1-2-3 Fishing Rigs - USA
Basic Fishing Tip #14 of 25
Let's talk about casting.
Lets talk a little bit about casting, specifically for bottom fish. The most popular bottom fishing rig is the Top and Bottom or High/Low rig. It has two hooks with a staggered placement, one higher than the sinker and the other lower than the sinker. It appears that one hook would rest on the bottom and the other would sit several inches above the bottom. This is only true if you are fishing vertically as in from a boat or bridge. If you're going for a long cast, such as surf or pier fishing, both hooks will be resting on the bottom. Here's why, the angle of your line in relation to the sea floor will be 10 degrees or less. This means the top of your rig will be a couple of inches off the bottom but your leadered hooks will be resting directly on the bottom, limiting visibility. See video below.
A longer fishing rig may allow the top hook to rest above the bottom depending on leader length. Check out our adjustable DIY Mainline Bait Arm or adjustable High Low Fishing Rigs. We also have a High Low Rigs with bait arms that cause the hook to float.
Why you need a longer fishing rig when bottom fishing after a long cast
When casting for gamefish nothing takes the place of practice. There are rubber plugs you can purchase to practice in your yard or at the park which are much safer than practicing with hooks and weights. If you have more than 1 rod you should practice with all of them if possible so that you know how they differ.
