Simply connecting bait or lures to the end of your line can many times ‘get the job done’, but certain fishing conditions and specific catches may be more inclined to take the bait with a well-made tackle rig. Rigging your terminal tackle can help get your bait or lure to where you want it and present it in a way that is most attractive to your catch!
Modern rigging coupled with good old fashioned patience and ingenuity is what helps many successful anglers get their catch. A tackle rig is comprised of all of your terminal tackle and in essences is a grouping of several pieces of your fishing equipment including your sinkers, lures, leaders, etc.
Understanding different types of tackle rigs and the components that comprise their structure can help you to determine which setup might be most ideal for your fishing situation. In the end, a better tackle rig for any given fishing situation and target catch can influence your success, and we all want to take home our prize catch at the end of the day! With over 20,000 fishing items in our inventory, Outdoor Shopping has the most extensive lineup of fishing equipment online today! Shop our inventory of tackle rigs and components at Outdoor Shopping.
Common Soft Bait Tackle Rigs
Soft bait lures are one of the most used categories of lures, and the choices within this category are numerous indeed. From grubs to crawfish to worms, there are a ton of options to choose from when attaching a soft bait lure to your tackle rig. Here are some of the most common tackle rig setups when using your soft bait lures.
Tackle Rig | Guidelines |
Weightless Rig | The hook can be tied directly to the main line, and no sinker is used (giving it the name ‘weightless’). Optionally, tie the hook to a 12" to 24" inch leader tied to a swivel to reduce any line twist that may occur with weightless rigs. |
Texas Rig | This is probably the most common method of rigging a plastic bait and the most familiar to fishermen. Traditionally, the worm is rigged on the hook with the point of the hook pinned back into the body of the worm to make it weedless, and a bullet weight is used on the line ahead of the hook. There are two main types of Texas Rigs:
|
Shakin’ Rig | This uses a bead on an unpegged Texas Rig which will bounce off the bottom and make a clicking noise to attract fish. |
Screw-In Rig | Screw-in sinkers are molded around a thin Teflon tube and a corkscrew wire that screws into the nose of a soft bait for a cleaner version of a pegged Texas Rig. Remember to thread the hook eye up to an inch or more into the bait to leave room so the hook eye is not jammed immovably against the sinker. |
Mojo Rig | These utilize thin, long Mojo sinkers which allow the rig to slide easily through rocks, weeds, and brush better than most other sinker types. |
Carolina Rig | Use on open, weedless bottoms. Order the following on your line: 1/2 to 1 oz sinker, followed by a bead that clicks when the sinker hammers against it, a swivel, an 18"-24" inch leader line (but can be longer), and your hook. |
Rockhopper Rig | Using a rockhopper sinker with a Carolina Rig yields a Rockhopper Rig, which is better for rock-strewn bottoms. |
Splitshot or Slipshot Rig | Most often used with light line, the Mojo Slipshot is an advancement that uses rubber threads to cushion the line. Since splitshot sinkers are typically smaller and lighter than any other sinker types, you can slowly drift a splitshot rig down past bass suspended in mid-depths above deep water. |
Dropshot Rig | This rig uses a hook tied onto the main line with a Palomar knot. The loose tag end of the knot is left anywhere from 12" to 24" inches long.The tag end is threaded through the hook eye in the direction that keeps the hook point positioned up. A swiveling style of sinker is then clipped onto the dangling tag end of the line anywhere from 6" to 24" below the hook. The bait is then nose-hooked. Optionally, the bait can be wacky-rigged in the middle to reduce any line twist that may occur with dropshot rigs. |
Wacky Rig | Use a hook tied onto the main line. Then, bend a long, thin bait so that both tips touch. Poke the hook straight through the bend in the middle! |
Common Bottom-Fishing Rigs
A steadfast bottom rig is the key to catching your fish and keeping them on the line, and bottom-fishing pushes your terminal tackle to the limit! Flawless knots, quality terminal tackle, and premium leader material maximize your chances of boating big bottom fish. Here are a few common bottom-fishing rigs:
Tackle Rig | Guidelines | Best for: |
Three-Way Swivel | For this rig, you’ll need:
Tie a bimini in your main line and tie it with a uni knot to the top eye of the three way swivel. On the mid-eye of the swivel, tie one end of the fluorocarbon leader with a uni knot and a hook (also with a uni or tuna knot) to the other end of the fluorocarbon. On the free end of the swivel, make a double ended loop knot with the 20lb mono and tie one end off, leaving one loop of about 8″ trailing. |
|
“Knocker” Rig | For this rig, you’ll need:
Attach the main line to one end of the barrel swivel while the leader is tied to the other. A small bead is placed on the leader line followed by an egg sinker. The hook is then tied on to finish the rig. | Light Versions:
Heavy Versions:
|
Florida Rig | Similar to the knocker rig, this setup keeps the weight a few feet from the hook at all times. The weight is added to the main line, followed by a small bead, before being tied to one end of the barrel swivel which allows the main line to pass through the egg sinker so the fish can run once hooked. |
|
Deep Drop and Chicken Rigs | The most common variation of a deep drop rig is called “the chicken rig”. You can purchase these pre-made, but it’s simple to make them out of heavy mono leader, a few swivels, and some strategically placed crimps. Circle hooks are a must for deep dropping. These leader- to-hook arrangements will have a pyramid or bank sinker tied to the end of the leader. Anywhere from twelve to twenty-four inches up from the sinker a loop is tied in the leader, to which is tied a hook. Sometimes a second loop and hook are tied above the first loop. Twelve inches above that will be the swivel. |
|
Free-Lining | This method uses a long leader, usually monofilament, and usually a live bait, free to swim where it will. |
|
Rigs can be as individualized as you need them, but start with these basic styles during your fishing experience to set yourself up for success. With over 20,000 fishing items in our inventory, Outdoor Shopping has the most extensive lineup of fishing equipment online today! Shop our inventory of tackle rigs and components at Outdoor Shopping.
