option.)

Not having to use your trolling motor to go over to your snag also means keeping more of your mental attitude and focus—both critical in tournament situations. Brault says that with LureSaver, you're fishing again in less than a minute. "It’s a huge advantage in a competitive situation," he says.

Brault points out other advantages:

The LureSaver™ obviously works great with crankbaits but also will work well for Carolina rigs and Drop Shot rigs, allowing them to pull free from snagged weights. Brault gave an example of use by Bill Dance using LureSaver™ with live bait hooks, a situation where the weight often gets snagged. In the past, Bill would take along as many as 12 rigged rods and when he encountered a snag he would just cut the snagged line and switch rods. With the LureSaver™, he recently fished an entire catfish tournament on the Mississippi with one rod, and pulled in a 68-pound blue catfish.

Connecticut-based pro, Terry Baksay, has found other advantages to LureSaver™:

• Using 12 pound LureSaver on his crankbait hooks and a 20-pound LureSaver™ as a quick snap at the end of his line. When he is ready to change lures, there is no cutting and tying involved; just a quick-snap change and his line is back in the water.
• Using two LureSavers™ in series on Zara Spooks to lower the hooks. The fish are unable to get as much leverage on the bait to spit it out. He finds the LureSaver™ is helping him catch more fish on topwater.

Generally, the pro anglers are finding the oval or "tear" shaped LureSaver™ helps many types of baits to run truer. Brault says, "The hook swings better and improves the action on the bait and gives better vibration." Ultimate LureSaver™ is even beginning to see some imitators in the industry adopting its tear shape; however, the nickel titanium release system is patented.

LureSavers™ come in two different physical sizes, small and large. The small size comes in three different test ratings – 6, 8, and 10 lb. test. The large size comes in seven different test ratings – 6, 8, 10, 12, 14-15, 17-20 and 25-30 lb. test. As a general rule, the larger physical sizes are used on lures two inches and longer. Most bass fishermen use the large size and match the test strength to the size of line used.

Ultimate LureSaver™ has already received recognition in the industry. The American Sportfishing Association's (ASA) New Product Showcase. Awarded Ultimate LureSaver™ a Best of Category for terminal tackle.

Other awards won by the Ultimate LureSaver™ include the coveted NAFC Field Test Seal of Approval from The North American Fisherman, the nation’s largest multi-species fishing magazine with a readership of over 3 million. It won the ProBassAnglers.com 2004 Catch of the Year Award, 2004 Product of the Year and Best Overall New Product. The organization issued this statement: "ProBassAnglers.com feels that the Ultimate LureSaver™ is the most innovative new product for 2004. It will automatically make the lures in your tackle box better, because you will no longer need to fear losing them."

Ultimate Niti Technologies is also developing more flexible recoil guides for spinning rods. First introduced by the company for fly fishing rods, the recoil guides are 70 percent lighter weight and have no ceramic inserts. As a result, they are more flexible, allowing the rod to flex more naturally. It is possible to cast farther and more accurately. In addition, the rod’s sensitivity is vastly improved. The shape memory metal does not insulate the line from the rod so it is possible for the angler to feel far more action on the line than was ever possible with conventional rods.

At the outset, it may seem hard to believe that such a tiny part of your fishing arsenal could save you so much money, time, hassle, and also help you catch more fish. It goes to show that any competitive angler cannot afford to ignore the innovations that technology continually presents.

For more information about Ultimate LureSaver™ and where to purchase them, please visit their web site at www.ultimateluresaver.com.