Tieing Lures

Question
Jack,
What is the best way to tie a lure to your line that will allow you to change lures easier and quicker when trying to find the one the fish like best. I have a friend who uses a swivel with the safety pin closure to change his quickly.  He is fairly successful.  As a kid I was always told not to have anything near the bait that would distract the fish.  What do you recommend?  Thanks.
Terry

Answer
Terry; There are a number of ways of tieing lures to one's line.  As to the use of a swivil-snap, I cut off the swivil and tie the snap on my line to change lures quickly.  I feel the snap allows more freedom of movement of the lure.  There are some lures that I do not use a snap.  For instance most any soft plastic such as a worm, a senko, lizzard etc.  I tie the hook on using a palomor knot.  That spelling doesn't look right but anyway this knot is easy to tie and is very stong.  Double the line about 4 inches and put the doubled end through the eye of the hook.  Tie the doubled end around the doubled line using a simple overhand knot.  Be sure the overhand knot is in the doubled line.  Next pull the hook through the loop making sure the entire hook is through  and pull snug.  Cut off the tag end and fish.  I use this same knot to tie on my snap.  With the snap you must be very careful to get the snap all the way through the loop or it will foul.

Another good knot that I learned from the mates on a deep sea fishing boat also works well.  Put the line through the eye of the hook  then bring the end around and make a loop. Put the end of the line through the eye again and make another loop.  Next bring the end through BOTH loops formed and snug down.  If you miss one loop the knot will slip but if you get both and pull tight it will not slip.  Cut off the tag end.

Another knot is similar.  Put the line through the eye then make six turns of the end around the main line then tuck the end through the loop between the turns and the eye of the hook.  I used to use this one but have found the other two I already gave you are easier to tie, have a smaller knot and are just as strong if not stronger.

If you are fishing for bass I do not believe that a snap without the swivil will not affect the bite when using a crank bait, a topwater or spinner bait but I think it will certainly have an effect with soft plastics.

I hope this has been of some help.  I do not know what happened.  I clicked to answere your question the other day and it said the question had been removed.  Then today I got a note from Katie saying I had a question to be answered so I clicked on it and there it was.   Sorry about that but it was a technical mess up.

If I can be of help with other questions please feel free to contact me again.

Jack L. Gaither
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