There are a variety of saltwater fishing rigs that can be used to catch a variety of saltwater fish species. The type of rig you choose will depend on a number of factors including fishing conditions, target fish species and whether you’ll be trolling the open sea by boat, bottom fishing, mid-water fishing, or surf fishing from the shore. Most important, the fishing rig you choose should be designed to present your bait, or lure, in a way that looks most natural to the fish.
To ensure a successful saltwater fishing experience, we recommend using a rig designed for the intended use. Below we’ve listed some of the most popular saltwater fishing rigs and presentations for live bait and lures.
A surf fishing rig used to catch a large variety of fishing including stripers and redfish
Used for casting and dragging across a target area where fish may be located
A two hook sea fishing rigs ideal for middle-range casts and multiple fish species
Dropped vertically down the water column and used for still fishing
Designed to minimize snaps and lose of fishing when fishing over rough ground
A versatile rig for fishing natural or artificial bait from shallow to deep water
Presents two baited hooks at once doubling an angler odds of a catching a fish
Effective for catching bluefish and other predatory fish that attck from the tail
Simulates surface feeding bait fish and commotion whereby attracting game fish
A line of several small hooks. is used to primarily for catching smaller bait fish
Allows anglers to float their bait to different areas and cover more water fishing
Can be fished at various depth with an easy adjustment to a bobber stop
Which saltwater fishing rigs are the best?
So… there are bunch of rigs that can be used for saltwater fishing—and they all have their merits—but which are the best? The most common saltwater fishing rigs—and in our opinion the best—include the two-hook (flapper), three-way, Carolina and fish finder.
Two-Hook (Flapper) Bottom Fishing Rig
The flapper is a simple saltwater rig that really catches fish. Even though this rig is traditionally fished with two hooks (hence, the name “two-hook rig”) it can deploy multiple hooks at once. It’s great for covering a wide area in the surf zone. When each of its hooks are baited, it can give off a powerful scent that attracts fish from a distance.
One of the biggest advantages of the flapper rig for saltwater fishing is its ability to carry multiple hooks and baits. You can add different baits to each hook to test the effectiveness of each bait while simultaneously target a variety of fish species. When jigging with the flapper, an angler can position bait at multiple depths along the water column. This is useful for experimenting with different baits at various depths to see what works.
One of the only downsides to fishing the flapper rig—specifically for surf fishing—is its limited casting range. It’s a bit more difficult to get your presentation out into deeper water from the shore when you’re dealing with additional hooks and bait. If distance casting is a priority, you’re better off fishing the Carolina or fish finder rig.
Three-way Fishing Rig
The three-way is a versatile rig for fishing bait in shallow or deeper water. It works for trolling, drifting, jigging or surf fishing—but is primarily used for trolling. At the center of the three way rig is a 1/0 to 4/0 stainless steel ball bearing swivel (or two barrel swivels) attached to a main line (20-30 lb braid or mono), a dropper line (10-15 lb mono) containing a weight (or jig), and a leader line (15-20 lb mono or fluoro) with a 1/0 to 3/0 J hook, kahle hook, or circle hook. This setup really shines when targeting fish suspended just off shore in deeper water.
There isn’t necessarily one best way to set up a three-way rig for saltwater fishing. It will really depend on the type of fishing you’re doing—trolling, jigged, or surf—as well as the size of the target fish species. When I fish a three way rig I typically go with a 30 lb braid mainline to the swivel, a 20 lb mono to the weight (or jig), and a 15 lb flouro to the hook. This way if I get a snag on the bottom at worst I loose the hook or sinker—but not my entire rig. Just make sure your setup uses a longer piece of leader line for your bait so that it can hover and move with the water just off the bottom while your weight rests on the bottom.
For trolling, you can replace your sinker with a 2-3 oz jig or a deep diving crankbait. The crankbait will keep your rig down in the water while providing an additional target for foraging fish. You don’t want to go with any heavier of a sinker than necessary. However, if you’re dealing with current, need to get your rig down deeper, or are going to be trolling at a faster speed, you’ll want to increase the weight of your sinker. We recommend an addition 1 oz of weight for every 10 feet of depth you want to achieve when trolling over 2 knots (2.3 mph).
Carolina Rig
Next to the fish finder, the Carolina rig is hands down one of the best saltwater fishing rigs—especially for surf fishing. It’s great for distance casting when you really need to get your bait out there and it excels at keeping your bait just off the bottom while preventing hang ups. Cast out the rig, let the weight sink to the bottom, retrieve it with a slow sweeping motion, or just let your weight rest on the bottom while your bait moves freely with the current. (When active fishing, we recommend using a j hook or kahle hook instead of a circle hook.)
It’s also a simple, easy presentation to setup that uses a hook, barrel swivel, leader-line, sliding egg weight, and bead. To set up the Carolina rig for surf fishing, just follow the diagram above. For the Carolina rig you’ll need a main line (15-25 lb fluoro or braid), leader line (2′ to 3′ 15 lb mono or fluoro), bullet or egg weight (1/2 oz to 3 oz), plastic bead (6mm), barrel or roller swivel (#7), and hook (2/0 to 5/0 kahle, circle or j hook).
What we like best about the Carolina rig for surf fishing is its absolutely natural presentation. If you use a fluoro leader line, your presentation is going to be almost invisible to most fish and the sliding sinker setup ensures bait moves naturally in the water. Best of all, once a fish commits to your bait, it doesn’t feel the unnatural pull of the line. When the fish retreats—bait in mouth—the circle hook sets naturally. By the time the fish feels the line and realizes it’s hooked, it’s to late.
Fish Finder Rig
Many anglers feel the fish finder is the best all-round surf fishing rig—and for good reason. It excels at attracting and hooking fish in challenging water conditions and surf zones. In a similar fashion to the Carolina rig, the fish finder creates a very natural presentation that allows bait to suspend just off the bottom. It uses a heavy sliding sinker that keeps the presentation in place while allowing bait to move freely in the current. And when the fish takes the bait, it feels little resistance and fully commits.
The biggest difference between the fish finder rig and Carolina rig is really the size and position of the sinker. The fish finder rig has a large pyramid weight clipped to it using a swivel. The larger pyramid weight really keeps the rig in one place on the bottom. The weight is stopped from moving freely up the entire length of the line due to its position below the inline swivel connecting the leader to main line. The Carolina rig on the other hand uses a smaller egg weight positioned above the swivel that is allowed to move freely along the entire length of the line.
Both the Carolina and fish finder are great saltwater rigs for surf fishing, but the fish finder rig tends to perform better in heavy currents and at keeping your presentation fixed in one spot. If you’re going to be doing a lot of cast and retrieve, you may opt for the Carolina rig. The fish finder also tends handles larger baits and fish better.
