One of your favorite pastimes could be saltwater fishing if you live near the coast. But to be good at saltwater fishing, you need to have varied knowledge about saltwater fishing tackle.
Knowing about various types of saltwater fishing tackle is necessary to begin your saltwater fishing journey. So, if you are a beginner, this article will be your ultimate guide to understand what you should know about saltwater fishing tackle hooks and rigs. So let’s dive headfirst into it.
Saltwater Fishing Tackle
You can have everything from massive shark hooks to little shad jigs in a tackle kit. Pick the fitting tackle kit. Light tackle is especially for saltwater flats, and there are heavy tackles for fishing in the deep sea. Today we will guide you through various kinds of saltwater fishing rigs and hooks.
Saltwater Fishing Hooks Sizes
Hook sizes are the gap between the shank and the point. Depending on your fishing needs, the shapes and sizes of the fishing hooks vary. Most of the time, small hooks work great in saltwater fishing, regardless of the size of the fish you are targeting. The size of the hook between the tiny no. 32 and massive 19/0.
Coming in a significant number of sizes and shapes, the materials used in creating these hooks are generally either high-carbon steel or stainless steel. Though a bit brittle, stainless steel hooks are corrosion-resistant. On the other hand, the high-carbon steel ones are not rust-proof. Still, people prefer it because it can be twisted and blended in several ways. Regardless of the material, fishing hooks demand quite a lot of maintenance from your side. Now let’s shed some light on different types of saltwater fishing hooks.
- Treble Fishing Hooks
If you buy a treble fishing hook, it will snag the fish out while hitting the bait. Plugs are often treble hooks because they are more reliable in successful saltwater fishing. That’s why it is always present in a saltwater fishing tackle.
- J- Hooks
There exist different styles and angles of J-Hooks. Choosing the type of J-hook is quite a hectic job and requires a thorough knowledge of the fishes you target. Several types and angles of J-hooks are for various species of fish. But generally, beefy hooks work excellent for bigger fishes. Keep that in mind.
- Circle Fishing Hooks
The invention of catch and release fishing has become more popular with Circle Fishing hooks. They are one of the most often fishing hooks for saltwater fishing. If a fish swallows the bait attached to the circle hook, it hooks into the fish’s stomach. So circle fishing hooks are pretty foolproof.
Saltwater Fishing Rigs
There are mainly four types of fishing rigs used in saltwater fishing. Let’s get to know about each of them.
- Two-Hook Bottom Rig
Two Hook Bottom rigs are the most basic saltwater fishing rigs. It is versatile. You can use two Hook Bottom Rig to catch a giant grouper or even a little panfish. But obviously, the tie will be different for different sizes of fish. Another main thing to remember is to make the leader pretty short to avoid the tangling of hooks.
- Three-Way Saltwater Rig
They are pretty similar to the Two-Hook Bottom rigs, but the three-way ones only include one hook. So you must begin with a three-way swivel. Then make the leader short and tie it around one of the eyes. After that, in the other eye, don’t forget to secure a long leader.
- Popping Cork
Popping corks have a little threaded stiff wire and plastic or metal beads. They are commonly employed in saltwater fishing, so most saltwater fishing tackle includes popping corks. If you notice a considerable number of baitfishes or shrimps popping on the water surface, you must use a popping cork.
- Fishfinder or Carolina Rig
If you are confused to decide which type of fishing rigs to buy, consider going for Carolina rigs. They work excellent with both natural and artificial saltwater bait. These rigs let the fish pick up the bait without making it aware of the sinker weight.
Conclusion
Hooks and rigs play vital roles in fishing in general. But if you are a beginner, you need to know the types of saltwater fishing rigs and hooks to know which are suitable for what kind of fish. So consider this article as your basic guideline to learn about saltwater hooks and rigs and enjoy learning bit by bit about saltwater fishing.