How to you attach your jigs/lures to your line????

[petepup]

Okay, I have been using the quick connect snap swivel to connect my lures and jigs to my rods, but was wondering if this is why I am not catching any thing. I am thinking it limits the actino of the jig/lure. When I use Woodys spinners I tie them directly to the line.

When I surf fish, I use a quick connect swivel, but use a leader that is tied to the lure or jigs. So should I use the same practice when tyring to jig for rockfish?

Any thoughts would be great.

Thanks
Pete

[bignose]

I don't use swivels for most of my fishing. I prefer to tie my leader, either mono or flouro directly to the lure.
If you are using a lure that causes line twist, I use a swivel between the main line, and the leader.
Use ball bearing type swivels. Barrel swivels are virtually useless.
It depends on the size of the swivel and the size of the lure.

[NoleAnimal]

I think the key piece is the "snap" rather than the swivel. It allows for quick changing of lures. I use snap swivels on all my rods and I pre-rig everything so I can change from many different styles of artificials and even to a regular hook for live bait free-lining. I have yet to catch any sizeable rockfish, but I tear the perch up with swivels on all my lines. Even on Woody's jigs. I highly doubt it limits any action of the lure. I have used snap swivels for years to catch everything in both fresh and saltwater... bluegill, crappie, catfish, bass, redfish, speckled trout, cobia, grouper, bonito, tripletail, spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, bluefish, amberjack, snapper, white perch and it never seemed to make much of a difference if I used a snap or not. I can't imagine that stripers are that much more sensitive than all those other fish. I did catch two rock this past weekend (one 7" and one 8") on one of Woody's jigs with a snap swivel. Hopefully the rock go like the perch did and once I catch one or two, the dam breaks and I get this fishery figured out.

[tacklemake]

I tie straight to the line no leader.............woody

[axxell33]

So should I use the same practice when tyring to jig for rockfish?

I'm sure results are mixed, but I've had bad luck using snap swivels directly tied onto jigs. I have no problem using them for some other rigs, but I will absolutely never use them on a jig head with BKD or any other type soft plastic we use and refer to as LTJ. Perch don't seem to mind.. you could catch them on soda can tabs if you had to. Rock fishing is hard enough, so I do everything to make the presentation as real as possible. I always have a clear mono leader tied onto my braid, I use cover scents, and sometimes that's not even enough. That doesn't mean that during a peak feeding time you can't catch a Rockfish with a snap swivel.. but between feeding times, they can be very finicky.. presentation is everything. We make a boat payment, pay insurance, buy expensive gas, and spend the time finding the fish.. then we use a snap swivel to save time? Why put the odds against us just out of pure laziness?

There's a knot for almost everything. Learn to tie them, and you'll never need to buy any of that terminal tackle for jigging again. I use this one all the time. It gives free motion to the jig, it's easy to tie, it holds perfectly with mono and I have never lost a fish on it.

JIG LOOP

[axxell33]

And here's how to attach your mono leader to braid.. the Double Uni Knot

http://www.proknot.com/html/double_uni.html

[petepup]

Thanks all, I will be out on the water this Sunday with the boys and my father-in-law. I will try some jiggin then and let you know how it works.

[NoleAnimal]

I think I'll start rigging one rod with a snap swivel and one without for a while to see if I can notice any difference. The point about a little time saving versus all the other effort we expend is well taken. I'm just curious to see if I can notice any difference now.

[mill686]

I use the Uni Knot for everything, including attaching the leader to line. I use a flourocarbon leader. Makes it easy to lift the larger fish out of the water. It is also more durable than 6 or 8 lb line for the toothy critters. Swivels? Sometimes, especially when jigging spoons, as they will twist the shit out of your line.