Was down taking a friend fishing in bridge city last week. Mother had her son were we were fishing letting him just mess around. He had one of the little pre-made carolina rigs from walmart with the neat "easy to use" snap swivel.......

I sat and talked to them for a while, and noticed as he pulled it in the swivel was starting to straighten out. I offered to tie him a new leader on, but mom just wanted to bend it back into place....

Sat and waited a little while and hear hollering from the otherside of the bridge. Hes got something pretty large on the line. Shure enough, bout three minutes into it he has no hook and fish...

I broke down and put a new rig on it for him after that(had some 50 pound flouro in the box(sall i had on me). We saw what straightend him out to. Bout ten minutes later they pulled a 3+ foot gar out of the same spot:D.


Ive been trying to tell a certain friend for years hes an idiot for insisting on using the stupid things. He thinks there more effective and will keep him from getting broke off......


Regardless, morale of the story, Dont use leaders with snap swivels on them. A uni-knot is not a hard not to tie, take the extra five minutes or less to put a hook on properly.

I make my own leaders for sharks, so if something messes up its my fault for not crimping the cable or mono right. I use snap swivlels for the weights, and ive made a couple of leaders with 2 hooks and used snap swivles to put both hooks on or take one off and only use one hook and havent had a problem, but that maybe be becuase Im useing 450 pound swivles or stronger.

yeah there are properly made swivels that can be used if needed, but not the little cheapos!

Those little carolina leaders are good for fish like trout,redfish, or if in freshwater, catfish. However, I used those things for several years when I first started fishing as a kid and cant remember when I ever had a problem with them. As long as you retire the ones that have been weakened by the saltwater. Alot of times, people just dont realize that the clasp has come loose and the hook just works its way off. You must remember to check this on every cast and you will be just fine.

Just not worth the risk to me. Its to easy to tie an albright and a good uni-knot to have a big bull or something come along and straighten one out. I used to use them all the time, but theres no point in having a steel leader with cheap swivels . Plus it save me a buck or two everytime i hang up

I don't use anything that "snaps". In fact I tie power pro directly to my lure or hook.

I no longer worry about knots coming loose, shell cutting my mono or flouro leader, or a leader breaking.

I just have to be conscious of not pulling the fish' head off

I too fish braided and tie all of my lures directly to the braid. I do not like to mess around with extra terminal tackle when it is not needed.