Terminal Tackle

A hook with the point curled back toward the shank. It slides to the corner of the mouth and sets itself when you reel — you don't swing. Best for live/cut bait and conservation.

The classic hook shape. Requires a deliberate hookset and can hook fish anywhere in the mouth — versatile for bait and many rigs.

Three points fused together, found on crankbaits, topwater, and spoons. High hookup rate on slashing strikes; pair with a softer (moderate) rod so fish don't tear off.

A hook rigged so the point is shielded (by the bait or a weed guard), letting you fish grass, wood, and pads without snagging.

A hook with a Z-bend that locks a soft plastic in place, rigged weedless (Texas rig) or weighted. The bass-plastics workhorse.

A hook with a molded weight at the head. Pair with soft plastics for one of the most versatile presentations in fishing; weight sets the sink rate.

A small rotating connector that stops line twist between your main line and leader/rig — essential with spinning baits and trolling.

A swivel with a snap clip for fast lure changes. Convenient, but the snap can weaken presentations — use a quality one and size it down.

A small coiled ring connecting hooks and lures, allowing free movement. Upgrade cheap factory rings on saltwater plugs.

An oval sliding weight the line passes through — the heart of the Carolina/fish-finder rig. Fish pick up bait and feel little resistance.

A pointed, flat-sided weight that digs into sand and holds bottom in surf and current. The surf-fishing standard.

A rounded, tapered weight that slides over rock and structure with fewer snags — good for hard bottom and bridge/pier fishing.

A flat, teardrop sliding sinker that resists rolling in current — popular for catfish and river bottom rigs where a round weight would tumble.

Suspends bait at a set depth and signals bites. From simple round bobbers for panfish to slip floats for precise depth control.

A concave/beaded float you 'pop' to imitate feeding sounds, drawing inshore fish to a suspended jig or live shrimp below it. Deadly for reds and trout.

A sliding egg sinker above a bead and swivel, then a leader to the hook. Covers bottom while letting the bait move naturally above the weight.

A saltwater sliding-sinker rig: the main line runs through a sinker slide, then to a swivel and leader. Lets a wary fish take bait and run without feeling the weight.

An egg sinker riding right down to the hook eye. The weight 'knocks' at the hook, getting bait to the bottom fast and pulling fish straight up out of structure.

A finesse rig with the weight below and the hook tied up the line, suspending a small plastic just off the bottom. Deadly on pressured bass and light-biting fish.

Two dropper hooks stacked above a bottom sinker, presenting two baits at slightly different heights. A surf and pier staple.

A string of tiny tinsel/flash hooks used to catch live baitfish (pilchards, cigar minnows, sardines) fast. A bait-catching tool, not a game-fish rig.