what are the different sorts of tackle

[keep_itsimple]

got this from a another site im signed up to
Just some advice for newcomers on the different styles of hooks.

This is going to be a fairly long post so strap yourselves in.

Credit - ALL information sourced from Fishing Tips & Techniques Magazine


HOOKS



When it all comes down to it, I guess the most fundamental of the recreational fishing is the hook. Viewed as a sporting pursuit rather than a harvesting operation, fishing steers totally away from nets, traps and such and depends completely on the ancient concept of snaring a fish on a super sharp, cunningly designed bit of metal that is the fish hook. Now because there's such a huge range of fish species we rec anglers chase, it's no surprise at all that a correspondingly wide range of hook types also exists. While all have the same obvious function, many operate in subtly different ways to allow for more specific fishing techniques to be employed. Hook sizes too range from miniscute to mammoth, both to cater to the varying sizes of fish to be caught and importantly, different bait sizes used as well. So when you look to purchase some hooks for a fishing session, you need to select the right style and size of hook for the type of fish and fishing situation you'll be taking on. Now, i will tell you the different hook styles you can look to purchase.



Suicide

Also known as octopus hooks, the suicide pattern is one of the most popular 'general purpose' hooks. It has a bent eye to assist knots and an off-set (slightly warped) point that supposedly helps hook-ups. These are bait fishing hooks which are great for embedding in fairly bulky baits, given their wide gape which keeps the point nice and clear of the bait.

Limerick

Limericks are also a good general purpose hook, but have a much longer, straighter shank than the suicide and are usually not off-set. The eye can be bent or straight, but the gauge of wire used to construct these hooks is often relatively thick. This makes for a strong hook that is popular for deep water fishing or trolling.

Long Shank

The name says it all - the shank on the hook is extra long. This allows for long, soft baits like marine worms or saltwater yabbies to be fished without them falling off. Due to the fact that these baits will often be threaded up the hook onto the line, long shank hooks should not have a bent eye. they should also have an off-set point. The long shank is great for small fish, to assist catch and release fishing, and to prevent bite-offs from very sharp-toothed fish.

Baitholder

Baitholder hooks are basically limericks or long hanks with a couple of small barbs on the shank which are designed to hold onto soft baits and stop them bunching up in the gape of the hook. This makes them excellent for presenting baits such as pippis, mussels and such.

Ganged Hooks

A 'gang' of hooks is simply two or more hooks linked together by their eyes . Hooks used for ganging are invariably off-set limericks with a bent eye, which often come with the eye open ready for ganging. This is done to enable moderately delicate whole fish baits like pilchards, whitebait and garfish to hold onto the hooks well and remain straight. The hook size and number of hooks used in a gang depends entirely on the size of the bait, but it is very rare to see more than four hooks used in a gang. Ganged hooks tend to damage a hooked fish, so they are the best used only when you intend to keep any fish you catch.

Circle

Originally known as 'tuna circles', circle hooks have a unique design. A short shank leads in to a squarish circle shape which culminates in a point bent inwards towards the shank. When a fish grabs the hook in its mouth, the pressure created as it swims off causes the hook to slide along the mouth and catch solidly in the corner of the jaw. This gives a very solid hook set which is almost impossible for the fish to throw. Because of the hook set, these hooks have become very popular for catch and release fishing. The most important thing to note when using these hooks is that they will not work if you strike to set the hook. All that is needed to secure a positive hook-up is a gradual increase in pressure as the fish moves off with the bait. The hook will do all the work for you.

Wide Gape

Wide gape hooks look really zany. Kind of like a huge long shank hook with a bend in it. They are generally used for small to mid-sized predators with big, bony mouths. Fish like flathead or golden perch (yellowbelly) are prime candidates for these hooks. Some estuary fisherman also swear by them when using live prawns hooked through the middle of the tail as these hooks seems to keep prawns alive much longer and allow them to flick around easier than other hook patterns.

Trebles

Treble hooks are usually found on lures and are simply three hooks fused together. Though this makes for easier hook-ups, there is strong evidence to suggest that hook-ups on many larger species are easier or more secure with just the one hook. Double hooks, or 'W hooks' as they are sometimes called often perform better than trebles when chasing larger quarry. Smaller fish like bream, however, definitely require treble hooks. Trebles on lures are often over-looked. They need to be very sharp and very strong.

[keep_itsimple]

RODS & REASONS

Lines and Lengths

All rods are designed for a specific fishing style. This means each rod had limitations in the line class it can fish and weight it can cast. In most cases, you can find the information printed on the rod blank, just above the foregrip. For example, a rod that displays the details '4-6kg Spin 10-80g' is a spin (threadline) rod that is designed to fish line classes from 4-6kg breaking strain and comfortably cast weights of 10-80g. This information is important, as you don't want to fish the wrong line class over a rod. If the line class used is too light, the rod won't offer enough shock absorption and the line will break when under pressure. If the line class is too heavy you won't be able to put enough pressure on a big fish and in extreme circumstances the rod could even explode under the pressure. Casting weight (lure weight) recommendations are less vital, but are worth observing to get the best casting performance out of your outfit. If a casting weight is too light you'll find accuracy and distance are very difficult to achieve, while too heavy a casting weight can also break the rod. You'll often hear about the rod's taper deeming it suitable to one style of fishing or another. The taper basically determines the action of the rod. A long, slow taper makes for a whippy, forgiving rod that has an even, parabolic bend when under load. A short, fast taoer rid is stiff and stout with much less of a bend under a load and capable of putting on heaps of pressure. Rod length is a real variable that can be linked to the preferences of the angler as much as anything else. To be very general though, you can usually assume that longer rods built with casting distance in mind, while short rods are for increased fish fighting leverage and power. At the business end of things, the grip and butt assembly determines how you use the rod and how much pressure you can easily apply. In general, long rod butts enable long casting and a solid fighting position as the butt can either be laid down your forearm or planted above your groin. Short butt rods offer more manouevrability for tricky, accurate casts and imparting extra action on lures.

Spin Rods

Spin rods are built to fish threadline reels. This means that the guides sit below the blank (the 'rod' part of the fishing rod). This causes a design problem in that when the rod bend, the feet of the guides work against the rod. Therefore, spin rods will tend to have fewer guides than other rods or may utilise 'single foot' guides to help reduce this problem. Having fewer guides also reduces casting friction, aiding long casts. Spin rods are the most common and versatile fishing types of rods available, fishing all types of line classes and lure weights and built in with wildly varying grip and butt lengths. Light spin rods known as 'flick sticks' that fish 1-4kg line classes in particular are usually built with a very short butt to be used 'single handed' and impart extra action on small lures.


Overhead Rods

Opposite to spin rods, overhead rods accomodate overhead reels (funny that) so therefore the guides sit above the rod blank. To stop the taught line dropping below the blank, overhead rods carry many line guides. Because the rod bends away from the guides, solid two-footed guides cause no problems. Overhead rods designed for casting tend to have extravagantly long butts, while those designed for fighting big fish on heavy line have a short butt and an extended foregrip.


Surf Rods

The longest of rods commonly used, surf rods utilise length to aid long casting and help keep the line clear of the surge of the shore dump when fishing from a surf beach. This helps lessen the drag on the line and keeps the bait out where you want it to be. Surf rods are also often used from the ocean rocks. The advantage here is much the same as when fishing the surf in that the extra length allows long casts and the line to be kept clear of the wash and sharp rocks close to the angler's feet. Surf rods can be designed to fish all types of line classes from about 4kg right through to 24kg, although the length can cause leverage issues when fishing very heavy line classes. They can be built to carry either an overhead, threadline or sidecast reel and may reach as long as 16ft, although 10-12ft is a more common and practical length. Surf rods built for the beach usually have a pointed lower butt known as a sand spike which allows the angler to easily plant the rod solidly in the sand and so keep the real clean.


Baitcast Rods

Baitcast rods are much the same as overhead rods, except for a more complex grip and butt arrangement. Because they are designed to exclusively fish low profile baitcast reels, a pistol grip assembly is used. This is simply a solid 'trigger' underneath the reel that gives a more solid grip and aids accurate casting. There are baitcast rods to fish all classes of line and lure weights, but it's rare to see one in excess of 7ft long. This is because these are rods designed for casting accuracy and excessive length hinders accuracy.


Game Rods

Game Rods are designed to take on big, hard fighting fish with heavy lines and offer the angler the most leverage possible. They are usually quite short, rarely exceeding 7ft in length and dropping down to as little as 4ft in extreme cases. These ultra-short game rods are called 'short-strokers' and allow the angler to pour pressure on big fish by making short, torquey rod strokes. Game rods which some utilise roller guides with rolling bearings which are designed to decrease the likelihood of line damage from friction generated heat build-up. Modern guide insert materials have largely negated the need for roller guides these days, but you still see them on game rods from time to time. Most game rods will also have a gimbal attachment at the terminal end of the butt. This gimball fits into a rod belt which provides extra leverage and protection for

THE REEL WORLD

We really are spoilt by the high quailty, finely tuned gear we recreational anglers are lucky enough to fish with these days. Fishing reels are the prime example. Not all that long ago,
choosing a fishing reel was a pretty simple process - mostly because of a lack of choice. Today however, we have a wide array of reel styles and sizes, each tailored to specific fishing modes and methods. Many of these reels are superbly engineered and make your fishing activites infinitely more enjoyable. But with all the different reel brands and models available in the tackle shops today, it's understandable that how someone starting up in fishing could become a little confused. How do you know which reel is right for you? The key is to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the basic reel types. Possess this knowledge and you'll soon be able to sort through the vast array and find something specific to your needs.

Threadline Reels

Threadline reels, also known as spin or eggbeater reels, are probably the most common reels used by Aussie anglers. They are very simple to use and maintain, and come in a whole range of sizes and designs to suit anything from the tiniest tiddler right to suit the tiniest tiddler right through to the toughest fish that swim. Threadlines ae easy to use straight out of the box, are simple to cast and straightforward to work. Also, they have a large range of retrieve speeds that enables them to be used for a wide variety of species. In fact, a threadline reel with a high retrieve ratio (line retrieved per handle revolution) has the fastest line retrieve of any type of reel making it perfect for spinning with high-speed lures such as metals. When casting, the spool of a threadline reel is open, allowing the line to uncoil from it with little to no resistance. This makes these reels perfect for distance casting and flicking small weights. Truth is, when used in conjunction with today's modern braided or fused polyethylene lines, threadline reels are by far the best choice for light tackle lure casting and distance of any kind. The one design fallibility threadline reels have is that the line is fed onto the spool via the bail arm roller, creating a 90 degree turn. This imparts an inherent twisting affect on the line, which can lead to annoying line twist tangles, especially in the hands of a beginner angler. To avoid this problem, try adding a swivel to the terminal end of the main line to cancel out the twist. Threadline reels are pretty hard wearing and with a minimum of care and attention they can last many years. For a beginner they are a great choice.

Sidecast Reels

Alvey, an Australian company, pioneered the development and evolution of what most of us now recognize as the sidecast reel. This type of reel is very popular with east coast fisherman, often being the reel of choice for those fishing from the rocks and beaches. This is because the simple workings and solid construction of the sidecast make them almost indestructible. They have a broad, flat spool with an adjustable star drag and counter-balanced handles. By releasing a clip at the base of the reel, the spool can rotate 90 degrees to be in-line with the rod, with an open faces position perpendicular to the rod. This allows the line to peel off the reel with little resistance, resulting in long casts. Plus, sidecast reels feature a large spool circumference which allows a decent length of line to be released from the spool as each turn of line springs off. After casting the reel is locked back into the closed face position so that the line is wound straight back onto the large spool without line twist. Many anglers also enjoy the direct 'feel' a sidecast reel allows through the line, especially when using lightly weighted baits. Because a sidecast reel winds line directly onto its spool (unlike a threadline reel with a 90 degree turn), the angler can allow the line to slip over his or her forefingers while retrieving. Doing this makes those light bites or bumps so easy to detect. Another major bonus of sidecast reels is the line they can handle. Not only can they hold a long length of line, but they can also deal with much heavier line classes. Add these features to the toughness, simplicity and raw power that this type of reel offers, and it's no wonder they are so popular with anglers looking for a no-fuss workhorse of a fishing reel.

Overhead Reels

Overhead reels, sometimes referred to as drum or multiplying reels, are positioned on top of the rod, quite close to the butt, placing the centre of gravity near the angler's body. This gives greater comfort and balance, particularly when using quite large reels and fighting big fish. Overhead reels have large spool capacities, able to hold more line than the other types of reels of a similar size. They can hold a wide range of line classes and handle braided line particularly well. Their greatest advantage however, lies in their very good drag systems which can be designed to dish out more working drag pressure than any other type of reel and are almost infinitely adjustable. There are two types of drag system commonly found on overhead reels - star and lever. The majority of overheads feature a star drag but some of the more expensive overheads have a larger system which is suited to tackling larger, harder pulling fish, as the lever drag system is a more accurate and smooth drag mechanism. The adjustment controls for both types of drags are usually located just on the inside of the crank handle. During the battle this allows the angler to hold the rod with one hand while the other hand can easily manage the cranking and adjustments to the drag. Overhead reels are slightly more complicated to cast than a threadline or sidecast. Clicked into free-spool, the release of line from the reel spool during the cast must be controlled with your thumb to prevent an 'over-run'. This is when the reel spool spins faster than the line leaves the rod tip, causing loose line to back-up at the spool and creating a god-awful tangle that anglers knowingly refer to as a 'birds-nest' or 'backlash'. Learning to cast an overhead takes some practice, but becomes a second nature after a while. Given that overhead reels have the largest line capacity and smoothest drag systems under heavy pressure, these reels are great for line class fishing or for taking on monster fish.

Baitcast Reels

Don't be fooled by the name, these ingenious little reels are actually designed for accurate casting of lures. They are very lightweight, sit snugly to the rod and despite their diminutive size they can handle oversized fish with relative ease. Baitcasters provide decent line carrying capacity with a retrieve system that cuts out line twist, and feature a compact, easy to adjust yet powerful drag system that can deal with surprisingly large fish. Because of their compact, they also make lure manipulation during retrieve much easier and more comfortable. The biggest advantage of baitcaster reels though lies in the casting accuracy they provide the experienced user. During casting, the angler controls the speed and amount of line coming off the reel spool with thumb pressure (as with an overhead reel), which in practice allows pin-point casting. This is very handy when casting to heavy structure such as sunk timber. Most baitcaster have a push down clutch in the form of a button or bar, that when depressed, disengages the spool and allows a cast to commence. As mentioned, the actual cast is then made in the same mode as an overhead. However, single handed casting means easy and fast operation, and newer models have features that prevent spool over-run, which can cause masses of knots for those in the learning process of using this type of reel. Again though, once mastered they are exceptionally good casting reels over short distances.


So which reel is right for me?

It's a question newcomer anglers often ask, and with good reason. The answer depends on your abilities, the type of fishing you'll be doing, the environment you'll be fishing, the methods employed and of course, the type and size of fish you're likely to catch. Hopefully the above advice will take you some way to making the correct choice, but when purchasing a reel always talk to your local tackle store attendant, even if only to confirm the wisdom of your choice. You see way too many beginner anglers fishing with reels that just aren't suited to the fishing they're doing, and believe me, the wrong reel will really reduce your chances of catching some decent fish. Get it right though and a modern fishing reel, regardless of type, is a marvellous tool. Look after it and it will look after you with fish in the bucket.


Down the line

Somewhere around the 1950s, braided polyester fibre line known as Dacron became the next great thing, and remains in limited use today. But the quantum leap really came in the late 50s and early 60s when nylon monofilament line began to be produced and quickly gained eager acceptance by the now rapidly expanding numbers of recreational fisherman throughout the western world. More recently we've seen another revolution in the form of ultra-thin and ultra-strong braided or fused polyethylene lines, plus the emergence of fluorocarbon monofilament that has become the trace line of choice amongst modern fishos thanks to its near invisibility underwater. Yep, fishing line is now high-tech stuff.

[Wolly Bugger]

Good article.

Each rod has what is known as a backbone, this is important for correct guide placement.

For spin the guides theoretically should be directly underneath the backbone and for overhead, the guides should sit directly along the backbone.