33 terms

Tackle glossary

The words you'll see on rod blanks, reel boxes and line spools — explained in one or two sentences each.

Category

Rods

Action: Where along its length a rod bends under load. Fast action bends mostly in the top third; moderate bends into the middle; slow bends down into the butt.
Power: How much force it takes to bend a rod — ultralight, light, medium, medium-heavy, heavy and so on. Power is matched to line strength and lure weight.
Test curve: A UK/EU rod rating: the weight (usually in lb) needed to pull the rod tip to 90° from the butt. Common on carp and specimen rods.
Casting weight: The lure or rig weight range a rod is designed to cast well, usually printed on the blank in grams or ounces.
Blank: The tapered tube a rod is built on, before guides, reel seat and handle are added.
Guides: The rings along a rod that the line runs through. Their size and spacing affect casting distance and how the rod bends.
Quivertip: A fine, sensitive rod tip used on feeder rods to show bites when legering.

Category

Drag: The adjustable friction system that lets a reel give line under load, so a running fish doesn't break the line.
Gear ratio: How many times the spool or rotor turns for one turn of the handle, e.g. 6.2:1. Higher ratios retrieve line faster.
Baitcaster: A reel with a revolving spool that sits on top of the rod. Accurate and powerful with heavier line, but needs thumb control to avoid overruns.
Spinning reel: A fixed-spool reel hung beneath the rod. Easy to learn and handles light line and light lures well.
Bail arm: The wire arm on a spinning reel that closes to pick up line when you start winding.
Backlash: A tangle on a baitcaster when the spool spins faster than line leaves it — also called a bird's nest or overrun.

Category

Monofilament: Single-strand nylon line. Stretchy, forgiving and easy to knot; floats; affected by UV over time.
Fluorocarbon: Dense line that sinks, has low visibility underwater and good abrasion resistance. Stiffer than mono.
Braid: Line woven from several fibres. Very thin for its strength with almost no stretch; usually paired with a leader.
Leader: A length of different line tied between the main line and the hook or lure, for abrasion, low visibility or bite protection.
Pound test (lb): The approximate load a line is rated to take before breaking. 1 lb ≈ 0.45 kg.
Tippet: The finest section at the end of a fly leader, to which the fly is tied.
Hooklength: A short length of line carrying the hook, usually lighter than the main line so only the hook is lost in a snag.

Category

Hook size: Numbered sizes (e.g. 20, 10, 2) get larger as the number falls. Aught sizes (1/0, 2/0, 5/0) get larger as the number rises.
Circle hook: A hook with the point turned sharply inward. It tends to lodge in the corner of the mouth as the fish moves off — no hard strike needed.
Treble hook: Three hook points on one shank; standard on many hard lures.
Barbless: A hook without the backward barb. Easier, less damaging unhooking; required on many fisheries.
Swivel: A small rotating connector that stops line twist and joins line sections.
Split shot: Small weights pinched onto the line, used to cock a float and set bait depth.
Wire trace: A wire leader used for toothy predators such as pike and musky that can cut normal line.
Jig head: A hook with a weighted head moulded on, used with soft plastics.

Category

Legering: Fishing a bait on the bottom held by a weight or feeder, with bites shown on the rod tip or an indicator.
Loose feeding: Throwing small amounts of free bait into the swim to attract and hold fish.
Swim: The area of water you are fishing, especially in coarse fishing.
Structure: Physical features fish relate to: drop-offs, rocks, weed edges, timber, docks.
Catch and release: Returning fish alive. Good practice includes wet hands, minimal air time and supporting the fish until it swims off.