Question for guys who use braid > swivel > leader on walleye rods

How do you not get fed up with the swivel hitting and getting stuck in your rods first eyelet? Just get used to not reeling up too far?

I don’t know if you are trolling or not but just don’t reel all the way

Peterbob wrote:

I don’t know if you are trolling or not but just don’t reel all the way

Oh I’m not, I’m switching all my lines over to this method this season, my fishing buddy swears against it said he had nothing but problems. Having not done this yet I was curious what I may have been missing.

And I want a little fuel to go back and give him some grief

Use a double uni knot and if you need swivel put it closers to bait. I use the double uni knot to a couple feet of floral carbon then you can add a swivel with a couple of polymer knots. I’m sure there are other ways but this works very well for me. Good luck

Either a double uni knot or a blackbird swine for center pin float fishing. If I’m in the shanty I like braid. If I’m outside in the cold then I like fluoro. Line stretch really doesn’t show up until you’re in 20+ FOW. In the shanty I don’t ice up and I like the quicker short hook sets. Outside the fluoro doesn’t ice up as bad and you can set the rod as high as you like.

I use the FG knot. Then you don’t need a swivel. Unless you’re using the swivel for line twist. If that’s the case use a snap swivel right where you put your lure.

As stated before, not a huge fan of braid outside due to freezing. So you may want to do only a couple rods to see how it works for you before you go whole hog on all of them. This way if you don’t like it you only have a couple to return to mono.

We primarily fish in shacks these days which is prompting me to switch. Two of my rods go braid right to lure and I want to add in the leader.

I just have a short enough leader so I can use the hook keeper and keep my swivel out of the eye.

Last year I added a swivel just for line twist. But basically i used about an 18 inch leader. Whatever was short enough that i could hook the bait to the hook keeper without reeling the swivel into the eyelet.

If using fly guides or REC guides you’d probably be able to reel the swivel up anyway. But I also felt like it would be annoying reeling so I kept the leader fairly short.

Tucker

P.s. I also recommend switching over just a rod or two to braid first. I tried it on a panfish rod and was surprised I didn’t think it added to the feel that much. My theory is that the braid was stiffer and didn’t straighten out enough to give good feel. Maybe I just needed a thinner or different braid.

But either way it almost felt harsh on the hookset. I like braid on my long rods in the summer but it wasn’t as great as I hoped in the winter. It will freeze up fairly quickly if you aren’t in a shack but sounds like you’ve considered that already.

I use a double uni knot with about 6′ of fluorocarbon leader material. For what’s it’s worth, fluorocarbon marketed as leader material is not the same as ‘reel fill’ line. The leader material ties better line-to-line knots and is generally thicker and tougher.

About 18″ up from the quick snap that is attached to the bait, I tie in a ball bearing swivel.

I prefer this way over the braid to swivel routine, which has highly-visible braided line just 18-24″ away from the bait.

Regardless of application I run leaders from braid to fluorocarbon. I’ve never seen the need for a swivel.

I use and Alberto knot…quick and easy to tie and unbreakable if done right.

Dusty Gesinger wrote:

I just have a short enough leader so I can use the hook keeper and keep my swivel out of the eye.

curleytail wrote:

But basically i used about an 18 inch leader. Whatever was short enough that i could hook the bait to the hook keeper without reeling the swivel into the eyelet.

Yep and yep A little care at home to get the right length prevents issues in the cold, dark, and frosty beverage environment on the ice.

I use the smallest swivel I can find and a short 18-20″ leader with a fast no snap connector on the end so I don’t have to cut the line to switch out lures.

Dan Baker wrote:

I use the smallest swivel I can find and a short 18-20″ leader with a fast no snap connector on the end so I don’t have to cut the line to switch out lures.

Bingo

I don’t use a swivel; I tie a seagaur knot from my braid to flourocarbon. Works a lot nicer in my opinion. The swivel is just a pain.

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dan Baker wrote:</div>
I use the smallest swivel I can find and a short 18-20″ leader with a fast no snap connector on the end so I don’t have to cut the line to switch out lures.

Bingo

I do the same when using swivels.

I really only use a swivel for baits that spin a lot. Mostly just Jigging Raps and Swim baits / Tubes for trout. I don’t find that jigging spoons really need a swivel.

Dan Baker wrote:

I use the smallest swivel I can find and a short 18-20″ leader with a fast no snap connector on the end so I don’t have to cut the line to switch out lures.

X3. Short leader and snap.

Using a barrel swivel I start with about a five foot snell. It shrinks with every re-tie until it is around 18 inches then the snell is replaced and I start over.

Lots of great advice.

Use both a uniknot and/or a tiny barrel swivel.

There are times a direct tie works, but more often than not, a leader is neccessary. Like’s already been said, a swivel depends on application and personal preference.

If it’s working, use it. If it’s not, switch it up till you find something that works best for you and how you fish.

https://mustad-fishing.com/product/black-rolling-swivel?color=Black&size=14&quantity=12

Smallest swivels I’ve ever found! Use rods with larger eyes lol I don’t build rods with guides small enough that a #14 swivel would get hung up in

Here are the swivels I use. I used them for float rods on steelhead with great success.
https://www.fishusa.com/product/Blackbird-Swivels-by-Redwing-Tackle