7 Types Of SALTWATER FISHING RIGS (That Catch Fish Anywhere)
PUBLISHED 6 SEPTEMBER 2023
by Robert Ceran
Are you planning to go saltwater fishing, but aren’t sure which fishing rig is best for your purposes?
Saltwater fishing tends to be more complex than freshwater fishing, which is why it’s essential to use the right setup to get the best results in saltwater.
In this article I’ll walk you through the most effective saltwater fishing rigs, and will also cover how to fish them, and how to choose the ideal setup for your purposes.
What are the different types of saltwater fishing rigs?
The 7 types of saltwater fishing rigs are:
- Surf fishing rigs
- Pier fishing rigs
- Jetty fishing rigs
- Rock fishing rigs
- Reef fishing rigs
- Inshore fishing rigs
- Deep sea fishing rigs
We’ll go over the most important setups in each of these categories, and will also discuss which saltwater rigs are best for beginners, to help you choose the ideal setup for your purposes.
Surf fishing rigs
Surf fishing can be done anywhere there is a gently sloping shoreline, and is thus the most widely practiced kind of saltwater fishing.
The three most effective surf fishing setups are:
- Fish finder rig
- Saltwater Carolina rig
- Pompano rig
The fish finder rig is ideally suited for surf fishing, since it comes with a pyramid sinker that digs into the bottom, allowing it to hold your hook in place even in strong tides or currents.
The Carolina rig comes with an egg sinker, which is ideal for actively retrieving your bait or lure by hopping it across the bottom, enabling you to cover more ground in search of fish in the surf.
The Pompano rig is a multi-hook surf fishing setup that allows you to fish with several hooks at the same time, and catches a range of bottom species, including pompano, whiting, croaker, fluke and sheepshead.
It also comes with floats threaded onto the line next to the hooks, which lifts them off the bottom and protects the bait from being eaten by crabs.
For more information, check out our detailed guide to the best surf fishing rigs, as well as our guide to the best beach fishing rigs for beginners.
Pier fishing rigs
Pier fishing can be great for catching a wide range of saltwater gamefish, since piers extend out into the water, giving you access to relatively deep water without using a boat.
The three most effective pier fishing setups are:
- Fish finder rig
- Paternoster rig
- Sabiki rig
The fish finder rig is a great all-around bottom fishing setup for piers, and can hold your bait in the strike zone effectively with its pyramid sinker.
The paternoster rig, on the other hand, comes with multiple hooks, which allows you to test several baits in parallel, thus increasing your odds of catching fish.
The Sabiki rig comes with even more feathered hooks, and is ideal for vertical fishing from a pier to target smaller fish, such as mackerel, pilchard, or bonito.
For more information, check out our detailed guide to the best pier fishing rigs.
Jetty fishing rigs
Jetty fishing is also among the most productive ways to catch saltwater fish from the shore, since the rocks used to construct jetties attract a wide variety of fish that feed on crustaceans and small baitfish found in this environment.
The three most effective jetty fishing setups are:
- Jig rig
- Slip bobber rig
- High low rig
The jig rig is the best all-around lure fishing setup for jetty fishing that is baited with soft plastic baits, and is extremely effective when fished close to the rocks of a jetty, since this is where predatory fish ambush their prey.
The slip bobber rig allows you to fish live bait or cut bait close to jetties without getting snagged (which is unfortunately quite common with the other setups). My favorite bait for this setup is a live shrimp, since this catches almost any fish species that can be targeted from jetties.
The high low rig is a double hook bottom fishing setup that can be used to target fish that forage in the vicinity of jetties, but you have to be careful not to get it snagged on the rocks.
For more information, check out our detailed guide to the best jetty fishing rigs.
Rock fishing rigs
Rock fishing is very similar to jetty fishing, though it refers to fishing around natural rock formations along the ocean coast, while jetties are man made rock structures.
The three most effective rock fishing setups are:
- High low rig
- Slip bobber rig
- Jig rig
I like to fish these setups exactly the same way that I would use them for jetty fishing. Once again, one of the biggest challenges is to avoid getting your terminal tackle caught on rocks or corals.
For more information, check out our detailed guide to the best rock fishing rigs.
Reef fishing rigs
Reefs attract a wide variety of saltwater fish that find both shelter and rich foraging opportunities in the vicinity of the reef.
The three most effective reef fishing setups are:
- Knocker rig
- Dropper loop rig
- Double drop bottom rig
The knocker rig is a great all-around saltwater bottom rig that is almost tangle free, which makes it a great choice for beginners.
The dropper loop rig, on the other hand, is better for presenting your bait slightly above the bottom, and is often used to target large reef fish with live bait.
The double drop bottom rig comes with two hooks tied above a sinker, which allows you to target schooling fish with multiple baits at the same time.
For more information, check out our detailed guide to the best reef fishing rigs.
Inshore fishing rigs
Inshore fishing covers a wide range of fishing applications, as it refers to any fishing done within 9 miles of the shore, or in water up to 90 feet deep.
The three most effective inshore fishing setups are:
- Carolina rig
- Jig rig
- Popping cork rig
The Carolina rig can be used to fish either natural or artificial saltwater bait, and you can either retrieve it actively, or use it for a “bait and wait” tactic.
The jig rig, on the other hand, is one of the most versatile lure fishing setups, and catches the majority of inshore species, including red drum, striper, black drum, flounder, bluefish, spanish mackerel, and rockfish.
The popping cork rig is ideal for fishing in the shallow waters of creeks, estuaries, mud flats, and shellfish beds.
For more information, check out our detailed guide to the best inshore fishing rigs.
Deep sea fishing rigs
Deep sea fishing is defined as fishing done more than 9 miles offshore, or at depths greater than 90 feet. Needless to say, this type of saltwater fishing is always done from a boat.
The three most effective deep sea fishing setups are:
- Knocker rig
- Deep drop rig
- Balloon fishing rig
The knocker rig is a great all-around bottom fishing setup in deep sea environments, while the deep drop rig is specifically designed for fishing in very deep waters of up to 1000 feet (or even deeper).
The most commonly targeted species with these setups are groupers and snappers, which always relate to bottom structure.
The balloon fishing rig, on the other hand, is used to fish a live bait close to the surface of the water, and is used to target pelagic offshore species, such as tuna, sailfish, mahi mahi and marlin.
For more information, check out our detailed guide to the best deep sea fishing rigs.
What saltwater fishing rigs are best for beginners?
If you’re a novice saltwater angler, it’s important to choose a rig that combines ease of use with effectiveness.
Some fishing setups are difficult to tie, and some are difficult to use without getting tangled, which means you need to develop the required fishing skills before you can use them.
Luckily, however, there are three saltwater rigs that are relatively easy to set up and fish, and which reliably catch fish:
- Fish finder rig
- Knocker rig
- Jig rig
The fish finder rig is a great all-around saltwater fishing setup, and can be used either for shore fishing, or for boat fishing.
The knocker rig comes with the advantage of being virtually tangle free, and can be used both for casting from the beach, or for vertical fishing from a boat or pier.
Finally, the jig rig is a simple but deadly lure fishing setup that catches saltwater fish almost anywhere.
If you could only choose three rigs for saltwater fishing, I suggest you pick these three.
Finally, another useful option for beginners is the three-way swivel setup, since it’s a little easier to tie than most other saltwater setups.
For more information, check out our detailed guide to the best saltwater fishing rigs for beginners.