Quick change rig with Snap swivels?

[Dean Bassing]

HI everyone,

just a quick question that i have for anyone who may be able to shed some light on it.

I was fishing with my friend over the weekend, at a local lake trying to catch some carp/redfin/trout

my friend suggested to tie on a snap swivel to make it easier to change rigs from lure to hook to jig through out the day.
he suggested using a snap on the braid, and then to tie a snap on to the leader line and just clip them together... i did not do this as i though it may deter the fish having a Snap swivel from the braid connected to a snap swivel on the leader... the Snap to Snap connection just didnt seem like the correct way to do things, so i just tied all my rigging by hand with no issues, just took a little longer.

i usually tie the braid to Mono using a double Uni knot, but he said the the knot may become weak due to it moving up and down the rod.

we had a little debate about it all and was wondering if anyone could shed some light and tell me the pros and cons of having a snap swivel connected to another snap swivel. i understand it may save time switching rigs, but surely the double clip would deter fish or cause less action on the jig or lure.

Thanks in advance

[colnick]

Good day Dean,
I don't claim to be any expert on this but I tend to agree with you. Your leader needs to be long enough for your braid to be remote from your bait/lure and this means that the join from main to leader must be able to pass through your guides - so no snap swivel.
However - if your mate is using a short leader, with a snap swivel, and is catching fish, then by all means give it a go.
Cheers, Col.

[happyfriggincamper]

Not ideal - has a higher chance of being off-putting to potential takers, but don't think carp or reddies will be too picky. Think trout will be put off significantly more.

[Sinsemilla]

Years ago when i first started using braid there wasn't a lot of info on how to attach leader to braid so i used to just go braid to swivel then leader from the swivel to a clip and then onto the lure or soft plastic. This worked fine but meant you couldn't have a very long leader because the swivel obviously can't move through the guides. Tying your leader to the braid with a nice slimline knot and having a clip or just tying the leader to your lure is the way to go though.

Cheers, Anth

[purple5ive]

If your going to use a snap swivel or clip. Then use it at the leader end.
Tie braid to leader. Then at leader end either use a lure clip or snap swivel to connect your bait rig or lure.
Ideally a lure clip is better as theres no unnecessary extra stuff to impede a lures action.

I would only do this if your fishing lazily..

[mazman]

Few things I would suggest, if you want to get into lure fishing learn to tie an fg knot or if you can't nail them an albright or slim beauty. The fg in particular allows you to run longer leaders which is beneficial in a lot of circumstances. As far the knots becoming weak for going through the guides, this can happen but it takes a lot of time on the same knot, I've had fg knots that have been used for 5 or more trips in a row still hold up (although would recommend at the very least testing them before a new outing).

For lure clips I generally don't use them on the kayak because I have multiple rods rigged and occasionally use them landbased when I think I will be changing lures regularly, get something that is a small profile without a swivel like a decoy round snap in size 00 or 0.

The main exception to that is squid fishing where I virtually always run a clip to protect my knot from grazing the bottom and allow jig changes.

[Aimless]

I have done a bit of thinking and testing on this lately and ended up at a pretty good place, I think.

Key to my fishing is usually getting in the water quickly and packing up quickly as I don't have a lot of free time!

I used to tie a swivel to end of braid and mono / fluoro from there as the leader, and just an improved cinch knot onto my lure. It worked okay and caught fish but the swivel was a pain when it came to packing up, and the leader would get shorter as I took off my rig each time and switched it.

Now I do this which I vastly prefer. Braid to leader with a double uni, like you. Then a small lure clip on the end. I typically use a 00 or 000 from Decoy, both are rated higher than my line - I fish around 10lb. I like fishing with plastics and lures and can change between them in 5 seconds flat. The little clips are a bit finicky so it can help to have some scissors or thin pliers to open them, teeth also work.

The weak point has been the Uni. I lost a couple of jigs on casting with heavier lures, but I think maybe my first lot of Unis were just badly tied.

It's a really fast and flexible setup, you can also quickly get bait jigs on that set up too.

[Dean Bassing]

thanks for all the replies guys, appreciate all the insight. i will be sure to take some of the tips and tricks you have provided and apply them next time i am out.

i spoke to my friend during my lunch break and he is still adamant that having a snap swivel on the braid, attached to a snap swivel on the leader does not deter anything.... but i am yet to see him reel in any fish the last 2 times we have been hahaha.

could just be bad luck, i suppose he does switch between rigs every 20 minutes so might just be easier for him.

ill stick to my Uni Knot to attach braid to mono, heading out with him again this weekend so i guess we will see which proves to be better.

thanks again guys

feel free to post anymore insight about this because i do enjoy hearing peoples different ways to do things

[Redhunter]

Keep doing what you’re doing Dean, you’re on the right track pal.
A few things to consider...
Trout can see well enough to dismiss a fly if it does not look natural enough to them. This being said, they can certainly see a snap swivel, and this could easily act as a deterrent to them. Many fishos actually steer clear of snaps altogether and prefer a loop knot so as to present a lure as naturally as possible. (Especially in crystal clear water).
Reddies on the other hand get much more excited and seem to be more interested in colours or flashy metal. This being said, there’s a good chance they may be more interested in the shiny snap as opposed to the lure. Reddies are competitive buggers, and may think the lure is actually trying to eat the shiny thing (the snap), and try to beat it to it and attack that first.
Leader is usually used to “hide” the braid and trick the fish into thinking it’s not part of the presentation, and also to provide abrasion resistance against rocks, branches, logs, and most importantly against the fish’s mouth and spikes. In order to combat this, I tend to run 2 rod lengths of leader. Attaching the braid to the leader with anything other than a knot, would not be user friendly.
“Attention to detail” as good ol Rexy would say.

[Andrews]

There has been a lot of good advice already posted here, I think there are advantages and disadvantages to using snap swivels, clips as opposed to directly tying braid to mono using a double uni or fg knot.

Any swivel or clip attached to your line between the end of the rod and the lure/jig will affect movement and way it sits in the water. Swivel/clips have weight and act as a break rather than having one fluidly moving line. I agree with Redhunter, species that are super observant like trout in clear water may be deterred by the size, shape or reflection from the swivel/clip. Leaders are used as braid is visible underwater and for it's abrasion and tensile properties. Running a clip on the end of the leader is perfectly fine, the weight is by the lure/jig and the convenience of changing lure is always appreciated.

If you're bait fishing using a weighted rig there is advantages to a swivel setup. I use a 20lb mono to a Mustard Fastach clip which then clips onto either a squid jig, or a swivel hooked rig. This setup allows me to either use a floated jig for squid, or baited hooks depending on the species around. The rod is my universal rod which I clamp to the pier and let and forget until action happens. I've caught plenty of target species squid, whiting, flathead, pinkies and even more undesirables. For me, this works well but it is important to remember that adding any clip/swivel is creating a potential fault point in the line.