rig.types

Fishing rigs, solved

11 named rigs, from the split shot to the three-way. Each one is a rule set we hand to the same solver that builds our species-by-water rigs: it picks the hook size, line, weight, rod and reel for every fish the rig is tied for, and the compatibility engine grades the result.47 of 51 builds clear every check. The rest are printed with the check that flags them.

Bottom rigs

A sinker holds the bait on or near the bottom. Current decides the weight.

Three-Way RigA three-way swivel with the mainline on one eye, a short dropper to a sinker on the second and a longer leader to the hook on the third.

hook: #1–7/0
line: 6–30 lb
weight: 1/2–1 1/2 oz
engine: 5/6 clean

Fish Finder RigA sinker that slides on the mainline above a bead and a swivel, then a leader to the hook. A fish picks up the bait and swims off without feeling the weight.

hook: #1–7/0
line: 12–30 lb
weight: 1/2–1 1/2 oz
engine: 6/6 clean

Soft-plastic rigs

A worm or plastic on a single hook, weighted to fall, crawl or hover.

Texas RigA soft plastic on an extra-wide-gap hook with the point buried back in the bait, and a bullet weight sliding on the line ahead of it.

hook: 1/0–2/0
line: 6–8 lb
weight: 1/16–3/16 oz
engine: 2/2 clean

Carolina RigA heavy sliding sinker and a bead above a swivel, then a long leader to a lightly weighted bait that floats and drifts behind the weight.

hook: #4–4/0
line: 6–17 lb
weight: 1/2–1 1/2 oz
engine: 6/6 clean

Drop Shot RigThe hook is tied partway up the line with the point turned up, and the weight hangs on the tag end below it, so the bait hovers off the bottom.

hook: #4–1/0
line: 6–8 lb
weight: 3/16 oz
engine: 3/3 clean

Split Shot RigA hook on the end of the line with one or more pinch-on split shot a foot or so above it. Nothing else.

hook: #10–#1
line: 4–8 lb
weight: 0.1–1/4 oz
engine: 7/7 clean

Float rigs

A float sets the depth and shows the bite. Depth and lift decide the float.

Slip Bobber RigA float that slides freely on the line until it hits a bobber stop you set at any depth, with a bead between them and shot below.

hook: #10–3/0
line: 6–17 lb
weight: 3/16–1/4 oz
engine: 5/6 clean

Fixed Bobber RigA float clipped to the line at a fixed point, a shot or two below it, and a small hook. The first rig most people ever fish.

hook: #10–#2
line: 4–8 lb
weight: 0.1–1/4 oz
engine: 4/5 clean

Popping Cork RigA concave cork on a wire with rattling beads, a fluoro leader under it, and a shrimp or plastic on a jighead or circle hook.

hook: 1/0–5/0
line: 10–20 lb
weight: 1/8 oz
engine: 3/4 clean

Drift Float RigA long pencil float set so the bait runs just off the bottom of a river run, with shot strung down the line and a light leader to the hook.

hook: #8–4/0
line: 6–15 lb
weight: 1/4 oz
engine: 3/3 clean

Bite-proof rigs

For fish that cut anything softer than wire.

Wire Leader RigA section of single-strand, coated or titanium wire between the mainline and the hook, so teeth meet metal instead of line.

hook: 4/0–6/0
line: 20–80 lb
weight: 1/4–1 1/2 oz
engine: 3/3 clean

Which rig for which fish

Every fish a named rig is tied for, against every rig. ✓ clears every engine check, ▲ clears with warnings, ✕ no catalog build clears it. A blank means anglers do not tie that rig for that fish, so we did not solve it.

fish × rig47/51 clean

Engine verdict for each fish and named rig
Fish	Texas	Carolina	Drop Shot	Split Shot	Slip Bobber	Fixed Bobber	Popping Cork	Drift Float	Three-Way	Fish Finder	Wire Leader
Largemouth Bass	clears every check	clears every check	clears every check	clears every check	clears every check	2 warnings
Smallmouth Bass	clears every check	clears every check	clears every check	clears every check
Rainbow Trout				clears every check	clears every check	clears every check		clears every check
Brook Trout				clears every check		clears every check
Walleye		clears every check	clears every check	clears every check	clears every check				clears every check
Northern Pike											clears every check
Muskellunge											clears every check
Channel Catfish					1 warning				clears every check	clears every check
Blue Catfish									clears every check	clears every check
Crappie				clears every check	clears every check	clears every check
Bluegill & Panfish				clears every check	clears every check	clears every check
Common Carp										clears every check
Striped Bass									clears every check	clears every check
Redfish		clears every check					clears every check			clears every check
Speckled Trout		clears every check					clears every check
Snook							clears every check
Flounder		clears every check					2 warnings			clears every check
King Mackerel											clears every check
Salmon (Coho / King)								clears every check	clears every check
Steelhead								clears every check	1 warning

frequently asked

Which fishing rig should I use?

Start from the water, not the rig. Current over about half our scale wants a sinker that holds bottom (three-way or fish finder). Fish suspended deeper than your rod is long want a slip bobber. Shallow fish want a fixed bobber or a split shot. Cover wants a Texas rig. Clear water and pressured fish want a drop shot. Toothy fish get wire. The matrix on this page shows which rigs the engine clears for each fish.

What is the difference between a Carolina rig and a Texas rig?

Both slide a sinker on the line ahead of a soft plastic. On a Texas rig the sinker sits right on the hook, so the bait goes where the weight goes and comes through cover. On a Carolina rig a swivel stops the sinker a leader length up the line, so the bait trails behind and falls slowly. Texas for cover, Carolina for open flats.

What is the difference between a fish finder rig and a Carolina rig?

They are the same build: sliding sinker, bead, swivel, leader, hook. Bass anglers drag a plastic on it and call it a Carolina rig. Bait and surf anglers leave cut bait sitting on it and call it a fish finder or a sliding sinker rig. We solve them separately because the bait, sinker and hook change.

What is the difference between a slip bobber and a fixed bobber?

A fixed bobber clips to the line, so the depth you fish is capped at about what you can cast: roughly a rod length. A slip bobber slides until it reaches a stop you set anywhere on the line, so you can fish 20 feet down on a 7-foot rod. The engine warns when a fixed float cannot reach the fish.

How do you check a rig works?

Every rig on these pages is built by a solver and graded by our compatibility engine: 51 fish-and-rig pairs, 47 of them clean on every check. Each warning names the two numbers that conflict and the threshold between them. Open any build in the Rig Studio and swap parts to see the verdict change.