Knot Puller – An inexpensive tool which can be used for pulling knots tight when it is awkward to grip or hold a swivel, hook or other item of terminal tackle.
Rig Wallet – Very useful for storing rigs once they are completed and taking them on a fishing session. Rig winders – foam discs that have rigs wrapped around them – are becoming a popular alternative (or addition) to using rig wallets. Sets of ten Red and Green Rig Winders are available from Sea Angling Shop for £4.79.
Terminal Tackle Bits Boxes – Larger boxes can be used to store terminal tackle components at home, while smaller boxes can be used to take a selection of clips, links and hooks fishing.
Most anglers who have been sea fishing for several years will have built up a supply of terminal tackle components which they can use to make rigs. The following list is far from exhaustive, but having all of the components listed below will allow every single rig featured on this website to be made. Clicking on the links will open a new window to Amazon or Sea Angling Shop to view and purchase the product.
Very large hooks: For anglers fishing for the largest species such as skate, conger and top anglers may use hooks up to size 8/0, such as Cronus’s Dark O’Shaughnessy hooks which are available in sizes 5/0 – 8/0. Alternatively, WSB Tackle’s Mono Conger Trace consists of a size 8/0 hook attached to a length of 200lbs monofilament.
Large/strong hooks: When fishing for species such as cod, big bass or pollock large and strong hooks should be used such as Cronus O’Shaughnessy hooks, which come in sizes up to 6/0. Kamasan B950u Uptide Hooks are another pattern of hook which is strong and reliable and favoured by anglers fishing for large species.
General sea Fishing hooks: Size 1/0 or 2/0 hooks are the best choice for general sea fishing as they are small enough to catch fish weighing around 1lb such as small bass, coalfish and whiting, but can also handle any larger specimens which come along. Kamasan B940 Aberdeen Hooks are ideal hooks for this purpose, as are Cronus Silver Aberdeen Hooks.
Smaller hooks: Rigs for smaller species such as flounder, dab and pouting should be made with size 1 hooks. Cronus Black Aberdeen hooks are lightweight but strong and would be a good choice.
Mini species hooks: When targeting small species such as rockling, topknot and poor cod Cronus Flatfish hooks in sizes 4 – 6 are ideal.
60lb breaking strain line for rig body – Trace Builder 60lb Clear Rig Body Line is a good choice for making sea fishing rigs.
15 – 30lb b.s. memory-free line (for hook snoods) – Amnesia Snood Line is an excellent memory free line and is popular with UK anglers, as is WSB Specimen Mono.
Cronus Black Nickel Swivels are ideal for rig making. They are high quality and available in the above sizes, with prices start at just 79p for a packet of twenty. View and purchase by clicking here.
Rig Clips – used to clip down hooks in pulley rigs (Extended Rig Clips for larger baits are also available).
Drilled Bullet weights or Cylinder Weights – used to add weight in float rigs, or to add casting weight to a light jelly lure.
Sets of terminal tackle which contain a selection of different terminal tackle items are available from Sea Angling Shop. As well as providing a saving compared to buying all of the items individually these terminal tackle sets allow anglers to quickly and easily acquire the items necessary to make a range of rigs:
Sea Angling Shop New Filled Component Box – This set contains nine different terminal tackle items including Cronus sea fishing hooks in a number of different sizes, teardrop links, rig beads, attractor beads, crimps, snood swivels and top swivels. This allows anglers to make their own rigs or to top up their terminal tackle collection with new terminal tackle products. Available for only £6.49.
Hook Selection ProfileSea Angling Shop New Hook Selection – A wide range of hooks from sizes #4 to 4/0 are included in this set, meaning that anglers will have everything they need to catch the wide range of species found around the UK. The patterns of hook featured in this set include Cronus Aberdeen, O’Shaughnessy and baitholder hooks and Angling Works circle hooks. In total seventy individual hooks are included in this set. Available for only £7.49.
Sea Angling Shop Complete Terminal Tackle Collection – This set contains a total of eighteen terminal tackle items including Trace Builder rig line, WSB Specimen snood line, Cronus hooks, links, rig beads, attractor beads, clips and bait shields. Indeed, this set contains everything anglers need to make all of the major rigs used in UK sea fishing. Available for £24.99.
Many anglers start out purchasing ready-made rigs and then move on to buying their own components and slowly building up a supply of terminal tackle items so that they can build rigs to suit the species they target. Most anglers take a selection of rigs with them on a fishing trip so that they can change and adapt their tactics depending on how the fishing session develops. For example and angler may start fishing with a rig using a size 4/0 hook to catch cod, but if they are not biting having a supply of rigs will allow him or her to swap to a multi-hook rig with size 1 hooks to target smaller species such as whiting or flounder which may be present. Conversely, an angler being plagued with small species such as pouting taking the bait he or she has cast out may switch to a rig with a size 4/0 hook or larger in the hope that smaller fish cannot take this bait into their mouths and it will instead attract a large bass or cod. Creating a selection of rigs and then choosing the correct rig for a given sea fishing situation is an important aspect of sea fishing and one that all anglers enjoy developing over the time they go sea fishing.
Pre Tied Carp RigsThe key to hooking a prize catch is to start with a solid line that provides the right balance between visibility, weight, and control. There are many different ways to rig a fishing line, depending on the equipment you’re working with, but each method has a couple of things in common—a basic understanding of the type of tackle being used and an effective, well-tied knot to hold everything together.
Tie a fishing hook onto your line using an improved clinch knot. Pass the end of your leader line through the eye of the hook until you have 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) of loose line on the open side. From here, loop the line around your index finger and double it back on itself, making sure to keep your finger inside the loop. Wind the line around itself for 4-5 turns, then thread the end through the finger loop and pull it until it’s nice and tight.[1]
A basic #6 or #8 hook with a long shank (the straight section between the eye and the point) will work just fine for most types of catch, especially on your first few outings while you’re still getting used to your rod.[2]
The improved clinch knot makes a wonderful all-purpose knot. You can use it to secure each subsequent piece of tackle you choose to add to your line.
Snap a bobber onto your line at a height matching the depth of the water. Position the bobber so that it’s about the same distance from the hook as the distance between the surface and bottom of the water. To secure the bobber, loop your leader or main line around the hook at the bottom of the device and, keeping the line taut, guide it up the opposite side and snag it on the hook at the top.[3]
The addition of a bobber will allow you to make longer casts into deep waters and keep your bait suspended just above the bottom of the water, where it will be easily accessible to fish like crappie, walleye, and catfish.
Place one or two split shot sinkers 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) above the hook. Press your line into the narrow groove running through the middle of the sinkers. When picking out your sinkers, use enough weight to bring the bait closer to the bottom, but not enough to weigh down your line.[4]
Place one or two split shot sinkers 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) above the hook. Press your line into the narrow groove running through the middle of the sinkers. When picking out your sinkers, use enough weight to bring the bait closer to the bottom, but not enough to weigh down your line.[4]
You also have the option of using sinkers with rings, loops, or eyes, though you’ll need to tie these directly to your line at the desired point.
Bait your hook with an appropriate type of bait for the fish you’re after. Pierce the thickest part of your nightcrawler, leech, or minnow with the point of the hook, angling it so that the bulk of the bait is centered around the curve of the hook. Genuine bait is better at fooling most types of fish than fancy lures, and is also far less costly (especially if you catch your own).[5]
It’s possible for both live and dead bait to come loose quite easily. Be prepared to re-bait your hook several times during a single trip, if necessary.
If you’d rather try your chances with a lure, tie it onto your line using an improved clinch or unit knot (the single version of the knot you used to tie your leader to your main line).[6]
Run a bullet sinker onto the end of your fishing line. Thread the narrow end of the weight onto the line carefully and slide it down 2–3 feet (0.61–0.91 m) to give yourself plenty of workable line. As you prepare for the next step, keep a firm hold on the loose end of the line to keep the sinker from slipping right back off.[7]
Bullet sinkers come in a variety of weights, ranging from 1⁄8 ounce (3.5 g) to more than 2 ounces (57 g). Lighter weights are useful for creating a slow-falling lure in shallow waters, while heavier sinkers are best suited for casting into thick bushes and penetrating matted undergrowth.[8]
Tip: When fishing in areas with thick cover, peg your sinker with a toothpick, rubber band, or bobber stop. This will keep the weight closer to the lure, making it easier to get through various environmental obstructions.
Tie a worm hook onto the end of your line using an improved clinch knot. Round-bend and wide gap hooks tend to work best for a standard Texas rig. Guide the line through the eye of the hook, then double it over on itself to start your knot. Once it’s nice and tight, snip off the excess line on the tag end with a pair of pliers.[9]
Be sure to wind the line around itself a minimum of 4 turns to ensure that the finished knot will hold.
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