Small fishing tackle

Snaps and swivels at Charlie's Fishing: lure snaps, split rings, pliers and small fishing tackle for lure fishing

Snaps, split rings and other small parts are easy to forget, until one opens up on a good fish. On this page you find our small fishing tackle for lure fishing: lure snaps for crankbaits, softbaits and heavy pike lures, a snap with a built in swivel against line twist, heavy duty split rings, leader rings, split ring pliers, and the screws and small weights that let you tune a lure or a softbait rig. They come from VMC, Fiiish, Rapala, Stroft, Toppies, Illex and BKK, for pike, zander, perch, trout and sea bass. Below we explain which snap suits which lure, how strong it needs to be for each species, and what the other parts are for.

Which lure snap for which lure

A snap lets you change lures in seconds without cutting your leader shorter every time. The shape matters as much as the strength: a lure needs to swing freely on the snap to get its full action, and a bulky snap in front of a small lure can dampen it. The VMC Crank Bait Snap has a wider teardrop shape, which gives the eye of a crankbait or twitchbait room to move and helps the lure keep its action. It is made of stainless steel with a black nickel finish, from size 000 (10 kg) up to size 2 (44 kg). Our Kaesu Ohira article gives the same tip for big cranking baits: keep the connection compact so the wobble stays free. Find the lures in Crankbaits & Twitchbaits.

For softbaits, lipless crankbaits and light lures, a small and compact snap is the better choice. The Fiiish Snaps are compact stainless steel snaps that leave the nose of the lure free to move and stay discreet on a thin fluorocarbon leader. They come in five strengths: Ultra Light (8 kg), Light (10 kg), Medium (23 kg), Strong (30 kg) and Extra Strong (50 kg), 10 per pack. They are made for lures such as the Fiiish Black Minnow and Power Tail Evo; read our Fiiish Black Minnow guide and see the full Fiiish range.

The VMC Techset Snap is the all round snap for any lure, with a shape that is easy to open and close, even with cold fingers. It runs from size 00 (7 kg) to size 4 (28 kg), 10 per pack. For heavy pike lures, the VMC Stainless Crosslock Snap has a cross lock design that clips your lure to the leader, in size 0 (11.5 kg) up to size 4 (53 kg). The bigger sizes suit jerkbaits, glidebaits and big softbaits that put a lot of force on the snap when a pike shakes its head.

Swivels against line twist

Lures that rotate, spin or vibrate hard can twist your line on every retrieve. After a while the line curls, tangles and loses strength. A swivel takes that rotation away before it reaches your leader and main line. The VMC Crankbait Snap 360 combines the rounded Crankbait Snap with an integrated rolling swivel, so your lure moves and rotates freely while your leader stays straight. It is made for spinners, spoons, lipless crankbaits, chatterbaits and other high action lures, in size 000 (10 kg), 00 (15 kg) and 0 (17 kg), 10 per pack. Use it on spoons and metal lures from Metal Jigs and Spoons, and on light lures for Perch and Trout. On straight running lures such as crankbaits and jerkbaits, a plain snap is enough.

The VMC Switch Snap does a different job: it sits between your main line and your leader or rig, so you can swap a complete leader in seconds without retying. It comes in size 3 (14 kg), 4 (26 kg) and 5 (35 kg). The VMC Fluorocarbon Leader is a ready to fish leader with a snap already fitted, in 0.80 and 1.00 mm and 27.5 and 40 cm, 2 per pack, which pairs well with it. More leader material and wire is in Lines and Leaders.

Split rings, leader rings and pliers

Most hardbaits carry their hooks on split rings, and a split ring that opens up under load costs you the fish. The VMC Heavy Duty Split Ring (3562PO) is a stainless steel ring that keeps its shape under heavy load, for big lures, strong hooks and pike. It comes in size 3 (40 kg), 4 (47 kg), 5 (90 kg) and 6 (120 kg), 16 per pack. When you replace a split ring, use the same size the lure came with, or one size stronger for pike. We chose these rings for our Rapala x Charlie's Fishing Limited Edition Super Shadow Rap Glide; read the Limited Edition article.

The Stroft Vorfachringe Leader Rings are tiny rings for joining two lines. Tie your main line to one side and your leader to the other, and you can replace the leader without shortening your main line every time. Type 1 has an outer diameter of 2.00 mm (9 kg), type 2 of 2.50 mm (12 kg) and type 3 of 3.10 mm (16 kg). See the full Stroft range.

Opening a split ring with your fingernails is no fun. The Rapala Split Ring Plier has a shaped tip that slides into the ring and holds it open, so you can swap a treble or a snap in seconds. The Mag Spring system keeps the jaws open and ready, and it has a line cutter. The Rapala Mini Split Ring Plier is only 7 cm long, made for small split rings on perch and trout lures; its jaws also cut mono and most braided lines. The Rapala Mag Spring Plier (15 cm, stainless steel) is the all round plier for unhooking and cutting line. New trebles for your lures are in Hooks and Rigs, and other replacement parts in Spare Parts.

Screws and weights to tune lures and softbait rigs

Some small parts change how deep a lure or softbait runs. The Rapala Screw Diver System Weights are tungsten weights that you screw in by hand, in sets of 5 and 7.5 g or 10 and 15 g. They fit the Screw Diver System of the Rapala Super Shadow Rap Glide 11 and the Rapala Super Shadow Rap Glide 16. The Illex John Weight is a clip on weight that you attach near the centre of gravity of a minnow, jerkbait or swimbait to make it run deeper, from 2 to 28 g, 5 per pack; it also works as a compact weight on a dropshot.

For softbaits, the VMC Refill Screw screws into the head of the bait, in size M for small to medium baits and L for bigger ones. Fish it without weight for a shallow presentation, or add a VMC Refill Weight (10, 15, 20 or 25 g, 2 per pack) to fish deeper. You can rig a stinger on the screw too. The BKK Stinger Screw is a hardened stainless steel screw for fixing a stinger in big shads and paddle tails, made for shallow water, in S, M and L, 5 per pack. The Toppies Bone Rig Refill Kit Screw holds 3 screws to build your own shallow rigs and stingers. See the BKK Hooks and Toppies ranges for more.

Three small tungsten weights complete the set. The VMC Cheburashka weights are tungsten Cheburashka and Camorashka weights in 2, 4 and 5 g, 3 per pack, for the cheburashka rig with an offset hook; our Frapp Dotty Dart article shows that rig step by step. The Toppies Tungsten Bullet Weight is the bullet weight for the Texas and Carolina rig, from 3.5 to 14 g. The Toppies Nail Sinker is a tungsten nail you push into a softbait, from 0.45 to 1.8 g, made to fit the Toppies Wormius.

How strong should your snap be for each species

As a rule, the snap should be at least as strong as your leader, so the weakest point is never a small part you cannot see. But do not go much heavier than you need, because a big snap is more visible and can dampen a small lure. As a starting point:

• Perch and trout: 7 to 10 kg, such as the VMC Techset Snap size 00, the VMC Crank Bait Snap size 000 or the Fiiish Snaps Ultra Light and Light
• Zander: about 13 to 23 kg, such as the VMC Techset Snap size 0 to 2 or the Fiiish Snaps Medium
• Sea bass: about 10 to 23 kg, stainless steel for salt water, such as the Fiiish Snaps Light or Medium
• Pike with medium lures: about 20 to 30 kg, such as the VMC Stainless Crosslock Snap size 1 or 2 or the Fiiish Snaps Strong
• Pike with jerkbaits, glidebaits and big softbaits: 40 kg and more, such as the VMC Stainless Crosslock Snap size 3 or 4, the VMC Crank Bait Snap size 1 or 2 or the Fiiish Snaps Extra Strong

For pike, the snap always goes on a wire, titanium or thick fluorocarbon leader, never straight on braid. Rinse snaps and split rings in fresh water after a session in salt water, and replace any snap that has been bent open. Find the lures by species in Pike, Zander, Perch and Seabass.

Which small tackle for which situation

• Crankbaits and twitchbaits with a free action: VMC Crank Bait Snap
• Softbaits, lipless crankbaits and the Fiiish Black Minnow: Fiiish Snaps
• One snap for all your lures: VMC Techset Snap
• Heavy pike jerkbaits and glidebaits: VMC Stainless Crosslock Snap
• Spinners, spoons and chatterbaits without line twist: VMC Crankbait Snap 360
• Changing a complete leader without retying: VMC Switch Snap
• Stronger split rings on big pike lures: VMC Heavy Duty Split Ring
• Joining main line and leader: Stroft Vorfachringe Leader Rings
• Changing hooks and split rings: Rapala Split Ring Plier
• Making a hardbait run deeper: Illex John Weight
• Fixing a stinger in a big shad: BKK Stinger Screw

See all VMC parts in VMC, more small parts in Terminal Tackle, and the Rapala and Illex ranges.

Why buy snaps and swivels at Charlie's Fishing

Every product page lists the sizes, the breaking strain and the number of pieces per pack, so you know exactly what you order. Everything ships from our stock in the Netherlands, with fast delivery across Europe. Not sure which snap or size suits your lure? Send us a message and we are happy to help.

Which snap is best for crankbaits?

A snap with a rounded or teardrop shape, such as the VMC Crank Bait Snap. It gives the eye of the crankbait room to move, so the lure keeps its full action. On lures that rotate, the VMC Crankbait Snap 360 with its rolling swivel also stops line twist.

Do I need a swivel for lure fishing?

Not on most lures. A plain snap is enough for crankbaits, jerkbaits and softbaits. A swivel helps with lures that spin or rotate, such as spinners, spoons and some lipless crankbaits, because it stops your line from twisting.

What strength snap do I need for pike?

For pike with medium lures, about 20 to 30 kg is a good start. For heavy jerkbaits, glidebaits and big softbaits, choose 40 kg or more, such as the VMC Stainless Crosslock Snap size 3 or 4. Always fish it on a pike proof leader.