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

Should you use a swivel when you use a spoon?

Most people use them to decrease line twists.

But do spoons actually help stop your line from twisting?

Well, it depends.

In this experiment, I rigged up a swivel and did a quick test to demonstrate how swivels handle line twists in real life.

I tried using monofilament and braided line as the main line to test out both scenarios.

Check out this video to see the surprising results.

Do you use a swivel when you use a spoon?

Have you experienced anything differently than what I found here?

Let me know in the comments below!

[robbiejohnson]

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

[brotharuss]

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 get ready to set the hook because it will get smashed. Last thing: Use the lightest weight swivel that won't break.

[DeeDee-vumi]

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.

[johnmoore]

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.

[jameshunt]

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.

[geosuy]

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..

[noobpyrotech]

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.

[THEADVENTURECHANNEL]

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

[seangodfrey]

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

[bobsmoot]

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.

[TexasRed]

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.

[mclark]

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

[edmundhenderson]

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.

[warrenlindsay]

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

[mypronounismaster]

how do you get the twist out without a boat?

[InfinityFishing]

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

[whatnow]

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?

[mikelee-nd]

I wonder if a ballbearing style swivel would react differently than a barrel swivel like you had.

[tylerbeebe]

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

[Boostedgsx]

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