I was just rummaging around teh SWE webs site and came upon an article by Steve McKenna about artificials.
I noted the following
"Furthermore, I would strongly recommend connecting your running line to shocker with a high quality ball bearing barrel swivel (color-black). This will prevent line twist which which can be a nightmare, particularly with spinning outfits. Also, at the other end of the shocker trace, tie on a top shelf snap, also in color black. This will aid in chnging lures and will provide added action to your artificials."

I tie a bunch of leaders with just a barrel swivel and always tie direct, unless using a spook. I've always beleived that the snap would deter a fish from hitting the lure, perhaps that is stupid since the big trebles hanging off the lure do not affect them. So, if its good for Steve, it must be ok. Its just going to bug me if I do it and confidence in your offering is a big part of it for me, what do others do?

I always use a snap. Only use Breakaways now, have mangled all others(not even on large fish either)

i always use a snap with plugs. coastlock with large plugs, small breakaways and duolocks with smaller plugs (bombers, etc.). I feel that the fish I miss because they see the snap balance out the fish that I catch because I was able to change lures quickly and easily. if I tied direct, I'd end up leaving a plug on longer than I should out of laziness. if I did more daytime site fishing, I'd probably ditch the snap and lighten the leader, but at night, I've never noticed a problem.

oh, by the way, the smaller breakaways and duolocks will break your heart, but I use them anyway and just try to be careful and pray. lost one of the biggest fish that I've hooked to a straightened duolock in the wash.

I always use a snap. Only use Breakaways now, have mangled all others(not even on large fish either)

Ditto. Breakaways only for me, been that way for a couple of years. IMO the best clip there is.

Also, I think you are right on with the "treble" thought process. If they are gonna crush it with 3 sets of VMC's dangling off it, the breakaway clip ain't gonna make a difference.:wave:

I alway use a snap regardless. Breakaways for sure. Have broken every other one.

I always use a snap when plugging... as my surf- bag is my palette & I'm always painting as I cast my various different color & shape offerings! :uhuh:

That is, starting out at least! IF the bite on a certain night on a certain plug or lure is hot-- then I'll cut off the snap & direct- attach that plug to my 50 lb. leader... that's why ALL my plugs get a split- ring on the front loop/ eye! You don't want to direct- attach most plugs to leader minus that split as it can & will hurt most lures' action usually if you do... :humpty:


Too... I eschew the highly- popular Breakaways (man, does that name scare me!)... for a much bigger/ over- sized Crosslock- type! A MUCH bigger size snap than I see 99.5% of other guys use! :huh:


The bottom line: I've found absolutely NO evidence that X- largish (black!) snaps turn off Bass, esp. night- time (but not even daytime really-- esp. when the water is roiled / cloudy as it should be if you're pluggin' daytime!)

AND: whereas early on I lost 1- 3 big fish per year to snap- failure/ openings with "common size/ type" snaps... Now I'm going on 8 years or so since I made the switch to oversized-- and I've not lost one fish to a snap opening/ failing since! (And yes, I still do manage to land-- & release!-- my share of Large every year!) :wave:

I change plugs regularly but always re-tied. I am used to doing it in the dark. After a few plugs, the leader would be too small and I'd get a new one. Sounds like I may be simplifying this year. thanks

What's good for another may not be good for you. I use a breakaway kwik link connector, never had an issue and certainly no failures like sampo or coastline snaps did. I used to use ball bearing swivels but they are a. too expensive and b. A Krok ss swivel works just as good if not better as they don't corrode as fast.

Tying direct is essential in some applications like excessive fire in the water or moonlit nights. I do way with both swivel and snap/connector on nights the fire is heavy and lessen the leader pound test as well.

But these are from my experience, there are many other ways to accomplish the same thing and some may be better. It what works for you.

Just because someone writes an article don't take it as gospel. It's thier personal experience, yours will be different and if whatever way your rigging works for you, as they say, don't fix it. Writers give advice based on thier experience, I do it, I am sure Steve does the same but you may know something we don't which I find is more common than one could know as there are thousands of ways to rig and take bass, to say one is better than another can only be based on ones experience and there is always something to learn thats what I love about sharing tactics and technique.

if the 4/0 trebles dangling off the lure arent a deterant to the fish strking...... why would a snap be? :tooth: now if you're fishing albies, tuna etc its a whole diff ball game, but bass and blues should be np.

if the 4/0 trebles dangling off the lure arent a deterant to the fish strking...... why would a snap be?

Thats what I figure too Vic.
Although, I usually tie direct, no snap or swivel(just a matter of pref.). I hardly ever have a line twist problem. I primarily use 50# PP with a mono shock leader tied with an albrite knot.

Lost a nice fish to a snap straightening out, since then I always tie direct... If I am worried about dampening the action I'll add a split ring to the plug and tie to that. May have to check out the breakaway snaps if you guys are having good luck with those.

Flap hit it right on the head I think. It's all a matter of preference and what works for you. It is good to hear what the "high liners" do though, it makes you think about better ways to do things.
I used to only tie direct, but have been using snaps for the last two years and don't notice any issues.
in reply to F-18's comment on the leader tied to the main line, I think Canalman had a good article about that in the fisherman at one point. that sounds like a good tactic, especially if you fish rocky areas and use braid as your main line.
DZ also had a great post a while back about going leaderless on full moon nights and it making a difference in hooking up.

in reply to F-18's comment on the leader tied to the main line, I think Canalman had a good article about that in the fisherman at one point. that sounds like a good tactic, especially if you fish rocky areas and use braid as your main line.

I think you are correct on that.

breakaways cause I change lures probably more often than necessary.

I use either coastlock or breakaway snaps for all artificials. BUCKTAIL JIGS GET TIED DIRECT. I get a better feel w/direct tie on the jig.

Plugs when dark out breakaway clips. Full moon when it is shining like God's spotlight direct.

When Beach fishing with no danger of rocks, sometimes I just attach a breakaway to the braid w/no leader. Just becareful of a couple of things, when landing the fish...braid will slice ya like a knife, the bigger the fish, the sharper the knife......and if Bloofish are parading the beach, I'll add the leader just because it's easier to tell on the leader, if the line gets damaged from Bloo-Teeth than on the braid.
Anything but beach-fishing gets a leader, swivel at the top..(which is where I'd tie a teaser if I opted to use one, hardly never do) and a breakaway on the lure end.
I used to do what Jimmy did, start off w/a long leader - end up with a short one. Another problem other than always having to re-tie with that is the knot itself. In the heat of good outing, a knot tied at home is more likely to hold than a knot tied while your buddy is landing on a lure that you're about to change over to. Just a little more preparation I guess. I do recommend the Breakaways, the larger ones though - I don't like tie-ing to split rings. I've been lucky at times to find the line working it's way out of the ring, and other times wondering how the lure got off leaving me a pigtail, but without breaking the line ???? ....:cens:

I think it is crazy to think a fish will see the snap and not a huge 4x hook hanging from it, if a fish spooks it's not because of terminal tackle.

Spinning I use a swivel and a snap

Conventional I use an uniknot to uniknot then a snap

Why would anyone who targets big bass bother taking chances with a swivel or a snap??? They break...Good knots won't....I've been tying direct..Albrite and Palomar knots..for years now and haven't had a problem with big fish...I used to use snaps and swivels...then I took my training wheels off...:laugha:

Jimmy, I'll give you a couple of Breakaways next time I see you. They seem to be foolproof(meaning even I can't screw them up):wave:

Breakaways - work great!!

Plugs when dark out breakaway clips. Full moon when it is shining like God's spotlight direct.

Why would God's spotlight reflect more off a black clip than off bright silver hooks? :confused:

How about that big, bright silver pan of a faceplate on a Danny or Atom 40?

I put split rings on all my plugs that didn't come with them. I used to tie direct to split ring. Equivalent action of snap with no snap failure. Then came breakaways. I use the bigger breakaway when possible or tie direct if I feel it is too big for conditions. Black swivels to keep blues away in case I'm fishing during daylight.

I also put split rings on my Canal jigs. When the hook eye started to rust, I didn't feel comfortable tying direct. No noticeable difference in results, but more confidence in line wear.

This doesn't really relate to the original question but since the ball bearing versus barrel swivel is in the discussion:

I've gone back to bb swivels even in the surf. As a braid fisherman I think it helps. With mono I'm not sure it effects things so much, but either way here's why: barrel swivels barely qualify to be called a swivel. Put some tension on the popular Spro Power Swivel and it only reluctantly turns. I think barrel swivels are at least partly just something to grab onto when landing a fish.

Here's my theory. Barrel swivels don't work that well and braid DOES accumulate twist that will encourage wind knots. Since braid doesn't really have much power to it's twist it will have a lot of trouble turning a barrel swivel to relieve the twist, but it can probably turn a ball bearing swivel even under pressure.

In practice (not theory) I'm fairly convinced now after a year or so that it helps in the surf. And I know for a fact it helps when I'm fishing for albies or tuna. (No snaps when chasing hardtails of course, just a bb swivel plus a fluoro leader with a loop knot)

Ball bearing swivels do cost more but they cost far less then a snarled bird's nest of expensive braid coughed up by a spinning reel in the darkness. As Flap said, your mileage may vary but if you deal with chronic bird's nests in braid on spinning reels it's worth giving ball bearings a shot. It isn't always "loose wraps" in the braid causing those tangles.

As for the main topic, I still use snaps when fishing for stripers as I don't like ending up with a short leader after changing just a few plugs. I like as long a leader as physically possible. I still use the old reliable R34 coastlock and I haven't even tried a Breakaway. I haven't had any failures that have made me feel like I need to change.

I've also seen too many big fish caught during the day in gin clear water on top water lures with a snap to think a snap matters , never mind in the darkness when fishing for stripers. If they like what you're throwing and how you're working it a snap just does not slow them down. Flats fishing for stripers is obviously a different game, but in general a snap doesn't seem to bother the bass. I do think as your lure gets smaller there more you have to think about going direct.

If it's a "subtle" presentation I think it might matter (6 or 7.5" Sluggos for example) but on a big splashy Pencil or Danny, no way.

When fishing mono to mono, chunking/slingin' snakes/sluggoing, i tie direct at least 4' to 6'of shock with an albright special to my spool line.

While Sluggoing; i tie a heavy duty (200/250#) blk or nickel bb swivel to my shock leader that has a hd breakaway snap ~ala Master McKenna~ tied with an improved clinch at the end of a 3' to 4' pre tied leader outta my leader wallet.

While slingin' eeeeeels; i tie a hd black/nkl barrel swivel to 4' to 5' of a pre-tied shocker that is snelled to my eeeeeeels hook that varies from spot to spot and eeeels to eeeeels, by size of both spot and eeeeeels.

While chunking; i simply add my pre-tied 3' to 4' leader via a hd spro bb swivel to my snelled j hook ~all of it, below the fish finder that has the appropiate bank sinker in rocks and pyramid sinker on the beach attached to it.

When plugging; i tie direct all the way ~starting out with Crazy Al's albright braid to mono, then i add 12'-14' of shock and tie direct to all my plugs. just cause i'm old school and the direct tieing also allows me to "downshift" during the craziness of a Big BITE. plus, the fact that i just like the feel and action of a solid end loop knot. if the booos come calling i'll add a 60# flouro pre-tied to a hd brkaway to a *broom handle with hooks*.

Just to touch on whether our prey "sees" any or all terminal swivels, i always thought that it was more of a "feel" situation. Hence the longer leader for eeeeeeling. i believe it is Daignault who talks about the potentiality of the Big Gurls feeling a swivel on thier lips and purging our offering because of it?? makes sense to me, and that is why he suggests such long leaders with eels, no? Big Striper, longer gullet = the necessity for a longer leader. Seems to me that his theory would translate to all other applications as well..................

Hope this helps, RIJimmy :hf1:
Good question, with lots of choices :heybaby: :heybaby:!

Wonder how many snap failures are caused by not adequately closing the snap?
Maybe that's why breakaways are becoming popular.
Me, I use coastlock.
Interesting theory on bb swivels and "wind" knots.

Just put an oversized split ring on the nose of the plug and tie onto it. Make sure you tie onto the section where there is only one strand of wire showing. If you tie over the doubled up section of wire, the knot may fail. As far as snaps go, you can keep them. They don't deter strikes, but they will all open under the right circumstances. A split ring will never open when used on the nose of a lure provided its sized correctly. You do need to make sure the split ring is not too big in diameter either as it may impede the action of a swimming plug if it rubs against the lure eye.

Wonder how many snap failures are caused by not adequately closing the snap?

or by not having your drag adjusted properly

Remember Bassdozer who used a snap "as big as a New York City cockroach"? I have been using the breakaways cause I don't like to retie all the time. I like the coastlocks too.

I won't use snaps anymore!! Last year I had a nice 30" Bass on and got it next to the boat, and the snap came apart. There went the best Bass of the season, and one of Dave's Eels.

It always interests me to see the varying opinions on this topic which truly run the enitre spectrum from minimalist to extreme. The fact that we all catch fish with these varying methods drives home the point there is no right or wrong, IMO. I use a snap, either Coastlock or Crosslock and never use a split ring to attach to a plug, but will with certain tins.