Using snap swivels for convenience

[BassSteve]

I find myself recently using snap swivels to quick change my lures. I admit it, it's out of being lazy and not wanting to cut and tie a new knot each time.. Do you guys use snap swivels for easy lure swap out, or specific reasons/presentations? What are the issues of using them? 

[Bankc]

I use snaps sometimes.  Not snap swivels.  I like snaps especially for crankbaits, as they give it better action than a normal knot.  Also, like you mentioned, it's easier to change them out.  

 

The downsides are since you're not retying as often, you run the risk of weakening the knot to the swivel and breaking off more often.  Also, some snaps can work themselves loose.  The Eagle Claw snaps swivels are especially bad about this.  I prefer the Spro Duo Lock snaps.  Also, they can effect the balance of some lures.  Topwaters especially can be effected by this.  And sometimes they're more of a pain to use than not use, like on jigs and terminal tackle.  And sometimes the snaps can slide around where a knot won't, and cause issues.  This is especially true on spinnerbaits, though often a good, hard tug to start the retrieve will realign it correctly.  

 

 

[Cgolf]

I use snaps for crank baits and with my slider head and shakey head presentations. I feel the snap allows the plastic to pivot to a vertical drop position much easier, because it can swing on the snap vs needing to also pull the line down when tied which makes it pendulum away from your target. Most days that doesn't make a difference, but when you are on your 2 or 3 cold front of the week the fish need the bait right at the base of the cover so it needs to fall vertically and preferably slowly, which is where the snap shines for me. Started as a lazy thing to a must do thing presentation wise.

[PhishLI]

No snap swivels for me, but I use VMC Touch-Lok snaps anytime and anywhere I can. I select hooks that specifically allow for the latch of the snap to pass through. I fish primarily at night, usually wading, and I'm not interested in tying knots in the dark with 50-something eyes while 50 feet offshore. I've had my $500 readers fall off my face and into the drink more than once while tying. I've also had the line slip while tying on with wet hands and lost lures when they've slipped off and dropped in. No thanks. As this is my habit now, I use them during the day too. Bass don't care.

[roadwarrior]

Never

[Captain Phil]

This subject has been discussed numerous times on this forum.  If you are handicapped or otherwise unable to tie knots, you have no choice.  If you must use leaders because of toothy critters where you fish, same thing.  If you use them because you are lazy or because it makes changing baits easier, you should know you are not catching as many fish as you could.  If convenience means more to you than the number of fish you catch, by all means do whatever makes you happy.   Hardware, snaps, swivels and the like affect the action of your lure.  They look unnatural. They add weight and do nothing to improve the presentation.  If by adding hardware you are attempting to enhance the action, learn to tie a loop knot.   If adding hardware made the lure work better, the manufacturer would include them in the package. 

 

 

[gim]

I use snaps when I'm constantly alternating crank baits.

 

I used to use them more when I only had a limited number of setups.  It would save me a lot of time.

 

I have enough setups now that are specialized for pretty much every type of fishing that I do, so I primarily tie directly.  I do not use a snap swivel.

[Fallser]

I don't have that many rigs, since I'm mainly fly fishing.  I have one rod for jigs/live bait.  Hooks or jigs  are tied directly to the line.  I have one rod for casting.  It depends on what I'm planning on throwing.  For just lures, I use the smallest ball-bearing snap swivel I can get away with.  If at some point during the day I plan to use in-line spinners or spinnerbaits, then everything is tied to directly to the line.  One rod for trolling, that gets a ball-bearing snap swivel, again the smallest I can get away with, but usually larger than the one I'm using for casting.

[A-Jay]

I have nothing against snaps.

Just find that I don't need them.

 

A-Jay

[Happybeerbuzz]

I am getting older.  My eyes sight is getting worse.  I have gotten lazier and do not want to switch glasses to tie knots.  Yeah, I use snaps and snap swivels.  Mostly, I use snaps unless a bait is prone to helicoptering like big swimbaits.   I will sometimes use a snap swivel to reduce line twist.  

[the reel ess]

I use Tactical Anglers (knockoff from Amazon) clips for treble lures. I only ever use a swivel for inline spinners.

[Jigfishn10]

If you're fishing the bank, snaps come in handy, especially if you want to travel light and like the ability to change lures at will. I can definitely see that.

 

When I'm not fishing out at sea, I tie direct as much as possible, but when I'm surf jig fishing at dusk or dawn, I really need my jig to stay down and not let the current lift it too much. As the tide comes in and out or wind picks up, you're constantly making adjustments to jig weight. Snaps are invaluable in that situation.

 

Besides, most of the snap police hang around the mattress police. They're all pretty cool.   

[Cgolf]

1 hour ago, Captain Phil said:

This subject has been discussed numerous times on this forum.  If you are handicapped or otherwise unable to tie knots, you have no choice.  If you must use leaders because of toothy critters where you fish, same thing.  If you use them because you are lazy or because it makes changing baits easier, you should know you are not catching as many fish as you could.  If convenience means more to you than the number of fish you catch, by all means do whatever makes you happy.   Hardware, snaps, swivels and the like affect the action of your lure.  They look unnatural. They add weight and do nothing to improve the presentation.  If by adding hardware you are attempting to enhance the action, learn to tie a loop knot.   If adding hardware made the lure work better, the manufacturer would include them in the package. 

 

 

 

I find I catch more fish with small snaps than without for the reasons I mentioned above. If I used a typical worm weight and worm hook obviously I would tie direct, but I haven't used a worm weight in 15 years, been all sliders for me. That said I don't need to punch through dense vegetation where I live and fish.

 

The unnatural argument bother me, because a hook on a soft plastic is the most unnatural part of the whole package, a small duo loc snap doesn't add much. Fish whatever works for you, but saying we are lazy and not catching a lot of fish isn't the case. I have spent a lot of time dialing in my vertical structure game.

 

To the OP, I only use a swivel with inline spins for trout.

[detroit1]

I have to disagree with Capt. Phil a little bit. The diameter of my spro crosslock is larger than the o ring on the bait, so i remove the line tie split ring and attach my snap. Yes, my snap weighs more than an o ring, but c'mon, it's negligible. If you're fishing hard baits, the fish aren't gonna think" i would hit that crankbait, but it has a snap on it." They probably can't see it. And looking unnatual? I fish with unnatural looking baits (shape/color/action) . Everyone does. And i fish in clear water. Mfr's. don't include a snap because split rings are cheaper. I do tie direct to surface lures, jigs, soft plastics. My $.50  (inflation/covid) ?

[tander]

1 hour ago, the reel ess said:

I use Tactical Anglers (knockoff from Amazon) clips for treble lures. I only ever use a swivel for inline spinners.

 

Same here, only a snap on trebles lures. Until last year, I was a dire hard never use a snap fisherman. Got to reading about lot of guys are using snaps so I decided to try it. Best season I ever had on cranks and I blame it on the snap. I would change lures more frequent if a certain crank or color was not working. Never had a line break or lure to come off. Snaps for me.

[Deleted account]

Snaps on cranks and JBs sometimes, ball bearing snap swivels on inline spinners.

[Pogues2300]

I use a duo-snap for crankbaits and poppers, no issues. The comment about the manufacturer would have added the hardware in the package made me smile. Thanks

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

If adding hardware made the lure work better, the manufacturer would include them in the package. 

Pretty much every crank and JB come with split rings, some even come with snaps. Loop knots are silly.

[Bluebasser86]

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

This subject has been discussed numerous times on this forum.  If you are handicapped or otherwise unable to tie knots, you have no choice.  If you must use leaders because of toothy critters where you fish, same thing.  If you use them because you are lazy or because it makes changing baits easier, you should know you are not catching as many fish as you could.  If convenience means more to you than the number of fish you catch, by all means do whatever makes you happy.   Hardware, snaps, swivels and the like affect the action of your lure.  They look unnatural. They add weight and do nothing to improve the presentation.  If by adding hardware you are attempting to enhance the action, learn to tie a loop knot.   If adding hardware made the lure work better, the manufacturer would include them in the package. 

 

 

Lure manufacturers add split rings, I remove them and use a small snap instead. Never put them on a scale but I'll bet the weight in almost identical. They still allow the freedom of movement that the split rings do, plus I don't have to worry about tying in the wrong spot of the split ring.  

 

They allow me to rotate through baits on productive spots and I can say with 100% certainty I catch more fish because I use them. It's not about being lazy, it's about being efficient. If I fish a spot I feel has fish and it doesn't produce, I can quickly switch to a different bait to make a few more cast to see if they'll react to something different. I know without a doubt that I wouldn't have caught one of my 3 biggest fish last year if I hadn't been using a snap because I swapped to a deeper runner in a different color in a few colors and caught her. Never would have made that change for just a few cast if I was retying with cold hands. 

[QED]

5 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

This subject has been discussed numerous times on this forum.  If you are handicapped or otherwise unable to tie knots, you have no choice.  If you must use leaders because of toothy critters where you fish, same thing.  If you use them because you are lazy or because it makes changing baits easier, you should know you are not catching as many fish as you could. [stuff deleted]

 

This last assertion is what physicists refer to as "not even wrong."  Small 0 or 00 duolock snaps weigh much less than the typical split ring that comes with crankbaits so you can use those INSTEAD of the split rings (i.e., remove them) with no adverse effect on lure action.

[Bankbeater]

I use duolock snaps for moving baits that go through the water column, and for some topwater baits.  Bottom contact baits, and rigs for plastics always get tied on.  I may or may not use a snap on a chatterbait and a spinnerbait depending on the conditions at the time.

[Big Rick]

I use this Mustad Fastach Clip. I caught my 8.5 PB while using it on a jerk bait. There's also a swivel version. 

 

[BassSteve]

51 minutes ago, Big Rick said:

I use this Mustad Fastach Clip. I caught my 8.5 PB while using it on a jerk bait. There's also a swivel version. 

 

That thing looks sweet, I use the tsunami ball bearing snap swivel "marine grade" 

[the reel ess]

5 hours ago, tander said:

 

Same here, only a snap on trebles lures. Until last year, I was a dire hard never use a snap fisherman. Got to reading about lot of guys are using snaps so I decided to try it. Best season I ever had on cranks and I blame it on the snap. I would change lures more frequent if a certain crank or color was not working. Never had a line break or lure to come off. Snaps for me.

I'm in the kayak. It's a real time saver to be able to switch without retying. I have had one of the Norman's speed clips fail on me though. 

[schplurg]

9 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I have nothing against snaps.

Just find that I don't need them.

 

A-Jay

You have more rods than I have baits! I wouldn't need to retie!

 

I use snaps for cranks but I am slowly moving away from them as my knot tying has suddenly improved in the past year (been bass fishing for 4). I'll probably still use them a bit.

 

Sometimes getting a crank hooked up to a snap takes longer than tying (trying to get the danged thing into the split ring that won't cooperate).