Terminal tackle use

[Bassvet48]

Just once I'd like to get a definitive answer to the age old question:  Sould a snap swivel be used in bass fishing or not, or is it a matter of which kind of lure to use them on?  :-/

[skillet]

The difinitive answer is yes and no . I don't use them myself, at all. Some folks use them to help when changing lures. This one of those opinion things ...

                             As Ever,

                              skillet

[MNGeorge]

We only use snaps for hard baits and the only times we use a swivel are when throwing Mepps type baits or occasionally when throwing a fluke, but when using it with the fluke, it is 12-18 inches in front of the fluke, not directly attached to it.  Like Skillet says though, it's pretty much a matter of personal preference.

[daviscw]

I don't use them for anything....anymore.

[Raul]

Can you use snaps ? in some baits yes, in some baits no, you can and should use a snap/swivel combination when fishing with in-line spinners or you 'll end up with a motherlord of line twist after a few casts; you can use snaps on crankbaits, just don 't attach the snap to the split ring but directly to the bait, that 's if you have a good quality snap and you check your line above it frequently. No point in using snaps with single hooks.

Like I said previously, if you are going to use snaps check your line frequently and purchase good quality snaps.

[Brian_Reeves]

Only time I use them is when I'm night fishing because tying a knot can be a pain.  I agree with Raul that you shouldn't use a snap on a split ring, though.  

The only other time I see myself using one is when I get older and my eyes start going out on me.  I have more faith in a good solid knot on good line.

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

Use snaps if you like, I know several guys who do without any issues.

For me, I prefer direct tie, but will occasionally use a snap for hard

baits. I see no advantage to using a snap with single hooks or single

hook lures.

8-)

[tyrius.]

Snapswivels - never

Barrel Swivels - work with inline spinners

Snaps - with crankbaits  (Contrary to Raul and Brian, I hook them to the split ring but maybe I'm doing it wrong.  What's the issue with this?)

[Raul]

Snaps - with crankbaits (Contrary to Raul and Brian, I hook them to the split ring but maybe I'm doing it wrong. What's the issue with this?)

It changes the built in action of the lure for worse, the split ring is added for the bait to have a free swing action ( like if you tied a loop knot, for ex: Rapala or Duncan knot ), if you clip the snap to the split ring then instead of having 1 "joint" ( split ring/lure eye ) you have 2 "joints" ( snap/split ring/lure eye ), what happens is as the lure wobbles one joint goes one way while the other joint goes in the opposite direction so the bait wobbles correctly when both joints are aligned but incorrectly when the joints are moving in opposite direction ( it rolls on it 's side ), in a lipless crank is not easy to detect the split seconds when the bait rolls because the wobble is very tight and fast but it 's easy to detect on a lipped crank, when you reel in you feel the bait wobbling intermitently instead of continously.

Don 't take my word for it, do a test and you will notice the difference in the wobble.

Back then during the age of the dinosaurs when I began fishing I used to fish with snap/swivel combination on everything ( yeah, so I wouldn 't have to retie every time I changed lures : ) I didn 't know the effects the snap/swivel were doing to the action of my baits, then I read that most pros in those days did not recommend the use of snaps, they all recommended direct tie to the split ring. I changed my approach to what the pros recommended ( obviously, they were the pros, ya know ) and I did notice an increase in my catches with crankbaits.

Then I had the idea of removing the split ring and using the snap instead, it 's the same thing but instead of having my line attached to the split ring I have it attached to the snap and it 's a lot easier to open a snap than it is to open a split ring when you want to change a crank. But I used "El Cheapo" snaps until the day came I hooked a nice fish and lost it along with my lure, lesson learned ( never ever purchase cheap terminal tackle ! ). Nowdays I don 't even bother to remove the split ring in the cranks, I just snap to the eye.

Snaps can 't be "wrong", many hard swimbaits come with them to allow them to have a wider wobble, what 's wrong in the end is your application and the quality of what you use.

[tyrius.]

Don 't take my word for it, do a test and you will notice the difference in the wobble.

I actually thought that Rapala (makes up 95% of my cranks) recommended a rapala knot for their cranks.  I just checked and it is recommended for minnow baits, without a split ring.  The cranks have a different knot recommended.

Thanks for setting me straight!  

[detroit1]

Raul has it right..try all and let your experience tell you what to do. So what if your bait doesn't "track" perfectly during a retrieve, or rolls or skips a little, all the more to attract a fish. Sometimes i want my cranks "toned down" a little. More importantly- wonder if you are in the right area....

[TournyFish001]

while prefishing and a good crankbait bite is on I use them- quick swap.  This spring I used them during a tournament even, two rods rigged with cranks and jerks even, I was a power fishing machine if I wasn't casting and crank'n I was snap'n the swivels of a different bait.  The pattern color changed a bit from morning til afternoon- paid off