Here’s Why You Should Not Use Snap Swivels With Artificial Fishing Lures
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on
Here’s a question we get a lot…
Should you use snap swivels with artificial lures?
It sounds like a good idea, right?
It’s so quick to swap out lures, so when the fish aren’t biting, you don’t need to retie a whole new knot, you can just snap on a new lure.
You could test a lot more lures to see what the fish are biting that day!
But is the time you save worth it?
And is that a good strategy?
No and no.
See why in the video below.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Snap Swivels With Lures [VIDEO]
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Although snap swivels can save you time, they’re too big and bulky and will most likely scare off the fish either by their unnatural look, or just their presence in the water.
Sure, you might catch a few young, naive, aggressive with it, but if you want to maximize your chances of catching fish, it’s not a good idea.
Plus, you don’t want to be switching lures out too much.
Assuming you’re using a lure that’s proven to catch fish in the conditions you’re fishing, if the fish aren’t biting, your first action would be the change the retrieve (slow it down, speed it up, add some twitches, etc.).
Then, if the fish still aren’t biting, you might want to move spots and find fish that are actively feeding.
And finally, in the grand scheme of things, you aren’t really saving that much time with a snap swivel.
Tying a loop knot can be pretty quick.
Conclusion
Although snap swivels might be convenient, they’re not worth using because they can scare fish off.
Have any questions about using snap swivels with your artificial lures?
Let us know in the comments below.
And if you know someone who uses snap swivels, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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I use snap swivels all the time. I have different sizes. Never had a problem catching fish.Saves on Leaders. Use the snap with the swivel joined. They work & only buy stainless steel.
I wonder the big hook on top of the lure looks unnatural to the fish.
Yes, all hardware can be prone to cause fish to realize that the lure isn’t a natural prey. This is why I recommend only using totally necessary hardware, and minimize the size of the mandatory hardware whenever possible.
Tired of wasting leader? Here is what I have found to be an alternative. It allows you to switch hard baits, soft plastics, surf rigs, Carolina rig’s or even fly line live baits. By no means new, it appears to work for me, There may well be instances while this not recommended such as too many weak links e.t.c.
I attach my normal leader to main line with FG knot.
Attach a tactical angler clip to the end of the main leader. (Palomar or San Diego jam knot)
Pre-rig lures, baits, with short leader (suggest Ande); tying non-slip knot, or snug knot depending on the type of lure and on the other end tie a small split ring (I use size 3). This allows each of the pre-rigged lures to be easily attached to the main leader clip. You could also attach a ball or bass sinker to the same clip should you need weight for surf, or add a bit for live bait presentation requiring quicker, or more depth. As always YMMV.
SPOILER ALERT! Although my epiphany was sound, I have found that it is not a good idea for hard baits that have a lip or bill. The TA clip can open if the right twisting motion occurs jamming the clip against the eye of the lure and risk the loss of an $18 lure! Therefore, heeding the admonition of Luke Simonds, I can tie loop knots fairly fast now with minimum loss of leader. practice…practice…practice..
I think one of the concerns that has not been mentioned is the anglers do not want to have to tie a new leader to the main line. Particularly if it is a Uni or FG knot. It is not that they do not want to re-tie lures, it is that the leader progressively gets shorter and shorter. Thus making it a leader re-tie necessary.
I think this is a bunch of hooey. I have been using snap swivels and catching tons of fish for 50+ years, and I do not sacrifice a few inches of leader every time I change lures. The suggestion that swivels provide an unnatural look is simply absurd, as many (most) lures do not remotely resemble the fish’s natural food sources.
I use barrel snap swivels all time. why? I have diabetic hands (i am 73) and the touch to tie line is basically gone. If I tie line I lose 3 – 5 minute’s each tie. sooo…
What about using quick snaps?
I use snap swivels all the time and we are usually catching only the biggest fish with lures.
Right on!
What about using snap swivels with flouro leader?
Great post. Definitely this one of the informative and useful post to me. Thanks for the share. Top Boat accessories with the best quality of stainless steel. If you want to buy boat accessories with great quality then click the <a href=”https://bluewhalehardware.com/”>snap hook/a>
I swear by the Bill Norman speed clips. They are very small and I can change from a plus to a jig in seconds.