A few of us at TCF are mostly into freshwater fishing, but wanted to start getting out more on saltwater bites. So we stopped by a loca bait shop to see what rigs and lures they would recommend considering we are new to saltwater, and also based on what was biting. What did they recommend? The answer was the simple but effective 3 way rig.
If you are surf, jetty or shore fishing in saltwater, the best thing to do when you are not sure what tackle to use is to stop by the local bait and tackle store and ask them what’s working.
We did just that today, and what they suggested for this time of year is a simple 3 way rig with some cut bait would work great. We used use a modified cinch not with 17lb fluorocarbon by Spider Wire to attach the rig to the main line.
For bait we started out with dead shrimp, switched to cut squid, but really anything can be used.
This rig is great because it’s a pre-rigged set-up. The hook goes on the short end and the weight goes on the long end.
We used a 2 oz. weight for most of the day, because the 3 oz. was getting caught, and the 1 oz. wasn’t keeping the rig down. The weight will depend largely on the current and bait being used.
These 3 way rigs come in a few different lengths too, so you can adjust the bait to sit in the ideal water column.
If you are new to saltwater shore fishing, this rig may be the way to go. It is inexpensive, but can be very effective. Give it go!
