USING SWIVELS WHEN USE LURES I NEVER USED TO BUT TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS TROLLING FOR WIPERS AND WHEN I WENT TO REEL IN WELL ALL I GOT WAS LARGE RATS NEST ON THE TIP OF MY ROD THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE BUT DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN REALLY MAKES FOR HEADACHE SO SOME INPUT WOULD HELP ME
THANKS
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]i always use a good swivel on everything i use except when i am fly fishing. a good swivel will keep you line from getting twisted up when you are trolling or any kind of fishing. we have had a lot of people tell us that you can't catch as many fish with a swivel hooked right on to you jig, rapala, etc. because it takes away from the action of the bait or jig, etc. that is not always true. we use very small swivels when we are fishing for perch and other panfish and a bigger swivel for bigger fish like lake trout.
this year my dad caught and released a 34 pound mack at the gorge this past winter with a swivel hooked right onto the jig. just try to buy a good quality swivel and i think you problems will be solved. good luck trfishin
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I always use a swivel, just because I hate line twist and rats nests. Some lures I can directly attach a swivel and some I put about 18 inches up the line. When using a jakes lure I have had better luck attaching a small swivel directly to it. For what its worth
Bigcat
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I always use one. I hate line twist too. In fact, the only time I don't is when the lures action may be affected. Just my opinion.
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When fishing for wipers, or any fish that strips drag, if you are using a spinning reel, you cant eliminate line twist.
The line gets fed onto the spool in loops, just like it comes off, so when you have a fighting fish like wipers that take drag while you are reeling, you get twists in the line as your bail is trying to loop line on, and the drag is trying to feed it off.
Its a problem with spinning equipment.
The best way to combat it is to not reel while the drag functions. wait until the run is over, use the rod to gain the head of the fish back, and then reel between runs.
The swivel will help reduce line twist if you are fishing with spinners, spoons, or any lures that rotate in the water, but crankbaits plastics and other lures that just wobble back and forth, dont create thier own line twist, so the only way you get line twist with these lures is if you use spinng equipment and reel during drag, or if the fish rolls over itself as you are bringing it in. But most fish dont, they fight upright.
Are swivels a valued tool? yes. Are they the be all and end all to line twist problmes? No.
I have found that a lot of line twist can be reduced as well by choosing a monofilament line that has less memory. The lines try to stay in loops as they come off the spool on spinning gear, rather than come off straight. Sometimes you get a couple loops that come off together, and that creates a mess. If reeled back onto the spool like that, you get twist, and double loops that cause balls of line to get caught in guides too.
A good mono line with less memory will help reduce these problems as well.
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I always use a swivel, I hate the line twists as much as my reels do. I also almost always use a leader material. However I never attach the lure directly to the swivel, I use a length of leader or line material. I also have a new found desire to use ball bering swivels, especially when targeting the big fish.
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I'm with Predator. I use snaps on all crankbaits, but I only use swivels when I have a lure that spins such as a spinner or spoon. Jigs I typically tie straight to, but will use a snap at times.
If I do use spinners or spoons I ALWAYS de-twist the line before the end of the day. If in my boat I just let it out with no lure at the end until I get out more line than I cast, then I reel it back in. Repeat. The friction of the line in the water keeps it taught yet still allows it to spin and relieve the twist. If I wasn't boating, I just have one of the kids run across the yard with line in hand, then reel it back in, repeat 2X. Seems to work for me.
Hopper
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Well, I haven't had any problem since I learned how to select lines that has low memory... this is the key! If the line has high memory, from being spun in and out of your spool... the rat's nest will result.
So select a line with very low memory, I like my spiderwire supermono 14 pound, but looks like 8 or 10 pound line. I have never had any problem with this line. Very efficient, and very hard to break off.
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WELL THIS HAPPENED USEING A RATTLE TRAP NO SPINNING BY THE LURE PLUS IT WAS STERM LINE I AM TRING TRILENE XL NOW ON THAT REEL THEY BOTH SAY THERE ARE LOW MEOMORY ALL I KNOW IS IT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE BUT WORRIES ME NOW
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Well, I've tied my line directly to all kinds of lures, even panther martin, and there was no problem with any foul-ups. I sure like my super-mono by spiderwire. Try it, you might be pleased with the difference.
I've had trilene XL and they are ok.... I don't know why I am not pulling for that brand... perhaps its been while because I am addicted to my current lines. LOL
I do have Spiderwire braided lines, but I try not to use that too much because of the no-stretch situation, enabling rod breakage especially if your drag is on too tight.
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I generally base my decision on using a swivel on how the lure and line reacts after the first few casts. Usually, it is clear if one is needed by then and I go ahead. Sometimes it seems that certain lures and situations just seem to prompt the twisting. (Does line have a bad hair day?) I can't say I have ever needed one for jigs, grubs, and non rotating lures and others have explained why. One aside, /exception, when I used a rat-l trap for stripers on Lake Mead, It seemed like I got better action and results when a swivel was used. Anyone know why?
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I have had similar problems with rattle traps. I found that they sometimes hang one of the hooks up in the line when being let out too fast or when casting. When this happens, the rattle trap will simply roll in the water. Since you were trolling, the lure was probably just let out a little too fast and allowed it to tangle and twist. Depending on how long you were dragging the lure while tangled, would depend on how much twist you would have gotten.
In this case, a swivel probably would not have helped. I have found that sometimes the lure will tangle in the swivel, where if there were not one, it might not have tangled at all.
I guess the point being, I never just freespool lures out for trolling. I slowly let them out, keeping light pressure on them at all times and check the action at the side of the boat before you start letting line out to make sure the lure is running right and not tangled. Another good reason for keeping light pressure on the lure is that I have been hit many times while letting the lure out, and if I didn't have my hand on the line, I would not have caught the fish.
Can't guarantee this is what happened. Just a theory. Hope it helps.
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You were likely trolling for wipers at a faster speed than you typically troll. Some lures will work fine at a slower speed, but when you speed them up, they are out of tune enough that they will roll. Try to remember to test a lure alongside the boat, before letting it out and see if it runs straight and also to see that it does not roll. I like to use a quality swivel (not a snap swivel), and then leader from the swivel to my lure, or to a snap or Fas Snap.
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Mike i use about an 18 inch leader in front of the the lure that way it is a kwik change and i don't have too many problems with tangles but bait cast reals are better fore trolling than spin cast fore me but i do use both (WANDO)
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I never hook a swivel to a lure anymore, when I was younger I lost a big largemouth because the swivel came opened during the fight, sence then I have never used them. I tie direct to my lure using a split ring. I do use swivels on bottom bouncers but thats it. I think fish can see the swivels, a long time ago I was trolling at strawberry and I had caught 11 trout and my friend had none. we had the same lure and the same line. my friend was going to change his lure and I had seen that he was using a swivel. I told him to take the swivel off and put on a split ring, surprize, he started to catch fish. that just about proved to me that fish can see the swivel. some people use a barrel swivel tied in line above the lure 15in. or so, thats all good but in the ocean when you get into a big school of bonita (tuna) other fish will hit that swivel and end up breaking/bitting your line.
With some lures you almost have to use a swivel because of the spinner blade. but with most fish shaped lures (rapalas, rattel traps, ect.) you don't have to use swivels because these types of lures don't spin around unless your going too fast or they get hooked on the line and just spin around.
but for the most part I don't use swivels, I put split rings on all my trolling lures. I would never use a swivel or split ring on a jig. later chuck
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Lets be clear, there are Swivels, Snaps, Snap swivels and split rings. If there is a split ring present do not tie any mono type line directly to it. It must have a snap of some sort.
Swivels prevent line twist. The better swivels, (Bearing) do the job the best but cost more. Swivels can be attached up the line from the lure as far as wanted, I like to trol with about 3' of leader between the lure and swivel. Swivels may be attached to snaps that place them right in front of the lure. Again a good swivel doea a better job.
I think the answer to this particular problem is what was said above. the lure fouled and then just got draged around at 3.5 mph for a while. It can happen not always by having slack in your line but by a missed strike. But keep the slack when letting out. A tight line catches fish.
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