using a small squid to cover your snap clip or swivel?

[Gut Wrench]

heard this around the dock yesterday,sounds like a good idea,we do it on our teaser snap clip but i worry about it causing a cutoff from a real hungry fish on our trolling rods..

what say you?

[Tuna Meltdown]

Gut wrench, All my spreader bars for tuna have a swivel at the last teaser squid before the stinger. That allows me to use the same bar but change out different size and color stingers. We have to deal with alot of bluefish up here all summer on the tuna grounds and I have not yet lost a rig from a bite off. Sounds lik a good idea to me.

[Randy Stinchcomb]

I agree, anything you can-do to hide/camouflage your terminal gear is a plus in my book.....
when Im trolling heavy "in line" leads, I'll usally dress them wth a Sea Witch (in front) or a skirt of some kind....

[Sawdust]

If you cover up the swivel completely, you WILL get narly line twist. The tenticals of the squid will catch the line just enough to create twists. Use small snaps. the kroc 130# are tiny and I have seen them hold up to big eye and blues.. I changed all my chains and bars too. Make sure the swivel is just behind the last sqiud, not shoved up inside.

[whitey]

If you fish in an area that has alot of toothy critters like King Macs, Bluefish or Wahoo I would not cover the swivels with squid skirts or you will eventualy loose a fish due to one attacking the squid.

If you are that worried about your swivels preventing you from getting bites use a wind on and crimp your hook directly to it or use a longer leader so your swivel stays out of the water while you are trolling.

[WAHOONBOX]

If you cover up the swivel completely, you WILL get narly line twist. The tenticals of the squid will catch the line just enough to create twists. Use small snaps. the kroc 130# are tiny and I have seen them hold up to big eye and blues.. I changed all my chains and bars too. Make sure the swivel is just behind the last sqiud, not shoved up inside.

If you fish in an area that has alot of toothy critters like King Macs, Bluefish or Wahoo I would not cover the swivels with squid skirts or you will eventualy loose a fish due to one attacking the squid.

If you are that worried about your swivels preventing you from getting bites use a wind on and crimp your hook directly to it or use a longer leader so your swivel stays out of the water while you are trolling.

GREAT ANSWERS HERE

ON A TEASER RIGGER I WOULD YES.....BECAUSE THEN .....A SQUID OVER A SWIVEL IS OUT OF THE WATER ANYWAY.....AND IS VERY EFFECTIVE AS A TEASER AIRBORE TROLLING

BUT TO COVER A SWIVEL WHILE TROLLING .....I WOULD RETIRE BEFORE I DID THAT


BUT NEVER ON MY MAINLINE SWIVEL!

[Randy Stinchcomb]

Ok, you guys are the pro's and I learned sumpton ..so thanks, no more cover swivels

[backman]

I had 3 rods rigged w/ small squids over the swivel and by the end of the season all had gone bye bye; 2 out of three w/ bluefin on and the small squid/snap swivel combo attacked by bluefish; the 3rd in a canyon, likely to a wahoo.

This is not the 1st or even 2nd year I have had this happen east of Cape Cod; eventually I will learn .

All hits on the small squid have been with the line tight so not only do I lose a lure but I also lose a fish. Tops this year was a tuna that had eaten an 18" squid bar (150$) and was dumping line from a 50 quite well thank you when it went limp. Fray on the end of the running line told the story.

If I feel the need to go super stealthy I cut off the snap swivel and either crimp or tie on a Spro 200# swivel and crimp the leader directly to the swivel.

Black magic marker is a must on the aluminum crimps w. bluefish around.

[hotrodmarlin]

I know a very sucessfull billfish tournament boat that puts squids on every swivel out there. I don't do it though....

[TROPHY SPORTFISHING]

teasers and dredge rods only not on a main line rod.