Gear We Reference: Line, Hooks, Sinkers, Swivels and Knot Tools
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Every product linked across Dockrig, in 5 groups. Each row says which knots and rigs it fits, when to skip it, and which page explains how to choose.
There are 30 rows, 6 per group. Each row links to at least 2 of our knot or rig pages. Soft plastic baits are left out to keep the list short. They have their own page: soft plastic baits, with 5 bait types and the hook for each.
Specs come from the maker. A 10 lb line or a 1/4 oz weight is what the label says.
Sizes span a wide range. Hooks run from #1 to 7/0. Sinkers run from split shot to 1 oz, and line from 10 to 50 lb. Pick by the rig. The pack size is secondary, since most of us use 3 or 4 sizes of anything.
Jump to: line · hooks · sinkers · swivels and snaps · knot tools.
Line
Line type and lb test by technique are on fishing line for bass. This table adds the knots and rigs each spool shows up in. Braid floats. Fluoro sinks.
| Item | Spec | Fits | Skip when | How to choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monofilament | 10 lb, 300 yd | topwater, shallow cranks; improved clinch, Palomar | deep bottom rigs, where stretch hides bites | Fishing line for bass |
| Fluorocarbon | 15 lb, 200 yd | Texas rigs, jigs, cranks; Texas rig, uni | heavy test on a small spinning reel | Fishing line for bass |
| Heavy braid | 50 lb, 330 yd | frogs and mats; Texas rig in cover, Alabama rig | clear open water without a leader | Fishing line for bass |
| Light braid | 15 lb, 125 yd | main line under a leader; drop shot, Senko rigs | tied straight to a bare spool; see arbor knot | Fishing line for bass |
| Hybrid nylon and fluoro | 15 lb, 600 yd | cranks and general casting; improved clinch, Palomar | when you need full fluoro sink or full braid feel | Fishing line for bass |
| Fluorocarbon leader | 20 lb, 25 m coil | leader under 30 to 40 lb braid; FG knot, double uni | as a full spool of main line | FG knot |
Hooks
How to pick a hook shape is on bass hooks by type, and sizes on the hook size chart. On # sizes, a bigger number means a smaller hook.
| Item | Spec | Fits | Skip when | How to choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EWG offset worm hook | 3/0 | Texas rigs with thick baits; Texas rig, Palomar | thin finesse worms, where a wide gap is too much | Bass hooks by type |
| Straight shank worm hook | 2/0, bait keeper | long worms, Texas rig and Carolina rig | skin-hooked stick baits that need an offset | Bass hooks by type |
| Drop shot hook | #1 | nose-hooked baits on a drop shot; Palomar | heavy cover and heavy line | Bass hooks by type |
| Weedless neko hook | 1/0 | neko and wacky; wacky rig, Senko rigs | thick grass, where only a Texas rig gets through | Bass hooks by type |
| Offset circle octopus hook | 2/0 | live bait; snell, catfish rigs | waters that require inline circles for your bait | Bass hooks by type |
| Inline circle hook | 7/0 | big herring and shad on striper rigs; snell | small threadfin, where a 7/0 is too big | Striper rigs |
Sinkers
Which weight goes on which rig is on fishing weights by rig. Tungsten is smaller for its weight. Lead costs less.
| Item | Spec | Fits | Skip when | How to choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tungsten bullet weight | 1/4 oz, no insert | open water Texas rig; pegged in Senko rigs | mats that need 3/4 oz and up | Fishing weights by rig |
| Tungsten teardrop drop shot weight | 1/4 oz | smooth bottoms on a drop shot; Palomar | rock piles, where a cylinder snags less | Fishing weights by rig |
| Egg sinkers | 1/8 to 1 oz, 6 sizes | sliding rigs; Carolina rig, catfish rigs | current that rolls the sinker downstream | Fishing weights by rig |
| Removable split shot | 5 sizes | bobber rigs and light bait; bobber stop knot, dropper loop | anything over about 1/4 oz | Fishing weights by rig |
| No-roll bank sinkers | several sizes | river bottom rigs; catfish rigs, dropper loop | grass, where the flat shape hangs up | Fishing weights by rig |
| Pencil drop shot weight | 1/4 oz | rocky bottoms on a drop shot; Palomar | soft mud, where a round weight settles better | Drop shot rig |
Swivels and snaps
Types and size numbers are on swivels and snaps. The knots that tie to them are on knots for swivels.
| Item | Spec | Fits | Skip when | How to choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless barrel swivels | 200 pack | weight stop on a Carolina rig; knots for swivels | lures that spin hard under load | Swivels and snaps |
| Ball-bearing swivels | #0 | spoons and spinners; uni, knots for swivels | drop shots and Texas rigs, which do not need one | Swivels and snaps |
| 3-way swivels | #10, rated 35 lb | river bottom rigs; catfish rigs, uni | light line, where a dropper loop is simpler | Swivels and snaps |
| Duo-lock snap swivels | rated 26.4 lb | quick lure changes; Palomar, knots for swivels | small crankbaits, where a big snap dulls the action | Swivels and snaps |
| Balsa slip bobber kit | with rubber stops | bait at a set depth; bobber stop knot, uni | water shallower than your rod, where a fixed bobber is easier | Swivels and snaps |
| Slip bobber stops | 40 pack | depth setting; bobber stop knot, braid knots | when you can tie a stop knot just as fast | Bobber stop knot |
Knot tools
What each tool does is on knot tying tools.
| Item | Spec | Fits | Skip when | How to choose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobbin knotter | for PE braid | tension on the FG knot; double uni as the simpler option | if you tie 1 FG a season | Knot tying tools |
| Knot tyer | handheld | small hooks, cold hands; improved clinch, uni | once you tie fast by hand | Knot tying tools |
| Hook tying tool | copper | even wraps on a snell; improved clinch | knots that tie easily by hand | Knot tying tools |
| Split ring pliers with cutters | 6 in. | split rings and braid tags; non-slip loop, Palomar | fine tippet work, where a clipper is lighter | Knot tying tools |
| Line clipper | with retractor | every tag trim; fisherman's knot, braid knots | cutting wire leader | Knot tying tools |
| Line scissors | braid-rated | clean braid tags; Palomar, Albright | cutting wire or hooks | Palomar knot |
Specs are the maker's figures from each listing. Products can go out of stock. When a listing disappears or changes into something that no longer matches its row, we hide the row until we find a replacement that fits the same knots and rigs.
Sources: product details from each maker's listing. Fit and skip notes from the linked knot and rig pages. Method on our methodology page.