Terminal Tackle, Elastic, Floats, Hooks, Leads, Rigs & more

Terminal tackle really is the business end of any angler’s set up – no matter your discipline. Not only is it the first bit of kit that will come into direct contact with your fish but it is also the thing that will start the landing process, so it is extremely important that you pick the gear that is perfect for you. We, here at Angling Direct, are all dedicated angler’s ourselves, so we make sure that we only ever stock tried and tested products that we’d use in our own angling. This is also why we stock such a huge range of gear in this category and, with well over 1,500 products in stock on our website right now, the options are almost limitless when it comes to constructing your perfect terminal tackle setup to hook your next personal best fish.

 However, with so much choice available, unless you know exactly what you’re after it can be a real mission to pick out new products that are ideal for your setup. This is why we’ve created this short guide, highlighting some of the biggest areas of our terminal tackle collection, to let you know exactly what products we have in stock, what they are used for, and what brands to look out for!

Hooks

Hooks make up a huge part of Angling Direct’s terminal tackle category. To the uninformed it might seem ridiculous that we have such a huge selection of hooks available, however, the hook you choose makes a huge difference to your angling success and an incorrect hook selection can destroy a bankside session. Hooks are classified based on their size, with the smallest hook having the largest number and the biggest hook the smallest number. This applies universally across freshwater angling, with hooks getting incrementally smaller going up in even numbers (with exception being number one, which is usually the largest hook used in freshwater angling). Sea fishing hooks are even bigger than this and increase in single digits. These are written as fractions (for example, 3/0) known as ‘aughts’. Picking a hook that is the right size for the fish you are targeting is extremely important. Too big, and the fish won’t be able to fit the hook in its mouth. Too small, and the hook won’t hold or you run the risk of the fish becoming gut hooked. You also need to consider the size and type of bait you’re using, too, and whether you’re attaching them directly to the hook itself or you’re hair rigging the bait.

This is only the beginning, however. You also have the gape of the hook to consider, which is the distance between the shank of the hook and the point. A hook with a larger gape might be preferable when you’re tackling a larger fish or you want to use a bulkier bait presented on the hook itself. Another thing to consider is whether or not you want to use a barbed hook or a barbless hook. Barbed hooks are the traditional option and they are often preferred because they give a solid hook hold that is hard for a fish to break. However, the downside of this is that it is also much harder to remove the hook from the fish on your unhooking mat. This is why some venues ban the use of barbed hooks, as they think it is harmful to the fish and doesn’t allow for adequate fish care. Barbless hooks are often considered to be kinder to the fish and they are definitely easier to remove when you have the fish on your unhooking mat. However, this means they are also easier to remove in the mouth of the fish, too, and some anglers avoid barbless hooks because they believe they result in lost fish. If you’re sea fishing or predator fishing you might also want to consider using a multi-hook, which has two or three points.

Brands like Drennan, Korda, and Preston all feature heavily in our range of best sellers. These are all brands that pride themselves on the strength and sharpness of their hooks, as well as offering a range of sizes and barbed/barbless options.

Feeders

Using feeders to position your hook bait is one of the most popular techniques when carp and coarse fishing. It’s also popular for tackling commercial waters and it’s great as a technique to mix up your match fishing. Some anglers we know won’t be seen out on the bank without a feeder to hand. There are a couple of different types of feeders on the market and there is often a lot of debate among the angling community as to which is the most effective – in fact, we’ve even got a whole blog on the subject of feeder fishing rigs in order to help you to get the most out of your angling.

Method feeders are probably the most popular feeder system on the market. These are tear-drop shaped feeders with a number of ridges that hold a compact groundbait or pellet mix in place. These are relatively easy to cast, thanks to their aerodynamic shade, and allow for a quick release of baits due to their open top design. This ensures that the hook bait is presented early on, giving you the maximum amount of time to get a take. To help get the perfect form on your method feeder, lots of brands produce moulds deigned to be compatible with their method feeder to make this kind of hook bait presentation quick and easy. Cage feeders are a more traditional version of feeders and they formed the inspiration for the new generation of method feeders. These are still popular options, thanks to their versatility, and they offer a mix of open ended and closed ended, allowing you to pick the speed at which your bait gets let into the swim. You have your pick of brands in this category, with feeders coming in at a range of prices, but Guru is a brand that particularly prides itself on the quality of its method feeders.

Floats 

On the opposite end of the spectrum from feeder fishing we have float fishing. If you want to tackle this type of angling then you need a high quality float. Not only can a float help to keep your rig on the surface of the water, but you can also suspend your rig mid-way through the water column, allowing you to tackle fish at a great range of depths. Floats are also used for bottom fishing when you want to ensure clear bite indication. This type of angling isn’t limited to coarse fishing, either, and it is ideal for use when you’re pike fishing with a dead bait, too. One of the big advantages of float fishing is the bite indication, as it is clear to see when a float bobs below the surface after a take. This is why most of the floats we stock will have bright orange or red tips, as it ensures that you can see them even in low light conditions.

Angling Direct has a huge range of floats on offer, ensuring that you have the perfect option available to you no matter what style of angling you prefer. These include wagglers and dumpy wagglers, pencils (both loaded and vaned), sliders, and many more besides. These are all distinguished based on their shape, and each shape has its pros and cons depending on the kind of angling you do. Some shapes are said to cast batter than others (such as pencil floats), some are said to have greater stability in the water (anything ‘dumpy’ or loaded). As with many things in angling, your choice tends to come down to a combination of practicality and personal preference. Match fishing brands are the ones to look out for when you’re buying floats. Preston, Drennan, and Middy all offer a variety of floats, which can be used to great effect when you’re angling. If you want to browse a really big range, why not check out Premier Floats. For predator specific floats you can look at Fox Rage, which is Fox International’s dedicated predator fishing subdivision.

Rigs and Rig Bits

These two make up the largest amount of tackle in our terminal tackle collection, as no matter what type of fishing you enjoy you need a rig to make it happen. Whether you want to craft your own or use a ready-made setup, we have a huge range of choice for you.

Rigs are some of the most important aspects of your terminal tackle as, more often than not, your rig type will determine your bait presentation (and, in turn, your angling success). There are loads of different styles of rig, each with their own benefits and downfalls. Each different rig style is best suited to a specific form of fishing and there are literally hundreds to choose from within each discipline depending on the fish you’re targeting and the conditions of your water. Some examples of different rig names that you’ll see banded around are zig rig, chod rig, pop-up rig, pennel rig, and trace rigs.

To create your perfect rig we have a range of putties, hair stops, bait bands, beads, lead clips, float stops, and much more besides. These allow you to tailor your rig and setup to your exacting needs, making sure that you can experience success on the bank. If you’re a fan of carp fishing then many anglers will claim that you can’t beat a Korda product when it comes to self-constructed rigs and the brand prides itself on innovating in this area. Greys produce a range of ready-made rigs for the sea angler, too, each of which are catered to different fish and conditions. Preston, Korum, and Drennan all feature heavily in our rig and rig bits, too.

Leads

One of the most important editions to you rig setup is your lead, as this is the thing that helps your rig to sink quickly. This is essential if you’re targeting fish which feed on the bottom for the majority of the time, such as carp, as you need your bait in position as soon as possible in order to give yourself the best chance of a catch. Not only this but, if you’re slack line fishing, it is a huge benefit to get your rig sunk as quickly as possible. There are loads of different lead options out there, each with their own specific uses, and, although it would be possible to write a whole article detailing the difference between them, we’re going to give you a whistle stop tour of the main lead options we have available on our website.

Backleads are one of the most popular lead choices when you’re slack line carp fishing on an uneven lake or river bed as they can help you cling to the undulations in the lake and reduce the risk of spooking your fish. There are three types of backleads on offer: traditional backleads, flying backleads, and captive backleads. These each have their own benefits and drawbacks, including the ease with which they are positioned and how they react when you get a take.

When it comes to main leads you have an even greater range of options and the choice you make will greatly depend on the venue you are targeting and the style of angling you employ. For example, grip leads are best used when you’re tackling fast flowing rivers or steep sided marginal slopes. Pear leads are ideal for distance fishing, as are the aptly named distance leads and tournament casting leads, and flat pear leads lend themselves to hard bottoms and PVA fishing. Square pears are perfect for bolt rig fishing and mid-range work.

If you’re sea fishing them you’ll want a lead with a little additional grip to stand up to hard tidal currents. A good name to look out for is Breakaway, as this brand is currently the market leader in sea fishing weights around the world. Angling Direct really rate Guru’s leads, too, and we’ve created a pack of leads that will allow you to experiment with different options that you otherwise might not have tried.

Leaders, Tubing, Swivels, and Links

Leaders are the sections of line that attach your rig section to the rest of your mainline. This makes them some of your most vital bits of tackle, and a quality leader can really make the difference between a successful and disappointing angling session. Leaders tend to be of a more abrasive material than your mainline, but there is some debate about whether or not you want a leader that is of a lighter or heavier breaking strain than your mainline. Once again, this choice tends to come down to the type of angling you’re doing and the conditions of the water. Too light and your leader could snap, loosing you fish but potentially saving your leads and mainline. Too heavy and the leader could loose you your mainline and cause a hook pull, but it is less likely to be weakened by fish with teeth. 

Tubing is essential in preventing your line from damaging the fish. Long gone are the days of bulky tubing that threatened to ruin any suppleness and stealth of line choice. Today’s tubing technology ensures that you can benefit from a supple and camouflaged edition to your terminal tackle setup. You’ll even find some tubing impregnated with tungsten or other weighty material, which is ideal for slack line fishing.

Swivels allow you to create your own rig setup. Although some leaders will come with swivels already attached, you can also create your own leader setup more precisely with the range of swivels on our website. We also stock a full range of links. Both swivels and links essential attaching tools which allow you to modify your rig to your exacting needs. You want to look out for combinations that are easy to use and strong, to hold you two sections of line together. When you’re picking between using a link or a swivel, remember that a swivel will allow the independent movement of one section of your rig from the other, whereas a link generally keeps everything moving together as it doesn’t allow for as much twist and rotation.

Spods

This might not be the biggest area of our terminal tackle collection but it is certainly one of the fastest growing. Spod rockets are quickly becoming a must-have baiting accessory for the distance fishing carp angler. Not only do they allow you to get a huge amount of bait out to your spot but they also ensure that you can be as accurate with your distribution as possible. Spods are essentially rocket-shaped containers that can hold a huge number of boilies. Using a specialist spod rod, rather than a traditional carp rod, you can launch your rocket of bait as far as your hook bait can go, allowing you to offer up freebies when distance angling in a way that is impossible with a throwing stick or catapult. 

Brands to look out for include Spomb, which innovated the current spod design, and Fox. Angling Direct has even collaborated with Fox to create an own-brand spod rocket.

PVA Products

Whilst we’re on the subject of bait distribution, another incredibly popular option for both pole and rod-and-reel angling is PVA. PVA is a water soluble material which is usually supplied in a mesh form. You can either buy this in a ready made bag, meaning that all you have to doo is fill, tie, and cast out, or you can purchase it as a long tube. The benefit of this is that it allows you to create you custom size of bag, ensuring that you can get the perfect amount of bait distribution. This is a particularly popular tactic in carp fishing, and most of the big name carp brands have PVA products, including Korda, ESP, and Fox.

These are the biggest and most popular categories in our terminal tackle collection. However, this still only scrapes the surface of the products we have to offer. Our range also includes: isotopes, for night-time and low light level fishing; hooks-to-nylon; knot tyers, for anglers with clumsy fingers; pole elastic; and crimps.

We always aim to give great value for money across our products, and our terminal tackle collection is no different. We stock over 10,000 lines and constantly scour the market to ensure our prices are the lowest you’ll pay. We can offer exclusive deals on Daiwa’s terminal tackle, too, as we are the leading stockist of the brand in the UK. What’s more, our team has generations of experience in elite fishing of every style, so you can rest assured we’re the ones to head to for a little advice. Our in-store staff are fanatical about all aspects of fishing, so pop in to check out our range of terminal tackle in the flesh and to speak to a member of staff. Our shop finder tool makes it easy to find your local Angling Direct. Our customer services team are always at the other end of the line to answer your queries about any stage of the ordering process, too – from initial advice, to placing and tracking the order. Everything we offer comes with a full manufacturer’s warranty, too, and is supported by our unrivalled after-care system.

Angling Direct makes it easy for you to top up your tackle box with the world’s most sought-after terminal tackle, allowing you to make every fishing trip a success story of proportions. So whether you’re simply short of a few bait bands to construct that perfect rig, or maybe you’re after that perfect hook to capture your target fish, Angling Direct has th