Saltwater Fishing Tackle

A saltwater fishing tackle is the equipment used to catch fish at sea. The gear is essential to fishermen who operate on a commercial level and also by 'sport' fisherman. The term enjoys the etymology that implies 'apparatus for fishing'. It is also recorded as the 'act of tackling', more in the sport sense. In the broader sense, a saltwater fishing tackle is almost any equipment or gear used by a fisherman to catch fish. It is attached to the end of the fishing line and includes hooks, leaders and swivels. Saltwater fishing tackles also include lures or bait, leaders, rods, trawls, traps and floats and even harpoons.

Fishing Hook
The fish hook basically impales the fish in the mouth or snags the body of the fish. This fishing tackle has been employed for centuries to catch saltwater fish and in fact, it features as 'one of the top twenty tools in the history of man'! Fish hooks are attached to the line and there are a variety of fish hooks in the world. They differ according to size, shape, design and material. Although the intended purpose of the fish hook is obvious, these fishing tackles are also designed to hold various types of artificial and dead or live baits or to be integrated into other devices.

Fishing Plummet or Sinker
This is a weight! It is an attachment used to sink a bait more rapidly. This is done with the intent to increase the distance at which it is cast. The saltwater fishing plummet is made of lead. It is shaped like a pipe-stem, swelling at the center. The design includes loops of wire on either end, to attach to the rod or line. The weight or this saltwater fishing plummet or sinker is around a couple of pounds or more for sea bass and much lesser in the case of trout. However, the use of lead based sinkers are now being banned due to the fear of toxic lead poisoning observed among waterbirds and other aquatic organisms.

Swivel Sinker
The swivel sinker has loops instead of loops on each end. This feature prevents twisting and tangling and the device is a must in trolling. A variant is the slide sinker that is used for 'bottom fishing'. The slide sinker allows the line to slip through the tube when the fish bites. This saltwater fishing sinker works very well, since the fisherman can feel even the smallest bite. Split shots are also used, especially in the case of trout fishing, instead of a sinker and independent swivels do well to prevent entanglement of the fishing line.

Fishing Reel
A fishing reel is probably the most traditional fishing equipment or device. It is basically employed for retrieval of the line and catch, via the design that includes a spool and axle. The optimized use of the saltwater fishing reel is seen in angling, a purely recreational sport. The reel is an attachment to the fishing rod. It is usually used in conjunction, but there are special varieties that are mounted directly to the gunwales. This is most observed in Chinese paintings and records that date back to approximately 1195 A.D! George Snyder of Kentucky is credited with the invention of the popular bait casting design.

Downriggers
The saltwater fishing downrigger is used by trolling. The device is designed to place a lure at a desired and pre determined depth. A downrigger design comprises a large weight suspended from a rod-like device. A stainless steel cable is used for suspending the weight. The operation involves the bait being attached to the downrigger wire. The reel holds the bait and the wire together.

Saltwater fishing tackles serve different purposes and are personal preferences of the fishermen. They allow the optimized use of the bait and vessel, with the help of the designs that fit in different situations.