INOVA K-NECT Down & Out Link

Overview

The INOVA K-NECT Down & Out Link is a combined terminal rig link and bait clip built for anglers who construct their own clipped-down sea-fishing rigs. It merges two functions into a single compact component: a lead/rig connection and an integrated bait clip that retains the baited hook during the cast.

Rated to a breaking strain of 36kg / 80lb, this Size 4 link is supplied 12 per pack under INOVA product code 200011. A specialist retailer lists the finish as nickel-plated, though INOVA's own catalogue does not confirm an exact base metal, so we haven't overstated the material specification here.

Unlike the standard INOVA Rapid Link, which shares the same Size 4, 36kg/80lb, 12-pack specification but has no bait clip, the Down & Out Link adds the projecting bait-retaining section. This is the key distinction between the two products and the reason the Down & Out Link is specifically suited to clipped-down rig building.

Perfect For

This link is particularly useful for building pulley rigs, where it can provide both the lead attachment and the point onto which the baited hook is clipped for casting, removing the need for separate components at that position.

It's also suited to other clipped-down shore rigs where anglers want the baited hook held close to the lead in flight rather than trailing freely behind the rig. The link can additionally be fitted upside down at the top of up-and-over rigs, a use specifically documented for more experienced rig builders.

It can be incorporated into certain rotten-bottom setups too, with the weak link attached to the eye and the lead hung from the bait-clip portion for casting. Importantly, this particular rotten-bottom configuration is not recommended for pendulum-style casting, so it shouldn't be treated as a universal rotten-bottom solution.

Technical Insight

The design works by holding the baited hook tight against the lead during the cast, keeping the whole rig streamlined in flight rather than allowing the hook to swing freely. On impact with the water, the hook is designed to release automatically from the clip, allowing the snood and bait to fish naturally.

This combined lead-connection-and-bait-clip arrangement simplifies rig building by reducing the number of separate terminal components needed at the business end of a clipped-down rig. There is no incorporated swivel, so anglers should factor that into how they build the rest of the rig around it.