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Terminal Tackle FAQ's
Terminal tackle covers everything that's on the business end of your mainline; the hook that holds your bait at just the right point for the fish you want to come across it, the floats that provide all the bite indication skilled coarse anglers need to know just when to strike, the leads that allow you to take your line out to those mid-venue features where fish are likely to be hiding, all the swivels and clips that hold an effective rig to your mainline, and much more beside.
Terminal tackle is what anglers rely on, and what brings anglers the results they want, also know as the Business End.
What Should You Look For In Terminal Tackle?
The specific needs you will have from terminal tackle will depend on your angling discipline, the species you're targeting, and the kinds of venues you typically fish. Venues will often have rules on what types of terminal tackle can be used, and that will obviously feed in to what terminal tackle you decide to buy when you're topping up your tackle box.
In terms of the basics, terminal tackle needs to be strong, durable, and as corrosion-resistant as possible. Colours that can be seen from the bank, yet are low-profile below the surface, with shapes and textures that will draw fish in, and which won't spook them while they're feeding on your free baits.
How Much Terminal Tackle Should I Be Buying?
More is definitely better when it comes to terminal tackle; the more options, patterns, sizes, and weights you have, the more likely it is that you'll be able to create the rig you need to land that campaign target you've been focused on pursuing.
Obviously, you don't want to weigh yourself down, or clutter your tackle box, but you want to give yourself the best chance of success. Research venues you're keen to fish, find out what hook patterns, and types of terminal tackle are typically allowed, and plan your shopping list accordingly.
What Brands Are Best?
Another situation where your discipline and target species will guide you, but names that stand out consistently for quality, performance, craftsmanship and value include Nash on the carp scene, Drennan for match anglers, Mustad for sea anglers, and Fulling Mill for fly fishers. As with all things angling, the important thing is to experiment and explore, trying different options, and finding out what works for you, both in terms of what brings fish to the bank, and what feels right on your line.
Is Terminal Tackle A Magic Wand?
Sadly not. Nothing in angling is certain, and results are never guaranteed. Fish are unpredictable, and what proves to be a runaway success one day may see you blanking the next day. The key is to build up a pattern, rather than going by episodic results.
What gets you results is your own skill and initiative. You study the water, you lay the bait trail, you target the part of the water column you know the fish you want are holding up in. Your terminal tackle just grabs the result your own hard work has already brought you close to. Buy what looks and feels right. Buy what other anglers in your discipline suggest. And whatever you buy – give it a chance to do the business the way you like to fish.
