Jargon Buster

Contents A ................................................................................................................................................. 3

B ................................................................................................................................................. 8

C ............................................................................................................................................... 25

D ............................................................................................................................................... 36

E ............................................................................................................................................... 44

F ............................................................................................................................................... 47

G ............................................................................................................................................... 58

H ............................................................................................................................................... 64

I ................................................................................................................................................ 69

J ................................................................................................................................................ 72

K ............................................................................................................................................... 75

L ............................................................................................................................................... 77

M .............................................................................................................................................. 84

N ............................................................................................................................................... 91

O ............................................................................................................................................... 94

P ............................................................................................................................................... 97

Q ............................................................................................................................................. 107

R ............................................................................................................................................. 108

S ............................................................................................................................................. 118

T ............................................................................................................................................. 137

U ............................................................................................................................................. 145

V ............................................................................................................................................. 148

W ............................................................................................................................................ 150

Z ............................................................................................................................................. 154

A

Aeration tank - A tank or container used to keep bait alive by pumping a supply of air or fresh sea water into it. Also known as a livebait tank or well or vivier.

Abu – Swedish based tackle manufacturers, known for their shore reels.

Adipose Fin - A small fleshy lump which appears behind the dorsal fin on game fish such as salmon and trout.

Amnesia - A low memory fishing line which recovers from twists when tensioned particularly good for hook snoods.

Anadromous - Fish that hatch and rear in fresh water then migrate to the sea to grow and mature. They then return to fresh water to spawn and reproduce. The salmon is the most common of this type of fish.

Anal fin - The fin behind the vent.

Angler – Anyone who uses a rod and line for fishing. Those who fish for sport in saltwater are known as recreational sea anglers.

Angling Trust – The governing body for sea angling in England. Selects international teams for Home Internationals and CIPS events.

Anti-kink - A device which helps to prevent line twist when spinning.

Artificial - Any bait which is man-made, may be plastic, wood or metal.

Assist hook – A hook fished from the top of a jig or pirk attached by a length of cord or wire.

Avis boom – A plastic paternoster boom with an drilled, oval bead moulded on one end and a loop on the other. The trace line is threaded through the oval and snood attached to the loop.

B

Back cast – A casting style particularly popular in the east of England. The angler stands with their back to the sea and parallel to the beach. Rods for this style tend to be long and have a heavy action. It is a cast particularly suited to throwing heavy weights. In fly fishing the term is used to describe the action of throwing the rod and line backwards, and allowing the line to unroll in the air, before making a forward cast.

Backing line or backing – Line used to spool on a reel to raise the line level before applying a topshot of other line, normally braid. In fly fishing the backing gives a reserve of line over and above the fly line to play a big fish.

Backlash – The result of an uncontrolled spool when casting a multiplier reel. The spool spins faster than the line is flowing from it and the resultant tangle can be serious enough to require the cutting of the line. Also known as a birds nest or overrun

Backwash – The movement of the waves back out to sea after flooding the beach or rocks.

Back wind – Using the reels anti-reverse switch to allow the fish to take line when fishing with a fixed spool or centrepin reel.

Bag limit - Restriction in the number of fish that an angler may retain during a fishing session.

Bail or Bail arm (bale) - A semicircular, metal arm on an fixed spool or spinning reel that picks up the line after a cast.

Bait – Anything natural or artificial used on a hook to attract a fish.

Bait clip – A metal or plastic hook device, combined with tubing, used to retain the hook and bait under tension while casting to ensure best presentation. Hook is release on contact with the water.

Bait digging - the gathering of bait using a fork or spade. Usually for worms or clams.

Bait elastic – An elasticated thread used to secure soft baits such as mussels or crab to the hook by whipping. It does not need to be tied as it grips when stretched. Used to be only available from haberdashery shops in the form of knit-in or shirring elastic but now branded for angling and available from tackle shops.

Bait holder hook – A hook with a slice or slices on the back of the shank to help retain a bait or plastic worm.

Bait pump - a metal, suction pump used for bait gathering in particular for black lugworm in their vertical burrows.

Baitrunner - a fixed spool reel with a rear drag and a lever to disengage the spool allowing the fish to run freely but with line pick-up when the handle is turned.

Baitcasting – A US term used to describe a rod and reel set-up for lure or bait fishing where the reel is fished on top of the rod. The reel is generally a multiplier or closed-face model.

Baitfish - Small fish near the bottom of the food chain used for bait, generally live, to catch larger predatory species. Sandeels are a common example of a baitfish.

Baiting needle - A long metal needle with either an eye at the blunt end used for mounting dead fish on a rig or with a hollow indent to locate a hook point and allow worms or shellfish to be threaded onto hooks.

Balanced - A term used to describe the proper combination of rod, reel line.

Balloon - used a float to suspend large baits when shark fishing.

Bar - An offshore ridge or mound of sand, gravel or pebbles which is submerged during some stage of the tide. Common at the mouth of a river or estuary or lying parallel to a beach a short distance offshore.

Barb – A slice in the metal of a hook near to the hook point which helps prevent the escape of a hooked fish.

Barbless hook - A hook made without a barb, or a hook on which the barb has been flattened. Used when catch-and-release fishing.

Barometric pressure - (atmospheric pressure) The pressure at any point in an atmosphere due solely to the weight of the atmospheric gases. Indicates the presence of high or low pressure areas.

Basin - A large depression of a generally circular or elliptical.

Bay - A recess or inlet in the shoreline between two headlands.

Beachcaster - An angler who shore fishes or type of fishing rod used for shore fishing. This rod is usually in excess of twelve feet long and designed for distance casting.

Beachcasting - A term generally give to shore fishing from the beach or rocks.

Beads – Used as an attractor in various colours adjacent to the hook and also in rig construction to protect knots or locate snoods. See also two-way beads.

Bearings – The part of a reel which supports the spool axle.

Bimini Twist – A type of knot used to produce a double line segment to attach a leader. As a hitch it is not strictly a knot but it produces a connection which is extremely strong with little drop in the line’s breaking strain. Needs practice to tie successfully.

Birds nest – see Backlash

Birler blade - a small metal or plastic spinner blade used on a clevis ahead of a baited hook as an attractor. Also known as a dirler blade.

Black lug – The larger or the two main lugworm species. Lives in vertical burrows and is often fished gutted and after freezing. See also lugworm.

Blank - The basic fibreglass or graphite shaft or rod without any guides or hardware attached after is leaves the manufacturing process. Also refers to a fishing session where no fish are caught.

Blow lug – Also known as the common lugworm this species lives in a u-shaped burrow with a cast at one end and a blow hole at the other. Usually fished fresh and alive. See also lugworm.

Bluey – Bluey is the common name given to the Pacific saury a fish used for bait and normally supplied in a frozen state.

Boat draw - the draw for places on a boat, usually during a competition.

Boil - The term used to describe the frenzy of an attack on a school of baitfish by larger fish.

Bomb - An aerodynamically shaped lead weight.

Boom – A metal or plastic device to present a hook snood or trace. They can be fixed like the French boom or sliding on the line as with a zip slider or tubing boom.

Brackish water - Water with a salt content between 1000 and 4000 parts per million found where rivers meet the sea.

Braid or braided line - A type of line formed from woven, multi-filament, polyester, fibres which has a low diameter to breaking strain ratio and very low stretch properties. Widely used by boat anglers particularly in deep water and becoming more common among shore anglers.

Breakaway lead – A lead with swivelling grip wires. Originally only produced by the Breakaway Company it has now become a generic term for any lead of this type.

Breaker - A wave that has become so steep that the crest of the wave topples forward as it reaches shallow water.

Breaking strain – Sometimes shortened in print to BS. The amount of pressure that a line is supposed to be able to withstand before it breaks. 50lb breaking strain line is stronger than 20lb. Manufacturers tend to under estimate the breaking strain of their lines particularly with braid. A line marked as IGFA rated lines should be designed to break at or before their stated breaking strain.

Bristle booms - a fine plastic boom that has its ends blobbed on a hot surface and attached at one end to the trace body with a hook snood at the other. Also known as a matchstick boom.

Bulk shot - A number of split shot grouped together on the line when float fishing concentrating weight at a particular point.

Butt – The lower end of a rod which houses the reel seat and terminates in either a soft pad or a slotted attachment which fits into a butt pad gimbal.

Butt pad - A leather, plastic or rubber pad strapped around the waist or on the thighs into which the butt of a rod is placed so greater leverage can be exerted when fighting large fish. It may be fitted with a swivel gimbal.

Butterfly jigs – Shimano’s trade name for the speed jig.

C

Calamari - Small type of squid used for bait. Tends to be purchased frozen.

Carapace – The body shell of a crab.

Cartilaginous fishes - A major group of fishes including sharks and rays they have internal cartilage instead of bones.

Casting - The act of projecting a lure or other terminal tackle out to sea using a rod and reel.

Casting aid - a piece of equipment which allows the angler to secure the reel line when casting. This can be a trigger for a fixed spool or a rubber device to stop the multiplier spool from slipping.

Casting weight – The weight or range or weights that a rod is designed to cast. Normally marked on the blank above the handle.

Catadromous - Refers to fishes that migrate from fresh water to salt water to reproduce such as the silver eel.

Catch and Release – An method of angling where the fish is released after capture rather than being retained for food.

Caudal fin - The tail fin.

Centre-pin – A direct action reel used where casting any distance is not required, such as in float fishing.

Channel - The part of a body of water deep enough to be used for navigation through a area of shallower sea.

Chart - an underwater map of the seabed shown depths, contours and composition of the ground. Available in paper format and electronic for GPS systems.

Chum - Mixture of chopped oily fish (herring, mackerel etc.) used, normally with fish oils and bran or sawdust, to attract fish to your fishing spot. It is either filled in a mesh sack or thrown into the water loose. Also known as ground bait, rubby dubby and shirvvy.

CIPS - Confédération Internationale de la Peche Sportive is the International body who represent 115 national federations throughout the world. They organise the World Shore and Boat Championships through their sea angling section FIPS-M.

Circle Hook - Hooks designed with an in-turned point which when the fish moves off with the bait rotates and lodges in the corner of the mouth. It helps to reduce mortality in fish by lessening the chance of gut hooking a fish.

Clevis - a small, free turning metal or plastic loop which is designed to attach a spinner blade to the line or a wire shaft.

Cliff – Vertical or near vertical stone seashore.

Clinch Knot - A knot used to tie the line to a hook or swivel.

Closed face – A reel widely used in the US and fished above the rod. The spool is enclosed by an outer cover with the line exiting through a central hole. UK coarse anglers use a version which is fished below the rod.

Club – An organised group of anglers who go fishing.

Coasters – Adjustable clamps used to secure a reel to a rod butt.

Cocktail - A mix of two or more baits on one hook for added attraction. Lug and squid or lug and mussel are two effective combinations.

Competition – An event where anglers compete against their peers for trophies or prizes. Also widely known as a match. Open matches can be fished by anyone whereas closed events are normally limited by membership. There are two main types of shore competitions; rovers, where the anglers chose their own fishing stance and pegged match in which the location is fixed and the stance or peg selected by a draw. Boat match may be on charter boats or fished from the anglers’ own boat. Most competitions these days are fished on a catch and release basis but there are still some which require a weigh-in either for the heaviest bag or heaviest single fish.

Coolbox - an essential piece of storage equipment in warm weather either to keep bait or catches cold. The temperature is maintained either by battery power or by using pre-frozen packs.

Crab – There are various species of this crustacean used for bait including shore crab, spider crab, velvet swimmers and edible brown crab. Favoured bait in particular for rough ground cod and bass. Used mainly as peeler or soft crab when it is at the moulting stage.

Crab traps - pipes or tyres laid part buried in mud or soft sand to act as harbourage for peeling crabs which are then collected at low tide.

Crack off – The result of a poor cast and overrun, the line snaps with a resounding crack.

Crankbaits – see Plugs

Crimps - Small metal tubes used in the formation of traces and rigs. Effective not only for producing wire or heavy mono traces but also to locate droppers on rig bodies by trapping swivels between beads.

Current - A horizontal movement of water. Currents may be classified as tidal and non-tidal. Tidal currents are caused by gravitational pull. Non-tidal current tend to occur out in the deeper oceans such as the Humbolt Drift or the Gulf Stream.

D

Dacron - A type of braided line whose use is now restricted to big-game fishing or for producing wind-on leaders.

Daiwa - International tackle dealer who’s European base is in Scotland.

Deadbait - Refers to dead fish used as bait.

Delta skaliwag - a plastic eel with a split paddle tail.

Demersal – The area nearest the sea bed.

Depthfinder - An electronic device used to detect the depth beneath the water’s surface.

Disgorger – A plastic or metal tool used to remove hooks from fish.

Diurnal - Having a period or cycle of approximately one tidal day.

Dorsal fin - The fin located on the back of fish.

Double hook – Two single hooks joined along the length of the shank.

Downrigger - A mechanical device that uses large weights to get fishing lures or bait down to a specific depth. The line to the lure or baited hook is attached via a clip which releases when a fish takes enabling the angler to fish weight free.

Downtide – A style of fishing where the boat angler allows his rig to flow with the tide.

Draft - determines the minimum depth of water a boat can safely navigate.

Drag - The mechanical system in a reel that applies friction to the spool allowing the fish to take line from the reel before the breaking strain of the line is reached.

Drag washer - a leather, metal or synthetic disc which applies the drag pressure.

Drag setting – A drag should be set around 25 to 30% of the breaking strain of the main line. So if using 20lb breaking strain line the drag should be set between 4 and 7lb. To set the drag, run line through the rod from the reel and attach a scale to the end of the line. Pull down on the scale until it reads the appropriate setting then back off the drag on the reel until the line just peels off the spool.

Drogue - A cone-shaped bag, usually made of plastic or canvas, which can be trailed from a drifting boat to slow it. Also known as a sea anchor.

Drop – The length of line between the rod tip and the weight or lure.

Drop net – A net used by anglers fishing from elevated marks such as piers and jetties to assist with landing large fish. Instead of a handle it is lowered using a rope.

Dropper – A branch of line coming off the trace body or leader that terminates with a hook. See also snood.

Dvice – A weighted bait capsule which helps prevent damage to baits when casting.

E

Eagle Claw - A US fishing hook manufacturer

Eddy - A area of water forming on the side of the main current, usually caused by an obstruction such as a headland or pier. Sand and silt is deposited in these areas.

Eddystone eel - a plastic eel named after the Eddystone Reef off Plymouth.

Edible crab – The brown or edible crab is an excellent bait for large bass. The peeling season is around July and August. As this is a commercial catch there are local minimum sizes for keeping this crab.

EFSA – The European Federation of Sea Anglers. Hosts the European Boat, Line Class and Shore Championships at a different European or Scandinavian venue each year.

Estuary - A water passage where the sea meets a river.

Eye - The loop at the end of a hook shank to which the line or lure is attached.

F

False casting – When fly fishing, a forward casting action used to gauge the ideal distance of a cast or to increase the speed of a line and resultant distance.

Fast drop jig – See speed jig.

Fast-action rod – A rod with a stiff butt and mid section with most of the bend in the tip.

Feathers - once used to apply to lures which comprised dyed feathers whipped to a hook this term is now a generic name for any small lures fished paternoster style.

Fighting chair - A swivel chair bolted to the deck of a big-game boat. The angler is strapped in by a harness and either the harness or the chair is equipped with a butt pad or rod socket

Filleting knife - A thin bladed, sharp knife used to clean and fillet fish or cut squid and fish baits.

Fish – Any species that is a target for the angler. See here for species details.

Fishfinder - An electronic device that is used to detect depth and the nature of the seabed beneath a boat. Depending upon the set it may also be possible to identify both shoals of fish and in shallow water single fish. Also known as a sounder.

Fishing – A generic term for angling as performed by an angler.

Fixed leger – A leger rig where the weight is fixed to the hook trace and when the fish picks up the bait it immediately feels resistance from the lead. See leger.

Fixed spool – A style of reel fished under the rod where the spool does not rotate but the line is wound on with a bail arm while the spool oscillates in and out on a shaft. It is also known as a spinning reel. Particularly effective when casting with light line the fixed spool reel is used extensively, but not exclusively, by the shore angler. The drag system may be adjusted either from the front of the spool or from the rear of the reel body. Disengaging the anti-reverse switch allows the angler to backwind giving line without the use of the drag.

Flapper – A dropper or snood, usually on a paternoster rig where the hook is not restrained by a bait clip.

Flashabou - Commercial name for a colourful, synthetic, filament material used in fly tying or rig building to add flash to a lure.

Flatfish – Spends the early days of its life as a bony round fish before the eyes migrate round to one side of its head. Massive range of sizes from the tiny dab to the lunker halibut.

Float - A polystyrene, plastic or wooden piece of terminal tackle used to suspend the baited hook above the sea bed. The float can be fixed or sliding depending upon the depth being fished.

Flowing Trace – A long trace fished below a boom and weight. It terminates in hook with either a natural or artificial bait. See also gilling.

Fluorescent - Material or paint that emits light of a visible colour when ultra violet (uv) light falls on it.

Fluorocarbon – A monofilament line said to have a refraction index close to that of water making it difficult for fish to see. It has a harder surface finish than nylon monofilament and is more expensive. Normally used for traces and rigs when fishing in clear water.

Flutter spoon - a large, thin metal blade, usually chrome or silver, which was originally designed for salt water salmon trolling. Now adapted for cod and ling fishing when baited.

Fly line - A specially designed line for fly fishing, usually around 80 feet long. It supplies the weight needed to cast relatively weightless trace. The fly line may be floating to fish the surface, sinking to get the lures down deep or sinking-tip where most of the line is on the surface but the tip section sinks.

Fly reel - The device that holds fly line. The handles are fitted directly onto the spool. It may have a mechanical drag system with which to exert resistance on hooked fish failing which the fish is controlled by pressure from the angler’s hand on the spool.

Fly rod – A flexible rod designed to cast a fly line.

Flying collar - another name for the gilling rig.

Flying gaff – A gaff head fitted to a pole and kept under tension by a rope. When the fish is gaffed the pole is removed to allow the fish to thrash without danger to the angler. Without the pole it can be use in place of a drop net when fishing at height.

Foregrip – The grip on a rod butt immediately in front of the reel seat.

Foul-hook - To hook a fish other than in the mouth. Competitions may allow fish to count if hooked out with the mouth.

French boom – A wire boom with a triangle shape at one end, which attaches to the trace and a single wire coming off of this to carry the snood.

Front drag reel - a fixed spool reel where the drag adjustment is on the spool.

G

Gaff – A large hook attached to a pole used to land big fish.

Gape – The horizontal distance between the shank of a hook and the point.

Gear ratio – The number of times that the spool of a reel rotates while the handle is rotated once.

Gemini lead – A type of grip lead where the wires are housed in a detachable plastic nose cone.

Gill arch - The structure behind the gill covers of a bony fish (or within the gill slits of a cartilaginous fish) that supports the gills.

Gill filaments - The parts of a fish's gills that absorb oxygen from the water.

Gilling – A boat fishing style where a bait or lure is fished on a long, flowing trace fished off a boom. The rig is lowered to the bottom and retrieved back towards the surface. Also known as slow retrieving after the speed of the retrieve.

Gimbal – A cup which is able to move in three dimensions and seats the butt of the rod when big-game fishing. It may be fitted on a butt pad or a fighting chair.

Governing Body – A body which looks after the sport of sea angling in a particular country or region.

GPS - Short for Global Positioning System, a satellite navigational system extensively used in the marine environment on commercial and recreational boats. Allows the angler to locate or revisit prolific marks in conjunction with a fishfinder.

Greys – Manufacturers of popular rough ground rods.

Grip lead – A lead fitted with wires to enhance the gripping power. May be fixed in the lead nose or swivel as in the Breakaway lead.

Grip wires – The wires in a grip lead.

Ground bait – see Chumming

Groyne – A wooden structure running perpendicular to the beach to help prevent erosion and also provides feeding areas for fish.

Guides - The loops on a rod through which the line runs. Also known as rod rings. The design and materials of construction vary according to the purpose of the rod and can have a marked effect on casting distance. On a fixed spool rod fewer guides are required than for a multiplier rod as the line flows beneath the rod away from the blank.

Gummi Makk – A traditional Scandinavian lure consisting of coloured tubing threaded over a kinked hook and with a swivel attached to the eye of the hook. There has been a resurgence in its use with anglers returning from Norway trips.

H

Harbour - An area of water almost surrounded by land, sea walls, or breakwaters and forming a safe anchorage for boats. Provides some popular venues for the shore angler.

Harbour rag – So called because this worm is regularly found in the mud around harbours. See also maddie.

Hardback – A crab of any species when its shell is in the normal hard state outwith the peeling season.

Headlamp – A torch adapted to be worn on the head leaving the hands free and derived from a miners light. The battery power source may form part of the lamp or be detached and worn separately.

High pressure area - High pressure areas are generally larger and move more slowly than low pressure systems. The winds circulate around the centre in a clockwise, 'anticyclonic' movement. The winds are generally weaker than those around a low pressure, especially in the centre.

High Tide - The maximum height reached by a rising tide during a particular cycle.

High water mark – The highest point along a shoreline that any given tide reaches.

Hokkai lure - A single hook lure is designed to resemble fish fry. Has a luminous plastic head and a reflective body with feathers to the rear. It can be fished with or without bait and is normally used on a paternoster trace.

Hook – The piece of the terminal tackle designed to catch and retain your fish until it is landed. Hooks may be single, doubles or trebles. There are more shapes and designs of hook out there than you can shake a stick at but they all follow the same basic pattern of an eye, shank, bend and point. Treble hooks are mainly used attached to lures.

Hook Protector – Plastic sheathes used to cover treble hooks on lures to save snagging during transportation or storage.

Hopping – A boat fishing technique where the angler bounces a shad below a boom near to the bottom, in particular for cod.

Humpalumpa - see tackle trolley

I

Ice fishing - A specialized form of fishing through holes cut in the ice of frozen-over waters.

Ichthyology - The scientific study of fish.

IFSA - The governing body for sea angling in Ireland. Selects international teams for Home Internationals and CIPS events.

IGFA – International Game Fishing Association is an American based organisation which maintains world record for fish in particular those caught on a particular breaking strain of line.

Impact shield – A plastic, conical, bait retaining device that protects the bait during the cast.

Inshore - The region where waves are transformed by interaction with the sea bed.

Invertebrate - A creature that has no backbone, for instance a crab or a worm.

J

J Hook – The current fancy name for a hook which is not a circle hook.

Jellyworm - A jellyworm is a soft plastic artificial lure shaped like a worm and generally with a tail which wriggles on retrieve. It’s used both from the boat and shore. The jellyworm has its origins in the States where it has been widely used for large and small mouth bass fishing for over a decade. Also known as jellies.

Jerkbait – A hard or soft bait lure fished just below the surface. The thing that sets them apart from other lures is the way they are worked. To get the most out of a jerk bait, you use the rod in short or long jerks without reeling. This rod action is what gives jerk baits their name and their action underwater.

Jetty - A man made structure projecting out into the sea.

Jig – The definition of jig depends on the country where you’re located. In the US it’s a noun describing a leadhead which is normally dressed with feathers, deer hair or rubber filament and is used extensively for largemouth bass. In Europe a jig is any lure which is worked in an up and down manner and in particular speed or butterfly jigs. See jigging.

Jigging - Using a rod and reel in such a way as to present artificial lures in short, jerking motions. Strikes may come on the upstroke but frequently the fish will hit the lures as they fall freely. Pirking is a method of jigging.

Joey - Small, young mackerel

K

Kamasan – A well known manufacturer of quality hooks.

Kayak - A small canoe of the sit upon type becoming increasingly popular and effective for inshore fishing.

Keeper ring - A small ring just above the rod handle to retain the hook when not in use.

King ragworm – The name given to a large specimen of Polychaete ragworm which can be 15mm thick and 450mm long. It has strong, sharp pincers.

Knot – A method of attaching line to hooks, swivels, lures etc. Also the unit of speed used at sea.

L

Landing net – A bag shaped net attached round a metal frame which in turn is joined to a wood, metal or glass-fibre handle and used to land fish.

Lateral Line - A sensory organ running along the side of a fish which detects vibrations.

Lead – See sinker.

Leader - A length of monofilament or fluorocarbon attached to the main line to assist with handling fish when at the side of a boat. It also helps prevent wear and tear to braided line.

Leadhead – A hook with a cast lead adjacent to the eye.

Leeward - The direction toward which the prevailing wind is blowing; the direction toward which waves are travelling.

Leger – A method of fishing where the hooks are fished below the weight. The rigs fishes hard on the bottom. The leger may be fixed or running. Tends to be used more from the boat than shore.

Level wind – The part of a reel which oscillates along the front of spool laying the line evenly.

Lever drag - an multiplier reel with an adjustable drag which is operated by a lever as opposed to a star drag.

Line capacity - The length of line which can fit on to the spool of a reel. Manufacturers usually list this by breaking strain and / or line diameter.

Littoral zone - The region of land bordering the sea which extends below the low water mark and above the shoreline.

Live bait - Living fish, crustaceans, worms etc used to entice fish.

Live-well - A special compartment on a boat that keeps fish alive so they can be released at a later date. See aeration tank.

Low pressure area - In an area of low pressure the air has a tendency to rise. This general upward motion means that there is less pressure from the air pushing down on the earth, in other words there is low pressure. As air rises, it cools and if there is enough water vapour it may condense to form clouds and rain.

Low water mark – The lowest point along a coastline that any given tide recedes to.

Lugworm – Probably the most common bait used in the UK and Europe. Found in sand and clean mud it lives in burrows and throws up sand casts as it digs. There are at least two species of lug worm found around the European coastline, blow or common lug and the larger black lug.

Lure – An artificial bait used in motion to attract fish to strike. Can be made of wood, plastic, rubber or metal. Examples include Redgills, jellyworms, plugs and spinners.

M

Mackerel flapper - a widely used bait for conger and tope. Produced by cutting the sides of the mackerel to remove the backbone but retaining the head.

Maddie – This is a small member of the ragworm family that lives in dense colonies. It is a useful bait for flounders in particular.

Main line – The line which is wound onto the fishing reel.

Mark - An area of the sea or shore that produces fish on a regular basis.

Match – see Competition

Mid-section – The middle part of a rod.

Migrating - Moving from one area of residence to another i.e. from offshore to warmer inshore waters.

Milt - The sperm of fishes.

Minimum sizes - the legal size at which a fish may be kept for the table or a size established by governing bodies or match organisers.

Monel – A nickel, single strand wire used for trolling and deep water fishing.

Monofilament – See nylon monofilament.

Mould - an cast aluminium or heat resistant rubber form that is used to make lead weights or pirks.

Multiplier – A multiplier reel is one where the line spool is carried on a revolving spool supported by bearings. It gets its name from the fact that the retrieve is geared so that one turn of the handle results in multiple turns of the spool. It is fished above the rod and may be fitted with a level-wind which lays the line evenly on the spool. Also known as a bait-casting reel or conventional reel in the States. The drag system may be either a star drag or a lever drag. For casting the multiplier is usually fitted with either a centrifugal brake or a magnetic cast control system.

Multi-strand wire – A cable style wire with seven or multiples of seven single wires woven together. It can be given a clear plastic coating.

Multi-tip – A rod that has more than one inter-changeable tip section.

Muppet – A plastic lure that looks like a squid and is used in boat fishing.

Mustad – A tackle manufacturer of Norwegian origin who are famous for their hooks.

Mylar - Metallic plastic available in sheet or woven tube form and used in lure making.

N

Nail clippers – Used for cutting monofilament line.

Nautical mile - Its length is 1853 meters (6080 feet), approximately 1.15 times as long as the statute mile.

Neap tides - The tides that occur around the time of the moon’s quarters when the effect of the gravitational pull is least. The opposite of spring tides.

Non-return slide - a wire boom which is designed only to move in one direction when line is under tension. Used for sliding baits.

Nuisance Fish – Any fish which is not the target species.

Nylon monofilament - A single strand of nylon used both as main line and for producing traces and rigs. Also known simply as mono or nylon.

O

Off the ground – A casting style where the terminal tackle is laid out on the beach with the lead straight out behind the angler prior to casting.

Operculum - The plate which covers the gills.

Outrigger – A pole device used when trolling to spread baits or lure out from the side of the boat.

Overhead cast – The basic casting style where the rod is pulled straight over the head and the lead starts in the air.

Over-run – see Backlash

Oviparous fish - Fish that lay eggs from which the young later hatch.

Ovoviviparous fish - Fish whose eggs are fertilized and hatched within the female's body. The eggs are enclosed in separate membranes and the embryos within them receive no nourishment from the mother. Most sharks and rays are ovoviviparous.

P

Parabolic-action rod - Slightly more progressive than a through action and by comparison the butt of the rod is stiffer.

Paravane - A trolling depth controller made from wood or more commonly plastic which breaks out and rises to the surface when there is a strike.

Paternoster – A rig or trace where the dropper or booms are fished above the weight.

Pectoral fins - The anterior (front) paired fins immediately behind the gills.

Peeler – Any species of crab which is about to shed its shell to grow to a larger size. An extremely popular bait in this condition.

Peg – An anglers fishing station during a shore competition.

Pegged – A match where the anglers have to fish at a drawn peg for the duration. The opposite of a rover.

Pelagic - Of or in the open ocean above the demersal zone.

Pelagic fish - Fish that range in the upper area of the sea.

Pendulum Cast – A casting style designed for distance where the terminal gear is swung in a pendulum motion in the air to pre-load the rod prior to the ultimate casting action. It is widely used by tournament casters.

Pennel – A rig where the snood terminates in two hooks, one above the other. Used to present large baits.

Pharyngeal teeth - Teeth at the back of the throat used for crushing food.

Pier - A structure, usually of open construction, extending into the sea from the shore, to serve as a landing place, recreational facility, etc. rather than to provide protection.

Pirk – A metal lure used for pirking or jigging usually chromed or brightly painted. Fitted either with a treble hook or an assist hook. May also be known as a pilk or perk.

Pirk bucket - a plastic bucket with holes in the rim to carry pirks safely.

Pirking – The action of fishing a pirk. Popular in particular for cod fishing. It consists of dropping the attached pirk to the sea bed then working the pirk with a lift and drop action. Lighter pirks may be cast up-drift and worked back to the boat to maintain the optimal vertical position for longer.

Plastic worm – see Jellyworm

Plastics – A generic term covering any lure made from soft plastic such as jellyworms and shads.

Plug - These can be surface or sinking lures that are made from plastic or wood. They have a diving vane at the head and may contain rattles inside designed to create a disturbance underwater. Plugs, or crankbaits as they are known in the States, are armed with one of more treble hooks. Rapala are one of the best know manufacturers of this effective bass lure.

Poppers - Surface lures that have a concave nose that “pops” the water when jerked.

Postage stamp – Any wee flatfish

Power Gum – An elasticated line used for stop knots.

Predatory fish - Any fish that prey on other living creatures, particularly other fish.

Priest – A weighted club used to dispatch fish being kept for the table.

Pulley rig – A rig designed to ensure that on the retrieve the weight is above the hooked fish and to reduce the risk of snagging.

Q

Quiver Tip – A thin, flexible rod tip used to indicate bites from smaller fish. Favoured by match anglers when scratching.

R

Ragworm – A worm used extensively in sea angling. See king rag and maddies.

Rays - The soft or spiny supporting elements of fish fins. Also a group of flat, cartilaginous fish.

Razorfish – A sand living bivalve the makes an effective bait particularly after a storm. Gets its name from its shell which is the shape of a cut throat razor. Also known as razor clam.

Rear drag - a fixed spool reel where the drag adjustment is positioned on the rear of the body of the reel.

Record list - a list of the largest fish of each species caught from the boat or shore.

Red cod - a cod that has been living inshore among the kelp and takes on a red / orange colouration.

Redgill – An artificial, plastic eel which has a paddle tail and with the hook situated within the body. Originally made by the Redgill and now used as a generic term. See also gilling.

Reducer – An extension to a beachcasting rod butt used when casting with the reel low on the butt to aid retrieve. Conoflex produce a captive reducer which twists and extends.

Reef - A ridge of rock or other material lying below the surface of the sea.

Reel seat – The part of a rod which secures the reel to the butt.

Release clip – A tension clip used with a downrigger.

Resident species - Species of fish which spend their entire lives in an area.

Retrieve - The recovery of a fishing line and terminal tackle with or without a hooked fish.

Rig – Terminal tackle that has been assembled for fishing. Also known as a trace.

Rig wallet - plastic or fabric folder with clear, plastic inserts to hold made up rigs or traces. Also known as a trace wallet.

Rings – Rod rings. See Guides.

Rip current - A strong surface current of short duration flowing seaward from the shore.

Rod rating - The line ratings on boat rods don’t indicate how much weight the rod will lift. The rating on the rod indicates the most suitable breaking strain line to use on the rod, with a correct drag for that line set on the reel. The rating is designed to achieve a working curve in the rod for instance; a rod rated at 12lb will work best with 12lb breaking strain line. In the case of shore rods the ratings apply to optimum casting weights to be used with a particular rod.

Roe – The eggs of a fish while still within the fishes body.

Roller guide - A heavy duty big game style rod guide that reduces friction and abrasion on fishing line.

Rotten bottom – A length of line of lesser breaking strain than the main line that is attached to the weigh via a clip or other retainer. In the event of a snag only the weight should be lost.

Rover – A match where the competitors can chose to fish any location, normally within fixed boundaries and with a central weigh-in. The opposite of a pegged match.

Round fish - any bony fish whose eyes remain on either side of the head throughout its life unlike a flat fish.

Rubby dubby – see Chum

Rucksack – A bag for carrying tackle worn on the back. Also known as a backpack.

Running leger – A leger rig where the lead runs free on the line either from a swivel or a boom. Reduces the resistance when a fish takes a bait. See also leger.

S

Sabiki - the name give to a rig of small artificial lures fished paternoster style and designed to catch baitfish in particular.

Salinity - The saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulphates and bicarbonates.

Sandeel – A small, eel shaped fish used live or dead as bait.

Scales - Used to weigh fish. Also the outer layer of a fishes skin.

Scratching – The use of fine tackle and small baits to search out small fish when fishing is poor.

Seasick - a horrible feeling on a boat with two stages. In the first you think you are dying and in the second you wish you were dead.

Sea trout - A migratory trout.

Semidiurnal – Locations which have two low and two high tides each day.

SFSA - The governing body for sea angling in Scotland. Selects international teams for Home Internationals and CIPS events.

Shad – A plastic, fish shaped lure with a paddle tail which is available incorporating an internal lead weight or without weight. The un-weighted version can be fished on a leadhead. Used when hopping. Also the name of a small, silvery fish.

Shank – The straight, back part of a hook.

Shirvvy – see Chum

Shoal – A group of fish or a sandbank.

Shock leader – A length of strong line used when casting to withstand the shock of the cast and help prevent line breakage. A general guide is to use 10lb of breaking strain for every ounce being cast. So for a 4oz lead you should use at least a 40lb BS leader and for 6oz use not less than 60lb BS.

Shooting head - A shorter fly line with a heavy belly section used to gain extra distance on the cast.

Shore crab – The green crabs commonly found under rocks and weed around the shoreline near the low water mark.

Side cast reel – A reel produced by the Australian company Alvey. When casting the spool is rotated 90% so that the line flows off like a fixed spool reel and it is returned to the main position for retrieval of the line like a centre-pin.

Silt - Particles smaller than sand and larger than clay. May be found deposited at river mouths and deltas.

Single action - A reel where the handle is attached directly to the spool without the aid of gears for example a centre-pin reel.

Sink-and-draw - A method of fishing in which the lure, fly or dead-bait is made to rise and fall alternately during the retrieve by raising and lowering the rod tip.

Sinker - A weight used to lower terminal tackle to the sea bed or to provide weight for casting. Also known as a lead or simply a weight.

Slack Water – The period of time when the flow of the tide ceases. Occurs at the time of high and of low water.

Slack-liner - A take from a fish where it swims towards the angler, lifting the weight and producing slack line. Also occurs when a fish releases a grip lead from the sea bed.

Sliding - a method of shore fishing with large baits particularly for shark using a non-return slide or clip, developed in South Africa. The cast is made with only a grip lead attached and once secure the clip is fixed on and the baited rig shaken out past the breakers.

Slow retrieving – See gilling.

Slugo – A tapered, plastic lure.

Snood – The length of line to which the hook is attached.

Soft crab – A crab which has just shed its shell.

Sonar spoon - a spoon for flatfish fished wth a baited hook off a short snood at the bottom end. Based on the famous ABU Rauto spoon.

Sounder – see Fishfinder.

Spawn - The act of reproduction of fishes. The mixing of the sperm of a male fish and the eggs of a female fish.

Specimen - a large fish of any species which is approaching the record weight. Governing bodies maintain lists of specimen weights for each species.

Speed jig – A type of jig or pirk used for jigging for game fish. Usually long and thin in shape and fished with an assist hook.

Spider crab – A long, legged, small bodied crab which is a popular bait when peeling.

Spinner – A lure with a blade is attached to a wire shaft at one end above a small weighted body. The blade spins round the shaft when drawn through the water.

Spinner baits - A type of lure where an l-shaped wire is moulded into a leadhead hook and a blade attached to the opposite end. The hook is usually dressed with rubber filaments.

Spinning – The technique of fishing with metal or plastic artificial lures.

Spinning reel – see Fixed spool.

Spline – The part of a rod blank which offers most resistance.

Split shot - small non-lead weights used when float fishing. They have a cut in the side to half depth and are squeezed onto the line.

Split ring – A round or oval, metal, spiral ring used to attach swivels or hooks to lures.

Split ring pliers - Pliers designed to assist with opening and fitting split rings.

Spool - The portion of the reel that holds the line. Also the how the line is supplied from the tackle shop.

Spoon – An elongated, metal blade used as a lure for spinning. Normally fitted with a swivel at one end and a treble hook at the other.

Spring tides - The tides that occur around the time of full and new moon when the effect of the gravitational pull is greatest. They have larger rises and falls than those at other times of the month. Has a substantial effect on both bait collection and fishing. The opposite of neap tides.

Star drag - A multi-armed lever situated below the handle on a multiplier reel and used to adjust the drag tension.

Stop knot – A small, in-line knot used to regulate the depth of a sliding float or to prevent items of terminal tackle sliding on the line i.e. for trapping beads and swivels. An elastic line such as Power Gum is most effective for this purpose.

Strike - To set the hook when a fish bites usually by raising the rod tip or lifting the rod rapidly. Also the action of a fish hitting a lure or bait.

Strip - The term used when fly fishing to describe taking in the line by hand as opposed to reeling it in.

Super braid – See braid.

Surfcasting – See beachcasting.

Swivel - A metal device used to attach two sections of line, line to a lure, or a device to prevent the twisting of the line.

T

Tackle - The gear used by an angler to catch fish.

Tackle box – A large, plastic box used to transport tackle to and from an angling venue.

Tackle trolley - a wheeled trolley to carry a tackle box etc.

Take – When a fish grabs a bait or lure.

Teasers - Teasers lure without hooks used in big-game fishing to attract fish to the boat and excite them to strike. They work by splashing and / or flashing on the surface. Also a style of lure used in fly fishing.

Terminal Tackle - Refers to any tackle other than the rod, reel and main line that is used to make rigs and traces. Swivel, leader line, wire, hooks, etc.

Test curve – The method of rating a rod for use with a particular weight for casting, measured in pounds. Used mostly for carp style rods.

Through-action rod – A rod where the blank is designed to bend from the tip to the butt.

Tidal range - the difference in height between high and low water.

Tide – The movement of the sea in and out over the shore line.

Tide Tables - a list of high and low tides with their heights for a particular location.

Tip – The top section of a rod.

Tip Ring - The top most ring on a rod.

Topshot – The length of main line or braid used on top of backing.

Tournament casting – Competition casting for distance using various weights.

Trace – See rig.

Transducer - The part of the fish finder that functions like an antenna to send out sonar signals (sound waves) and receive return echoes that are displayed as pictures on the sonar screen.

Treble hook - Three hooks welded together to form a single hook mostly for use with lures.

Tripod – A three legged rest for a rod when shore fishing.

Trolling – To work lures or bait behind a slow moving boat. Sometimes using a downrigger or outrigger.

Tubing boom – A hollow, tube boom with one long and one short leg which runs on the main line and carries a weight.

Two way beads - clear plastic beads with a hole through one end to thread onto the trace body and another at 90% to take the snood. Popular with anglers when scratching.

U

Undertow - A current below water surface flowing seaward; the receding water below the surface from waves breaking on a shelving beach.

Uni-knot – A popular basic knot or attaching line to hooks, swivels etc and can be used to join two lines together.

Uni-tech cast – A variation of the off the ground cast where the lead is laid out back towards the angler and inside the tip of the rod.

Uptider - a rod designed for uptide boat fishing with an extended handle below the reel seat to facilitate casting.

Uptiding - A type of boat fishing where the bait is cast uptide and away from the area around the anchor rope and boat. Grip leads are used and a belly is allowed to develop in the line after the rig settles. Bites from larger fish are normally slack liners. Originally developed in the shallow waters of the Thames estuary.

Upwelling - The movement of nutrient rich waters from the bottom of the ocean to the surface.

Upwind - Into the wind.

V

Velvet swimming crab – A small crab normally found below the low water mark. Has paddle shaped rear legs and a velvety texture to its carapace.

Vent - The anus of a fish.

Venting - using a hollow needle to release excess gas from a fish caught in deep water to improve its prospects of survival. A legal requirement for reef fish in Florida.

VHF radio - VHF (Very high frequency) radios are those used in the marine environment for ship to ship and ship to shore communication. They generally have a line of sight transmission range.

Viviparous fish - Fish who give birth to live young. Unlike those of ovoviviparous fish, the developing embryos receive nourishment from the mother.

W

Waders - Large rubber, neoprene or plastic boots that are extended up to thigh, hip or chest height. They may have mould boots attached or stocking feet for wearing with separate boots.

Weigh-In - The culmination of a fishing match where the catches a weighed on scales. With most competitions nowadays only the heaviest fish are weighed as the results are determined by measuring fish or allocating points.

Weight – See sinker.

WFSA – Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers the governing body for sea angling in Wales. Selects international teams for Home Internationals and CIPS events.

White rag – A bait with mythical powers for some anglers. Difficult to find locations which harbour a regular supply. Lives in clean, course sand and tube worms are a good indicator of white rag areas.

Wind-on leader – A length of heavy monofilament threaded inside a section of hollow braided Dacron and secured in place. The lack of swivels or other attachment means that the leader can be wound through the rod rings and onto the reel. Used in big-game, shark and common skate fishing.

Windward - The direction the wind is blowing

Wire boom – A wire rod which is attached to the main line at one end and has a snood affixed to the other. The French boom is the best know of these pieces of terminal tackle.

Wire Trace - An essential item when fishing for any of the larger sharks or other toothy fish. A wire connection between bait and line which prevents the line from being bitten through. Can be single strand or multi-strand.

Z

Zip slider – A small, red, plastic weight carrier through which the main line runs when leger fishing.

Zziplex – UK based manufacturers of fishing rods