A beginner's guide to basic fishing rigs
One of the most confusing things for beginners is feeling like there are a million rigs to learn. The truth is 90% of shore fishing is covered by just 4 or 5 rigs. Learn these well and you can fish almost anywhere.
1. Bottom rig (weight on the line) — start here
The simplest rig and the best for beginners: the weight sits fixed on the seabed, with the hook tied a short distance above it. Great for grouper, croaker and rocky bottoms, and easy to tie and maintain. If this is your first rod, start here.
2. Drop shot — for far, rough bottoms
Here the bait sits above the weight instead of below it, about 30–40cm up. Useful when boat fishing over a far or rocky bottom, since it keeps the bait hovering just above obstacles instead of snagging on them.
3. Sliding-weight rig with a long leader
The weight slides freely on the main line here, so when a fish takes the bait it feels less resistance and can pull without immediately feeling the weight. Ideal for wary fish like sobaity, bream and croaker.
4. Float rig — for the surface
The bait hangs below a small float instead of touching bottom, making this ideal for surface fishing and species that swim near the top, like mullet.
5. Casting jig — for fast predators
Not a natural-bait rig at all — a metal lure that's cast and retrieved quickly to mimic a fleeing baitfish. Ideal for kingfish and barracuda and other fast predators, and needs a rod and reel matched to the jig's weight.
A quick rule of thumb
- Rocky bottom near shore → bottom rig.
- Far bottom from a boat → drop shot.
- Wary fish, clear water → sliding-weight rig.
- Surface fish (mullet) → float rig.
- Fast predators (kingfish, barracuda) → casting jig.
Full details for every rig — diagrams, weight and line strength — are in the "Rigs & knots" tab for each fishing spot in the tool.