How to Tie a Fishing Swivel

Ineffective fishing setups may leave you with lost tackle or worse, lost fish. Learning successful fishing tackle setup and using it consistently increases the odds of keeping fish on the line and tackle in your box, where it belongs. Successful anglers are proficient in several skills, including tying swivels on the fishing line using clincher knots. Correctly tied, the clincher knot will hold the swivel and line together to make fishing trips more productive.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Extra spool of fishing line

Step 1

Pull free 2 feet of fishing line. For line still on the spool, unravel the line and place a rubber band around the spool to keep the remainder of the line from unraveling. For line from the reel, release the bail arm and pull the line to the desired length. Flip the bail back to its original location before continuing.

Step 2

Choose the swivel type and size from among the three primary categories: snap, barrel and three-way. Each type of swivel allows specific types of the bait or lure to spin freely in the water.
Snap swivels have an eyelet on one end and a snap on the other end, and they can connect directly to lures or to pre-tied leader. Snap swivels are used for rapid change of tackle. Barrel style swivels have eyelets on both sides and tie leader line to the line on the reel. Three-way swivels have one eyelet on the pole side and two eyelets on the tackle side.

Step 3

Hold the swivel with the loop up, in your off hand, which is the hand you least favor. Thread approximately 2 inches of the end of fishing line through the loop in the swivel to begin creating a clincher knot to tie the swivel to the line.

Step 4

Fold the portion of the line threaded through the loop back against the remaining fishing line. Wrap the 2-inch end section of line around the other piece in a twisting motion at least five times but not more than 10.

Step 5

Pull the end of the fishing line back through the loop directly above your swivel. Passing the line through the loop, pull the end loosely and thread it back through the large loop between the top twist and the swivel.

Step 6

Pull gently the end of the line while sliding the coils down towards the swivel. You should be pulling the slack from end of the line and coils simultaneously. The coils created from wrapping the line end around itself should stack uniformly.

Step 7

Cut the leader line from the spool to the desired length. Leave the rubber band in place on the spool to prevent excess line unraveling. Reel the line back into the reel. You are ready to begin fishing.

Tips & Warnings

Always pull gently when tying fishing knots

When in doubt, use more line and cut the excess once you complete knot

If you knot appears to be weak, cut it off and tie another one -- test your knot by pulling on the line from both sides simultaneously

Article Written By Jeremy Slaughter

Jeremy Slaughter is a tax, accounting and small business expert. After completing his master's degree in accounting at Keller Graduate School of Management, Slaughter co-founded an accounting and tax firm where writing plays a daily role.

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