Should You Use A Swivel With A Spoon? (Surprising Experiment Results) 

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Attach a spilt ring to the spoon and add a swivel to the split ring C A Richardson tip

You need to put the swivel on a split ring and attach it to the spoon directly... your problem is solved. Another reason not to put the swivel between the leader and main line is because the weight of the swivel affects the action of the spoon. For example, my spoon retrieve on cold days (when fish are slower) - I only use the rod to pull the spoon thru the water and then quickly reel in 30% - 50 % (depending on depth) of the slack line. I let the rest of the slack line (floating braid) go with the spoon. The spoon will be fluttering straight down the water colomn..... get ready to set the hook because it will get smashed. Last thing: Use the lightest weight swivel that won't break.

Awesome demonstration! Also I find myself consciously keeping my retrieve slower when I omit the swivel with a weedless spoon...not a bad thing on the grassflats..

Great info. You’re totally correct with this demonstration.

Wow, now i know, many thanks sir Luke for sharing your fishing knowedge...

There is no tension doing the mono test. I have never have issues using braid or mono with swivels. i always use a swivel and splt ring when running spoons( and trolling). This test is so unrealistic. Thanks for sharing.

Muito bom o vídeo bem explicativo parabéns .

If your spoon is spinning your doing it wrong. It should wobble side-to-side and not spin. The spinning is caused by reeling too fast... so just slow down. You'll need a loop knot for the best action. Like a wing a spoon generates a lot of lift, so you can retrieve it very slowly without dragging the bottom. Another way to keep the spoon from spinning is adding a trailer, like a 3" curl tailed soft plastic grub. Pin the grub on the weed guard, then cover the hook point, this will make the spoon even more weedless. This technique works great for bass in Kissimmee grass, even better then a spinner-bait.

along these same lines, My quick change rigging consists of braid to main leader with FG knot; Main leader to lure (perfection loop knot connects to shorter leader with tactical angler clip); connects to lure with non-slip loop. (lures are pre-rigged to allow quick change). I have posted this before but AFAIK, no responses. I have not noticed any twisting. If using hard/stick lure, the lure connects to main leader with tactical angler clip or just tied with non slip loop.( I realize that many do not like using the clips opting to just re-tie). one caveat is that depending on the size of loop knots, the tactical angler clip can come off, but that has happened only once to me.

Can you retest this issue with fc leader ? Checking the twist on the braid proximal to the fc leader?

But if i'm using a mono topshot over braid (with a NiTi leader to the terminal), I should still use a swivel, right?

Would it make sense to use a small spro 80lb swivel on spit ring to spoon, and then time one at other end of mono leader and attach main line braid to the swivel? I do this to keep heavier spoons to work spoon controllable in surf. Opinion please. Thank you, love your videos!

Very interesting, good video

Any difference w a smaller swivel? I notice you have a 130# swivel. Or putting the swivel at the end of the leader?

Regardless, I've always used a 30lb. swivel. BUT .....it is connected directly to the spoon. Not like in this demo. But with the new Shimano Nasci reel, it's not so critical.

how do you get the twist out without a boat?

Braid to 6 inches 20 lb mono to swivel to leader to spoon. A bit clunky...but no twists. Same thing I do when fishing with popping corks to eliminate tangle

Luke, whats your take on this alternate method? I use a #1 ball bearing swivel, remove one of the welded rings and replace it with a small split ring which I attach to the spoon. I tie my 20lb. mono leader to the other ring.

So I go braid to mono/fluorocarbon about a 10+ leader before I tie to the swivel (I do this so that if I change lure I can get rid of the swivel) do you think that would have any effect on what you just showed us? Or would the braid still get twist?

What do you think of those angler clips?

Spoon is one of my favorite lures to use. And I have tried with a swivel and split ring with swivel attached to spoon what I believe is that it screws up the action of the spoon. I'm not saying to try it. it just doesn't work for me

Maybe a snap swivel on terminal end of leader at spoon connection?

On the Johnson Silver minnow I put a small split ring with a swivel onto the welded loop in front and get better action from the spoon and no line twist

Related: Braid is twisted as much as mono, in normal fishing, but we don't SEE the twists. We do see it in "wind knots". Pulling loose braid while motoring helps a lot.

I was going to set up a spoon and swivel. Have you tried the barrel/ ball bearing swivel? I think that swivel has better swivel action. I am still new to spoons just wondering if you had an update or trial and error.

If you move to a spro or owner ball bearing swivel it WILL prevent the line twist. It will make a few rotations 3-10 but then it 2ill spin freely. A few rotations hurts nothing. Having knot staljs in your line on braid especially in combonwith spinning reel socks. If you use a high quality ball bearing swivel is the key. But hey they are not cheap. But a swivel attached to a quick clip and leader allows quick changes with the swivel preventing line twist. You can then use the FG knotbfor a compact high strength leader to braid so no swivel to crash into your guide ring and chance cracking it. I like to carry 3-4 main type lures for inland fishing: kastmaster, paddletail gulp shad, rappala top water white walker with red nose or eye, and a white bucktail. If I add anything a magic swimmer slow sink sebile or berkley. That frankly should cover me for just about everything I can run into be it reds, snook, tarpon, black drum, mangroves, trout, blues, mackerel, flounder, whiting, jacks etc. Just about anything worth catching close to shore. Otherwise a cast net live pinfish or mullet or cut ladyfish and crab knuckle if we go bait.

Hey Luke, how would you get line twist out of braid if your shore based without a boat? Thanks

Hey Luke, Good experiment, but doesn't the water lube the swivel? Also , would the line twist that occurred in the braid weaken the braid? Thanks , Mike

Agree that the spoon should not actually rotate. But something else. That swivel shown is pretty poor. Use a ball bearing swivel or just forget it.

If you use a H&H Secret Spoon it comes with a barrel swivel hidden under a red cone cap that acts as a weed-guard and kinda looks like a red jig head. Simply tie your braid to mono/floro leader. Then run the leader through the red cone cap thingy. Then snug knot the leader to the swivel. My father is a big sight casting guy and almost exclusively uses that spoon for a decade and from my count has only had 3 fish spook. Those were all very close to the boat so that may have been the issue. The only thing we can't speak to is the line twist problem because we only use bait casting reels.

Cool video

Is your spoon rotating 360 degrees on retrieve? Why would the line twist 360 if the spoon is wobbling back and forth without making a full rotation?

Are there instances when you go straight braid to any type of lures or always have a leader line of mono or fluro?

drag the line behind the boat i have never heard this that is interesting! Then again… never owned a boat either 😅 but anyway that did answer my question about a swivel

If you use braid could you put the swivel in the leader?

Can you attach a swivel directly to the spoon instead of having leader then swivel then main line?

What if you attach the swivel to the spoon with a split ring will that make a difference

Not a ball bearing swivel?

Pretty sure I've seen this video already last year or so and the answer is "No you should not use swivel with a spoon". Also if your spoon is spinning, you're doing it wrong anyway because you reel it in too fast.

Thank you. But can you actually do a real life test ? Actually running the line through the pole and reel ?

I wonder if you tied an fg knot to mono, tie the swivel to mono, and finish with a mono leader that it would help with that issue?

The tension of the twist has to overcome the tension within the swivel then it will rotate, also get ball-bearing swivel(it has less friction and will be easier for the line twist to overcome). I use atleast one on every single rod. With a spinner I usually have 2-3 and I've never got any line twist in main line.

Can't you just put the swivel between the mono leader and the spoon?

I would say its not worth using a swivel with braid to flouro unless you are ice fishing using light lure and you dont want your lure spinning in a circle while twitching it

Good video

Cool

I just found this out and was like why do people use swivel exactly? Braid is 90% main line

Loop knot to the spoon. That's it!

Well, it depends on the shape of the spoon, and it depends on how you want to use it! No swivel nor split ring make the spoon less prone to spinning, which really is what you want to avoid when fishing it "mort manie" style. A swivel is suitable when using the spoon on the bottom only - lifting it sharply and leaving it full freedom to 'fly' back to the bottom.

braid to small leader to swivel to leader.

Most spoons come with swivels attached to the spoon.

yes i should use that swivel...

The type of swivel you use makes a huge difference. Cheap barrel swivels suck. Aftco and others have ball bearing swivels for trolling that are the best I've found. The kind in the video aren't as good as the ball bearing type, if you really need one. For trolling you want the best swivel you can get.

I double swivel mine with cheap huge eagle claw swivels from Walmart. Zero line twist with braid or mono. I install a swivel right on the spoon and one the leader. I also use the same swivels you tried for making leaders and spinner bait blades. They don't work the greatest as you've found out. The cheaper eagle claws in a large size work great. Imo the one on the leader makes the lure look like a baitfish chasing a big or smaller fish. Caught tons of fish this way. Running a single swivel as you have found will still twist the line.

Why not use a snap swivel on the end of your main line ?

No mater will still twist. Here is my tip after 50 years of fishing. On the rod side of the swivel, on the eye of the swivel, put 3 inch of mono, around the eye. Clamp a good size spilt shot, at least 1/4 ounce on the both ends of 3 inch mono, very close to eye. Your line will NOT twist anymore. If split shot slide down, make a knot behind split shot or use fast glue before clamping.

You cant blanked this statement. Cause your forgetting the water/river/drift variable to this explanation. In the water lm sure she spins naturally. On a desk yes but in water there’s that variable that needs considering. L never use swivels with spoons with my braid as mainline. Also the companies R&D on a spoon may not recommend this as it may impede on its intended action…anyveeee my two cents

Because you are holding it an inch from the swivel ... not out 50 yards as it normally would be.

You may have paid a lot but that's not a quality swivel. Ball bearing swivels are better. I've used spoons quite a bit for everything from northern pike to redfish and don't use a swivel the vast majority of the time because I keep my retrieve rate slow enough that the spoon doesn't spin, it just flutters.

Yeah it's pretty obvious braids will never be able to use a swivel and beaded chain isn't going to be any different moons on monofilament and Spinners with jig under on your braided. Moreover always tangle your braided and get that string as straight as possible.

Do not try and swivel a spoon, that's impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth...there is no spoon. Then you'll see that it is not the spoon that you swivel, it is only yourself.

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