For many anglers, the choice between tying directly to a lure or using hardware like snaps and snap swivels is an ongoing debate. Both tools are simple in design—a snap is nothing more than a bent piece of wire, while a swivel is a small barrel-shaped metal connector with rings on each end.
Yet despite their simplicity, the decision to use them can influence everything from lure performance to landing big fish. Understanding what snaps and snap swivels do, along with their strengths and weaknesses, can help anglers make more informed rigging choices on the water.
A snap is designed for speed and convenience. One end attaches to your line, while the other end opens and closes to accept a lure. This small piece of hardware allows for instant lure changes without cutting and retying.
A swivel, on the other hand, is a rotating connector that reduces line twist—particularly useful when fishing lures like inline spinners or spoons. When the two are combined into a snap swivel, anglers get both benefits at once: the ability to change lures quickly and the ability to minimize line twist.
Advantages
One of the biggest advantages of snaps is the efficiency they bring to lure changes. When experimenting with different sizes, colors, or styles—especially with lures like crankbaits—it can save enormous amounts of time. Snaps also offer a unique benefit for young anglers or beginners who haven’t mastered knot-tying. With a snap, a child can confidently switch lures on their own, gaining independence without needing constant assistance.
Snaps can also help preserve expensive leader material. Every time you cut a lure off, your leader becomes shorter. If you are switching baits frequently, this adds up quickly and you will find yourself soon retying new leader to your main line. A snap allows unlimited lure changes without sacrificing leader length.
Another hidden advantage is that a snap or snap swivel can sometimes prevent bite-offs from toothy fish. While not a substitute for a true wire leader, the small metal hardware occasionally serves as a buffer between the fish’s teeth and your fishing line.
Snap swivels also offer the important benefit of reducing line twist. Anyone who has reeled in a lure only to find their line coiling around the rod tip—or exploding into a bird’s nest—knows how valuable this can be. With certain baits, a snap swivel can make the difference between smooth casting and a frustrating tangle.
Disadvantages
Despite these strengths, snaps and snap swivels come with notable drawbacks. The added weight of the hardware, small as it may be, can negatively influence floating lures. Many floating crankbaits are only barely buoyant. Adding a snap swivel may cause them to sink or alter their intended posture in the water. This can be an issue for topwater lures where presentation and balance are critical.
Another concern is durability. Some snaps, especially the straight-wire designs, can bend or straighten under heavy pressure. This can lead to heartbreak on the water when a large fish pulls free along with your lure. Using the hooked-wire style and selecting a snap with a proper strength rating helps minimize this risk, but it remains a concern for anglers targeting big fish.
The most debated drawback, however, is whether snaps and snap swivels change the action of a lure. The results of testing tends to show slight differences in how each lure behaves. Anglers can review any of the numerous online videos that test lure action and decide for themselves whether the trade-offs are acceptable. Some may appreciate the convenience of quick changes, while others may feel that even subtle variations in action are not worth the sacrifice.
Summary
In the end, choosing whether to use snaps or snap swivels is a personal decision shaped by fishing style, target species, and priorities on the water. For some, the time-saving convenience is invaluable. For others, preserving the pure, intended action of the lure outweighs all other considerations. What is certain is that understanding both the advantages and disadvantages of snaps and snap swivels helps anglers make smarter choices—and ultimately become more productive each time they hit the water.