A Hula Hoop-like swivel?

[Brad in Texas]

Well, I saw these mentioned on another forum, went to the website and being a gadget guy, I ordered two different sizes. As you can see in the attached photo, this swivel has one ring "over" another. Very interesting and it piqued my interest as it related to possible uses for certain presentations. 

 

So, as I see it, a main line would be attached up at the top ring, then a leader line down to a sinker . . . leaving the hula hoop ring, which can then rotate at will, to attach a separate leader for a hook, etc. I started imagining applications close to drop shots and Carolina Rigs in form, several others, too.

 

I'll post my experiences after I receive these swivels, fish them, see how they operate. For now, just passing along a possible cool product. I am pretty certain this is Japanese in its origin. They really push out a lot of interesting ideas.

 

Brad

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

So you use it basically like a standard 3-way swivel?

[Brad in Texas]

9 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

So you use it basically like a standard 3-way swivel?

I think this is essentially what it is, too, a main line attachment, then two attachment points. I suppose the difference and what sort of caught my attention was that with a standard 3-way swivel, if one ring is used for a sinker, it "fixes" the location of the other ring and its attachment.

 

For this hula-hoop design, it can pivot 360 degrees. ***Although, with currents and a taut line, my guess is the hula hoop ring and its attachment will likely stay, more or less, oriented in one direction.

 

I think the first thing I'll try with it is sort of a mocked up drop shot rig with the hook off on its own longer leader . . . this, instead of the drop shot hook being attached as they are typically (tight to the main line).

 

I'll post results.  Brad

[Bassun]

I'm interested in the results myself.  My gut doesn't like it in place of a standard 3 way...but my gut also eats McD's so it isn't always the best judge lol.

 

Seems like if you are going to use a three way, you may be better off to have the swivel ability on all three leads...especially the bait lead.  I've seen some similar but instead of the single ring they had a second barrel swivel attached there.  They seemed to tangle up more for me than the old conventional 3 ways.

[Brad in Texas]

4 hours ago, Bassun said:

I'm interested in the results myself.  My gut doesn't like it in place of a standard 3 way...but my gut also eats McD's so it isn't always the best judge lol.

 

Seems like if you are going to use a three way, you may be better off to have the swivel ability on all three leads...especially the bait lead.  I've seen some similar but instead of the single ring they had a second barrel swivel attached there.  They seemed to tangle up more for me than the old conventional 3 ways.

Bassun, good points and a note that they showed up in the mailbox a few days ago. I'll likely get a chance to give these a try-out either tomorrow afternoon or over the weekend.  I'll report my general observations.

 

Let's see: all three attachment points are free-wheeling, with two just like any swivel . . . and the hula-hoop loose over and able to move 360 degrees, too.

 

What I did to pre-rig one of my set-ups was to tie my braid main-line directly on the "top" ring, then I tied on an 8 lbs. fluoro leader on about 20" of length to a pinch grip cylinder sinker. Finally, I tied another piece of fluoro with about a 12" lenght, then I am using a Roboworm Rebarb hook for what will likely be a Roboworm. 

 

This will be my first try at rigging it up, what will essentially be a drop shot with a longer leader for the worm to wiggle around on maybe higher in the water column by several inches.

 

Under different circumstances, I'd just use a much bigger sinker and use it more like a Bubba shot to pull the plastic down in vegetation, else sort of the same in a C-Rig drag technique.

 

Will the hula hoop add any utility? I'm not certain but fun to experiment.  And, I have a few ideas with small bobbers I want to try, too.

 

Brad

[Bassun]

Cool deal.  Yeah, I was just thinking in current you would be adding the potential for line twist on the non swiveling connection point.  Always good to have options though!  This certainly seems to be a more finesse option. 

[Log Catcher]

Wonder how well it would work on a float and fly setup?

[Brad in Texas]

On 5/31/2018 at 4:11 PM, Log Catcher said:

Wonder how well it would work on a float and fly setup?

I am wondering the same thing. Worth a try at the right time.

 

Here, are you thinking a main line to the top swivel ring, a float off of the hula hoop on a separate leader line, then the "lure" hanging down off the lower ring? I'll have to ponder this . . . might be good at certain depths. Matt and Tim recommend a sliding float, as I recall, with a sinker stopper on the line that allows the line to be reeled up so that it can be cast a bit farther, the line then running though the float until it encounters the stop.

 

Another thing to explore!

 

Brad

[FishDewd]

This is... interesting.... but weird. Not sure I fully get it yet... But seems to me like I would have some line twist issues due to being fairly directional. Or... idk, um... unpredictable? It look like it could present in a number of different ways... some of which not so desirable.

[smalljaw67]

I'm guessing these are made for a certain technique but I could be wrong. I can see them being used on something like the donkey rig (tandem fluke rig), a 3-way swivel works for that but I know some don't like having a 3-way due to weeds. This would work as it is a smaller profile but keep your eye open on those as the intended use will pop up soon rather than later.

[Brad in Texas]

10 hours ago, FishDewd said:

This is... interesting.... but weird. Not sure I fully get it yet... But seems to me like I would have some line twist issues due to being fairly directional. Or... idk, um... unpredictable? It look like it could present in a number of different ways... some of which not so desirable.

Agreed. I think the answer to avoid some of the undesirable outcomes will be to make certain the free floating (hula hoop) attaches to a lure on a shorter leader well above the sinker. Once it is "pitched" out, this is my intention and not so much long casts, a semi-taut line will create some angle, say 45 degrees, back to my rod tip. Ideally, I will be able to drag the sinker, a shad/fluke/worm plastic will sort of dance along in front of it.

 

I'll take the rod out that I have rigged one up on and give it a go this afternoon!

 

Brad

[fissure_man]

From their website it looks like these are intended for 'butterfly jigging' in saltwater.  The jig/spoon is attached to swivel, and the hook(s) are attached to the hula hoop where they can swing up/down and rotate freely about the lure.

 

 

[Brad in Texas]

19 hours ago, fissure_man said:

From their website it looks like these are intended for 'butterfly jigging' in saltwater.  The jig/spoon is attached to swivel, and the hook(s) are attached to the hula hoop where they can swing up/down and rotate freely about the lure.

 

 

Correct. I have spoken with Gabriel there at Hitena and this is the primary target presentation. As you'd drop that over the gunwale and down to the desired depth, the individual leads would act like a Merry-go-Round, that, and if you jostled the rod tip, it'd flutter, blouse out and retract.

 

I suppose this might work for white bass in a school in deeper water on a hump.

 

I caught 3 pretty fast last late evening using two presentations. I started with what I have already described: a drop shot where the hook and worm are on a long leader to let it float a bit more. I liked this but don't think there is much, if any, upside over just a traditional rigging style. But, it worked.

 

And, any tangles were easily jostled out. But, maybe not the area one would think, but the hula-hoop ring leader line and the knot at the top loop. I thought if it happened, it'd be the two leader lines twisting up. Not so much. So, these were just windings, not knots, came out in just seconds, not really an issue.

 

Then, I saw schooling bass chasing shad so I spent a fe minutes tying on a version of a Donkey Rig where one leader was shorter than the other. I used 4" Keitech Shad Impacts . . . because that was all I had with me.

 

Here again, it worked well, but with that many fish feeding on the surface, one bait would have been fine, too, so no net advantage for the extra rigging time it takes.

 

But, where I DO think this version of a Donkey Rig would work is where you'd use tinier plastics and having 2 or 3 of them tied on separate leaders, that you'd have some "casting weight." What I have found here in Texas is the schooling bass this time of the year are chasing pretty small shad, so a bit of size matching might help.

 

For freshwater anglers, I think the place this thing would really shine would be vertical fishing in deeper water, just dropping an end-weighted rig down to proper depth and start wiggling the rod tip.

 

I'll experiment more!

 

Brad

[Deleted account]

No thanks.