Well oh well, we are going to introduce you to one of the misunderstood fishing techniques known to the world – the Swivel. We have been bombarded with a lot of questions from the audience to craft a guide on How To Use A Fishing Swivel For Inshore Catching. Therefore, after seeing so many comments and questions from our readers, we have finally decided to make a blog that includes the ideal situation to use a fishing swivel.
We are listing down some of the common queries people posted regarding the use of fishing swivels.
- Is it okay to use a swivel?
- If it is, where should the swivel be positioned on the leader assembly?
- In case I use a fishing swivel, what knots should I approach in order to tie it to a leader?
Considering as such, this blog post on how to use a fishing swivel will be discussing these 3 queries that will spread awareness and assist my fishing folks to have sound knowledge of the pros and cons of fishing swivels and the most effective way to rig them when they are being used. Also, if you want to share a tip or two about the use of fishing swivels, hit us up by dropping them in the comments below. We would be happy to learn from you!
Is there Even a Little Bit of Need to Use a Swivel to Fish Inshore?
A majority of angles have inquired about how to use a fishing swivel, and the honest reply to them is that whether to use it or not entirely depends on the type of fishing you are opting for and the kind of baits or lures you intend to use.
My fair amount of experience in offshore and inshore fishing says that the best results are acquired in the absence of swivels in a majority of cases. However, of course, there are some conditions when using swivels becomes important, so I always keep a swivel or two in a tackle box.
Since, as mentioned, fishing swivels should only be taken in exclusive situations, I am going to discuss those situations, and then we will hop on to reasons as to why I particularly believe the best is to avoid swivels in most of the situations.
Why Do We Believe That Fishing Swivels Are Best to Avoid While Inshore Fishing?
There are numerous reasons why we believe it is best to avoid fishing swivels while catching inshore. We have outlined 3 major reasons to avoid fishing swivels while inshore fishing.
There Is a Risk of Putting Fragile Main Line to Get Weakened
Though the weight of the majority of swivels is near to minimal, the smallest amount of weight could cause an issue and lead to dropping down the main fishing line rather than it would do with a line-to-line know, which leads to increasing the probability of odds of the comparatively lighter mainline rubbing up against any sharp stuff.
Moreover, there is also a chance of rubbing up against sharp oyster shells due to the slightest drop of the mainline, resulting in the creation of weaker points across the main fishing line that are usually known a little too late.
There Is a Risk of Damaging Rod Guides
I can still recall the very first time I noted the all-new fishing line looking worn as if it was being shredded by any kind of structure in deep waters.
But instead, I was hitting on grass flats, so there was not any such thing that could cause any damage on the fishing line. Thus, afterwards, I began searching at my guides for rods and detected a minimal fracture on the topmost one, which was by a sharp object within the guide.
With time, as the fishing line proceeded with its retrieval, it was directly pulling over the sharp object causing shredding the line.
I also began asking for advice in my fishing folks’ circle to know and understand the possibility of the fracture type. I understood that one of the most common causes of shredded rod guides was due to fishing swivels. All that was required was a strong blow, and a replacement will be required. Otherwise, the main fishing line will be chipped due to sharp objects. Doesn’t look too fun, right?
It Takes More Time to Tie Knots for The Swivel Than a Line-To-Line Knot
Though it more or less depends on your comfort level with the type of knot we are talking about. It is not that of a big factor; however, still, it entirely depends if you are easy with swivel knots or line-to-line knots. Also, keep in mind that each and every second matters when it comes to feeding fish.
And yes, the most important thing is that if you want to go with line-to-line knots while using swivels but do not have any idea as to how to tie them, try to learn to do the solid line-to-line knot.
Now, if you think that you are in a situation where using a swivel seems the best solution, we are going to drop down answers for two of the most highlighted questions we received regarding swivels for saltwater fishing.
What We Think Is the Best Time to Use a Fishing Swivel
One of the few benefits of using a fishing swivel is to prevent any twisting in the fishing line, so it is always a risk when twisting occurs in the line; hence, this is a situation when using a fishing swivel would be the best.
Read This: Twisting in lines is not considered good for anglers for they make the fishing line weak. Moreover, these situations can also lead the mainline to get twisted into knots while casting.
When do we recommend using swivels?
There are literally only a few situations or scenarios when we recommend opting for a swivel, and they are:
– While you are using a casting lure for a catch, which is already vulnerable to getting twisted during the retrieval. For instance, a weedless spoon.
– The second situation that calls for a fishing swivel is when you are trolling either live or dead baits that have a higher chance to get twisted. For instance, trolling ballyhoo when fishing offshore
– Lastly, a swivel is good to go while you are soaking either dead or alive baits in places with the current.
And yes, when you are using a bait or lure that carries a minimal risk of causing a twist in the mainline (which is a frequent cause for a majority of anglers while fishing inshore. What I simply do is just opt for a line-to-line knot to create the connection, which is elaborated below in the blog post on how to use a fishing swivel.
Which Is the Ideal Place to Position a Fishing Swivel
I am dropping down my advice for rare scenarios when you would opt for a swivel for fishing inshore. Literally, the ideal and best place to position a swivel (only if you decide to have one) is at the leader’s top, which is quite away from the hook or lures on the line.
Why this you must be wondering, well, this enables the fishing swivel to be on the mainline to absorb any twists that would occur from the bait, without creating any scenarios to being a little bulk next to the bait that may cause the fish to swim away for it can be a little spooky.
Another Note to Remember: If you have plans to fish inshore, it is highly recommended to check for tying leaders on the internet, it might help inshore anglers.
Are there any specific knots to tie a fishing swivel?
Before opting to host a lot of knot tests in the past year, I would always go for a knot that had been recommended to me by my family member or a good friend because I would always think that until or unless my knots are prevented from unravelling, they are the best ones.
However, it is no longer the case not, especially when I have seen the significance of a breaking point of a knot as compared to another one. Because, in some cases, only a single knot is 30 percent better. Therefore, I always tell people to test out different knots to make the line robust.
Wrapping Up
There are numerous ways in which you can apply swivels in saltwater fishing; however, when it is about the inshore fishing, I think it is just the best when swivels are not used except when there is a risk of twisting the line.
Though there is no guarantee that a fishing swivel would make twists all good, they can still help. Also, if you have something extra to tell us regarding different fishing applications where opting for swivels are going to be helpful, we would love to know about it. Drop your pieces of advice and tips and tricks regarding fishing swivels in the comments. Let get fishing’!