Swivels in Fishing: When to Use & When to Skip Them

Question
What are the guidelines for when and when not to use swivels to attach a lure to a line? I seem to do very well when I tie an inline spinner directly to the line, but not as well when directly tying on a spoon. Can you tie on a spoon if it has a split ring? What about stickbaits and crankbaits? Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Pete

Answer
Hi Pete,
I rarely use a swivel for anything, unless with using a spinning reel with something like a crankbait, or any other lure that pulls hard on the line while the spool is revolving.

Since I use mostly casting rigs, swivels are not used, except for when using a Carolina rig.

I will use clips on my crankbait rigs, mainly because I want to make a quick change.

A spoon can be tricky, but a split ring is a good idea.

Hope this has helped, and if you have any further questions about this, or anything else, just drop me a line.

Best of fishing,
Dan