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snaps and swivels
Post 21 May 2023, 12:03 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 10/17/14
Posts: 68
Location: US-PA
With fishing season starting up, I'm getting my tackle ready. I've been taking a closer look at some things and I thought I would share what I've learned. Hopefully, someone will find this useful, or at least helpful. I don't use a real wide array of terminal tackle, just some things that work.

Snaps

For bass and walleye, all I use are duolocks. All spinning reels and casting reels with 12# line or less. I used to use Eagle Claw Lazer duolocks, they came attached to some cheap swivel I would cut off, but I can't find them anymore so I use VMC's. Except for color, they seem the same. I buy the 00 size, the smallest, if you've never used them, you can see how their size on my fingertip. Originally, I only used them for panfish, but I kept promoting them upwards. I've caught smallmouths to 5 1/2# and flatheads over 10# on them, I trust them, they have never failed. The mangled one in the picture held 21# and didn't open, that amazes me for something that small and light.

For muskies, there's been a progression. Originally, I used Berkley cross locks, I threw them away. I used the 30# snap for 27# line, one opened casting a lure, when one opened on a big muskie I chucked them.

I went to VMC touchlocks, I mostly used the #1, rated at 68#. They will hold that weight, the only thing is that around half that weight they start deforming. There's a #2 snap, rated at 94# in the picture that shows what 60# will do to it, but I needed needlenose pliers to open it. I trust them, but I suppose there's the chance that if one got in the teeth of a muskie, it could open it.

My goal is to catch the state record this year (good luck there, huh?) so I'm not taking any chances, and I'm switching over to McMahon snaps. I bought some stainless steel snaps from Amazon rated at 41#, some Rosco's from LPO rated at 80#, and some bulk packed ones from Ebay rated at 60#, the seller claims they're Berkley but there's no way to tell. The Berkley's and Rosco's are brass. Testing these, the Rosco's were the weakest, the one in the picture failed at 81#, it wasn't immediate, it just slowly opened up. My box only held 81# of weight, and the stainless Chinese snap held that, I applied pressure to the sides of the box with my feet and pulled and the snap failed, I'm guessing it was at least 100#, unlike the Rosco, the hooks broke off. That's pretty good for a snap rated at 41#. The Berkley's held to 100#, the one in the picture finally opened up but it performed extended duty at 80# and then 100#, another Berkley that replaced that one held 100# and is still usable.

Swivels

When I use swivels, I basically just use ball bearing swivels for casting for muskies. For this I use Eagle Claw Lazer swivels #01 and #02, also one off Ebay that was sold as an Eagle Claw Lazer, I like them because they're small. The picture shows 2 sizes of them on my fingertip next to the little duolock. I also bought some larger swivels for trolling, one is an Eagle Claw #2, the other was sold as an Eagle Claw #2 but is larger and looks different, from Ebay.

The #02 Lazer is rated at 40#, it's used for 27# line or less, it held 38# and came apart at 41#. The #01 Lazer is rated at #50, it's used with 36# to 50# line, it held to 56# and came apart at 60#. For some reason I didn't write down what the claimed Lazer swivel held, but I'm sure it held 81#, that may have been when the Rosco snaps started coming apart. I like these swivels because they fit through the rod guides, so I can leave them on the reel, although the biggest Lazer is too big for one rod.

The two larger swivels both held 81# with hardly any distortion, I didn't try to destroy them, they're both more than strong enough.

The pictures below show undamaged and damaged items except for the two large swivels, those are the tested swivels. Also the relative sizes of the McMahon snaps and Lazer swivels.

Tim






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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 23 May 2023, 12:45 • #2 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
I've never found ball bearing swivels to be required - micro-barrel-swivels work just fine.
I use titanium-single-strand bite traces for toothy salt fish and snook gill plates - the best ever was Mako brand from Ukraine, but the owner quit shipping to or accepting payment from the US during the '20 mail crunch over paypal charge backs.

Image
Image

I found a second choice in Dragon brand pike leaders from Poland. Must place a large enough order for DHL to be worthwhile.
More recently, I tried Knot2Kinky titanium pike leaders available in the US - same micro-swivels, and better snaps.
I like them.

My favorite micro-snap-swivels (without the titanium wire) for FW finesse are size 00 from Japan - unfortunately, the package is marked in Japanese, and I can't quickly locate an old order - if I need them again, I will.

For bass and redfish, I like "paper clips", specifically Tactical Anglers power clips.
25-lb for ML, and 50-lb for MH and larger hook eyes.
TackleAdvisors did proof load tests on paper clips, and Tactical Anglers was the only brand that came anywhere close to their test rating.

Image

I also don't tie a single-bend knot to anything (except fly tippet) - as my swivel photo shows, I loop-to-loop leader to swivels and paper clips - instead of point-contact, loop gives linear contact in the joint.

details

top to bottom - these are all about 12-13-lb test
American Wire with BB swivel
The fabled Mako that does everything perfect.
Dragon Brand - the snaps are less reliable
Knot2Kinky - killer snaps
Size 00 swivel snap
25-lb and 50-lb Tactical Anglers power clips.


hey - somebody else should play on this thread - terminal tackle info is good stuff.


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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 24 May 2023, 17:39 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
thanks guys, good info..

I was using generic duolocks for all my UL fishing, until one of them on a bite leader for pike, opened up while casting those big flies..
Got some Smith 00 and 000 duolocks instead, so far these have been very good - trout up to 20" and bass to 19" - and in testing both 8 and 6lb fluoro leader breaks every time with no visible damage or distortion even on the 000 size. Those are rated 7kg, the 00 9kg.

This lad gave the hardest fight I've had from a trout in years, in the 2100cfs of the Arkansas tailwater in Pueblo. Then he ducked into a tree, had to wade out and desperately smash through branches to get the line untangled. Luckily everything including the duolock held..



Haven't found anything I like for pike size as yet. The Mako snaps looked good and fished those confidently, until losing a pike when the wire leader frayed and broke. ??
The Tactical Anglers clips look solid, may try those next.
Bought some short wire leaders from Tim Holschlag's old shop, which have snaps on them. I've never liked snaps but if Tim trusted them I'm willing to try. Pike-on-the-fly season is over here until the fall unfortunately.

The #10 Spro swivel is rated at 35lb and it has been very reliable for me, both in terms of strength and non-tangling. It's small enough to go through fly rod guides. I use them for pike leaders and also on carp fly leaders, then 3ft of 8lb Maxima for tippet. That leader tests out at about 11lb when the Maxima finally breaks and I have absolute confidence in it for big carp.


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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 24 May 2023, 21:16 • #4 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
thanks Doug.

I know Mako uses braided Ti on their 3kg leaders, and uses knots there in place of those amazing micro crimps that are on their 6kg leaders.
I've never had a Mako failure or snap come open, though Lou had 3kg come apart on him (probably already caught 100 fish).
I've had Dragon snaps come open on me and lose a lure.
Knot2Kinky, the easiest to find here, don't have the slimmest crimps, but their snaps are the best.

I've had a lure come off a paper clip, but a redfish immediately takes a lure into its throat and crushes in a process evolved for cracking crab shells.
They sure are handy for swapping lures sitting on a kayak, and much stronger than tying a knot.



Last edited by bulldog1935 on 26 May 2023, 08:37, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 25 May 2023, 21:46 • #5 
Sport
Joined: 10/17/14
Posts: 68
Location: US-PA
It really stinks when you lose a fish because ag] snap opened. The duolocks are good but they're overmatched on pike and muskies. The problem isn't that they are such brutal fighters, they just have brutal teeth. I think the problem may be worse for you, because you're fishing flies, I would expect more of the fly to be in their mouth, which means the snap is more likely to be in their mouth also.

The thinking with snaps, is that their teeth can unlock them if the snap is in their mouth. I fish spinners a lot, which are relatively short lures, so that is something I have to consider. That's why I am going to the McMahon snaps, they have to be spread apart sideways and then the lure has to be threaded off. I don't see that happening in a fish's mouth. But I don't know if a snap that size would allow your flies to work correctly.

There are some serious muskie anglers who have lost some really big fish because the snap opened, who have given up on snaps, their solution might work for you. Instead of attaching the wire to a snap, they attach it to a split ring, and attach it to a lure. I suppose if the ring got in the teeth of a big fish they might be able to mangle it up, but I wouldn't bet stale doughnuts on it, and it would still be more secure than any snap. It would also be lighter and less bulky, and your fly would probably work better.

Here's a picture of my setup, this is still on a reel from last year, so the wire is a little kinked. One of those little EC swivels and a touchlock snap ( I'll be using the McMahons this year), the wire is bare seven strand and is attached to Cortland braided dacron. Yeah, I'm one of those Luddites, besides, I've got a lot of it, and Micron, and I actually like it better than the superlines.

I hope no ones fish get away this year
Tim



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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 26 May 2023, 07:01 • #6 
Sport
Joined: 12/04/11
Posts: 72
Location: US-MI
This is my kind of post that includes information that was hard won by experience. One of the more frustrating aspects of my fishing career has been when a good product is cheapened or no longer available. Snaps are a prime example. Hardly ever use a swivel since I was a kid as only the ball-bearing ones seemed effective and fishing in freshwater (bass, pike and Walleye) they seem unnecessary. When old-fashioned "safety pin" style snaps stopped being made in the USA quality went from bad to worse as manufacturing moved from Korea to China. In the 70's Netcraft sold ones that were stamped "USA" on the side which were the best I ever use. One of the first things I look for in an older tackle box is some of these snaps. I have used duo-loc style snaps but found with spectra braid it was constantly getting tangled on one of the protruding tips. The other aspect of using the older style snaps that I appreciate is that I am a "night fisherman" after bass in shallow water using surface lures. I do not want to turn on a light and spook bass so I change lures in the dark by feel. It is far easier to do this with the old-style snaps. I have been fishing for 70 years and have only had one snap fail. Even when occasionally hooking a large Bowfin (some of which have ripped the hook out of the lure) those earlier US-made snaps have held.


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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 26 May 2023, 07:56 • #7 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Nice photos Tim.
Bill, thanks for adding - maybe others will chime in.
Adding a metallurgy point about titanium wire vs. stainless.
Stainless wire is work-hardened when it's drawn - all its ductility was used up in the drawing process.
It won't take the abuse titanium wire can, and titanium wire remains elastic - it stretches and absorbs shock, where stainless wire can just pop.
Titanium wire will also tie clinch and snell knots - here, adding a stinger hook to a toothy fish lure I use for nite-lite Arroyo dock fishing -
- in fact, titanium wire won't twist a bimini.



Adding a point about the old style stainless barrel-snap-swivels.

Here's Mako next to the old-style 60-lb snap swivels.
No matter how hard you pinched these, bull reds in the surf frequently sent back snaps straightened into toothpicks.
(insult after the painful shock they sent down and back up your spine)


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 26 May 2023, 08:51, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 26 May 2023, 08:13 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/23/18
Posts: 614
Location: Eastern Wa
Great thread! Thanks guys for all the detailed terminal tackle info. The specialized gear details here are a great change to the standard department/sporting goods tackle one sees typically. Ron - I ordered some of the nickle-titanium leader stuff from Aquateko today.

Also I noticed there are fluorocarbon swivels available. I have never seen these before but have my reservations. They look interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc7Hpkk ... Nhc3dpdmVs


Last edited by fishhuntmike on 26 May 2023, 09:29, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 26 May 2023, 09:14 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 08/19/16
Posts: 314
Location: Brazil
Ron, when using titanium bite tippet, could you just use a loop knot of some kind and thus eliminate the snap?


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Re: snaps and swivels
Post 26 May 2023, 13:37 • #10 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Pete, most people use a 3-turn clinch knot for titanium wire direct to hook.
I like having the swivels and snaps.
One way to look at snaps is they let you remove the front split rings from your plugs.



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