tying lurs

Question
Do professional fishermen tie there lurs to the line or do they tie them to swivles.

Answer
Hi Michael,

The answer is yes and yes!  

Some lures are intended to be tied directly to the line and some work best with a snap or snap swivel.  Lets go through some examples.

The worlds simplest lure, the jig, should always be tied directly to the line.  No extra hardware needed here.  Keep it simple and skip the hardware.  The only exception is when fishing toothy fish like Pike and Muskies that require a wire leader.  But even then, tie the wire direct to the jig.  No snaps!

Lures like plastic worms, lizards, and a million other soft-plastics that get rigged with a single hook always get tied direct.

Crankbaits and spinnerbaits can go either way.  Some guys tie them direct and some use a small snap.  I personally think that most crankbaits have a better action being attached with a small rounded snap like a Duo-Lock.  

The one case where you want a snap swivel is with in-line spinners like Mepps, Rooster Tails, Panther Martins, and Vibrax.  These spinners will twist the heck out of your line if you don't use a quality snap/swivel.

In general, use as little terminal tackle as you possible can in any situation.  If you do need a snap or snap swivel, use the smallest one you can get away with.  Look at the breaking strength on the package.  Even the smallest Duo-lock will test out at 20 pounds.  My favorite size, the #2 Duo-lock is rated for 25 pounds.  I have landed Chinooks over 30 pounds on them.  Remember that your line may only be 8 or 10 pound test so a snap that breaks at 20 or 25 is more than enough.

Good fishing