Shot at 2007-06-29
Shot at 2007-06-29
Shot at 2007-06-29
A fishing swivel is a small contraption consisting of two rings connected to a pivoting joint. The entire device is usually made of metal, and the pivoting joint is often a hallow ball or barrel shaped entity. To one of the rings, the line from a rod and reel is tied. To the other ring, a length of fishing line, often terminated by a hook, lure or sinker, is tied. The main purpose of the swivel is to allow the line to untwist during line retrieval, and thus prevent undesirable tangling of fishing line. This is particularly important for users of monfilament test line. A latent effect of the fishing swivel is that it can serve as a resatraint for a sliding sinker, which depending on fishing method may be placed before or after the swivel. Snap swivels have a safety-pin like clip linked to one of the rings, known as a snap. Lures may be affixed directly to the snap. It is postulated that the pesence of the swivel can detract from the effectiveness of some types of lures.[1] Depending on the proximity and conformability of the lure, the hooks can become entangled in various ways with the swivel. It is also noted that swivels can serve as weak points in the line, and therefore lessen the likelihood of landing larger or harder fighting fish.[2] Three-way swivels provide a point of connection for an additional lure or length of line, and are essential for certain line and hook setups. Fishing swivels come in sizes ranging from a few millimeters to several centimeters, and are traditionally either flat black or brass in color. More modern swivels can be obtained in lustrous red and blue varieties. It is quite possible that the swivel color plays a role in attracting fish. Small fish have been caught, despite the absence of bait, with the open snap of the swivel serving as a hook
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