Skip to content
FishingHQSearch

Spinning

Method · Last reviewed 2026-08-10

Casting an artificial lure and retrieving it so that it moves like something alive — the most direct form of lure fishing.

Spinning is cast, retrieve, repeat. The name comes from the rotating blade of a spinner, but it has come to mean any straightforward cast-and-wind approach with a lure that generates its own action as it moves through the water.

What makes it effective is that it covers water. A static bait fishes one spot; a spinner fishes a fan of arcs from every casting position, and an angler working along a bank covers a length of water no static approach could. That makes it the method of choice for locating fish in unfamiliar water.

The skill is less in the casting than in the retrieve. Depth is controlled by lure weight, by how long you let it sink, and by retrieve speed — and the difference between a lure running a metre above the fish and a metre in front of them is usually the difference between a blank and a good day.

What it is

Casting an artificial lure and retrieving it at a speed and depth that make it behave like prey. The lure supplies its own action — a rotating blade, a wobbling body, a vibrating lip — in response to being pulled through the water.

How it works

Depth is a function of three things: how heavy the lure is, how long it is allowed to sink before the retrieve begins, and how fast it is retrieved. Faster retrieves lift a lure; slower ones let it run deeper. Rod angle contributes too — a low rod tip keeps the lure deeper, a high one lifts it. Takes are usually felt as a sharp knock or as the lure simply stopping.

What it is for

To find and provoke predatory fish by covering water quickly with something that looks and feels alive. It is the method for exploring unfamiliar water, for fishing from the bank in rivers and along coastlines, and for keeping moving rather than waiting.

Setting it up

  • Match the lure weight to the rod's casting rating — outside that range the rod casts badly and can break.
  • Count the lure down after it lands so that you know, and can repeat, the depth you fished.
  • Retrieve just fast enough for the lure to work properly and no faster; most lures have a minimum speed below which the action dies.
  • Use a leader appropriate to the quarry: fluorocarbon for abrasion, wire for anything with teeth.
  • Fan your casts to cover an arc rather than repeatedly casting to the same line.

Advantages

  • Covers water quickly, which is the fastest way to locate fish.
  • Requires no bait and very little kit — a rod, a reel and a small box.
  • Highly mobile: you fish while walking rather than while sitting.
  • Takes are usually positive and hook-ups are direct.

Limitations

  • Rotating blades introduce line twist unless a swivel is used.
  • Treble hooks make snagging expensive and unhooking more hazardous.
  • Ineffective for non-predatory species.
  • Continuous casting is physically demanding over a long session.

Conditions

Spinning suits water with some clarity, since most lures rely partly on being seen, though vibration carries in colour. It works well in flowing water, where the current adds action, and along coastlines where fish hunt actively. Very weedy or very snaggy ground is where it becomes expensive, and where a weedless soft plastic is the better answer.

Common mistakes

  • Retrieving too fast, which lifts the lure above the fish and can stop it working altogether.
  • Starting the retrieve the moment the lure lands, so the deeper part of the water is never fished.
  • Omitting a swivel with a rotating-blade lure and then wondering why the line is a coil of twist.
  • Using no leader for toothy species, and losing both the fish and the lure.
  • Casting to the same line repeatedly rather than covering an arc.

What this is called elsewhere

Note that the CATEGORY itself is regional, not just the word. Outside the regions below, this is not a distinction anglers generally make, and looking for an equivalent term will not find one.

FishingHQ’s headword is the term used in Britain & Ireland, Northern Europe, Western Europe.

Casting and retrieving — North America
North American usage generally names the lure type — crankbaiting, spinnerbaiting, throwing a swimbait — rather than treating 'spinning' as a technique category at all.
Spin fishing — North America, Australia, New Zealand
Where the term is used outside Europe it usually refers to the tackle class — a fixed-spool spinning outfit — rather than to the retrieve.

Where to go next

What it catches

58 more
What these connections rest on (66)

Practitioner consensus — 66 connections

Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.

  • African tigerfish

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Arapaima

    A practitioner claim about how Arapaima gigas is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for arapaima.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for arapaima and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Arctic char

    A practitioner claim about how Salvelinus alpinus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for arctic char.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for arctic char and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Asp

    A practitioner claim about how Leuciscus aspius is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for asp.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for asp and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Atlantic mackerel

    An established way this species is taken recreationally in north-west European waters, recorded because it is true rather than because it satisfies a gate.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Shore and boat practice in north-west European sea angling for the species and method described, presented across multiple independent contributors.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this quarry to this method, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as tested fact.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Atlantic salmon

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • Trout & Salmon — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established salmonid angling technique and its application to this species.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Australian bass

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Barramundi

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Black rockfish

    A practitioner claim about how Sebastes melanops is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for black rockfish.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for black rockfish and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Blue threadfin

    A practitioner claim about how Eleutheronema tetradactylum is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for blue threadfin.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for blue threadfin and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Bowfin

    A practitioner claim about how Amia calva is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for bowfin.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for bowfin and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Bull trout

    A practitioner claim about how Salvelinus confluentus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for bull trout.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for bull trout and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Butterfly peacock bass

    A practitioner claim about how Cichla ocellaris is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for butterfly peacock bass.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for butterfly peacock bass and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Chain pickerel

    A practitioner claim about how Esox niger is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for chain pickerel.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for chain pickerel and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Chub

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • Coarse Fishing — A. & C. Black, 1912 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established coarse-angling technique and its application to the species.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary British coarse practice for this species.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Chum salmon

    A practitioner claim about how Oncorhynchus keta is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for chum salmon.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for chum salmon and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Coho salmon

    A practitioner claim about relative willingness, labelled as convention because no controlled comparison supports it.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of coho as the most aggressive Pacific salmon toward lures in fresh water.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Trout & Salmon — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary treatment of spinner and spoon technique for salmon.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Common snook

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Deccan mahseer

    A practitioner claim about how Tor khudree is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for deccan mahseer.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for deccan mahseer and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Estuary perch

    A practitioner claim about how Percalates colonorum is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for estuary perch.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for estuary perch and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • European flounder

    A statement about how a species is fished, which is angling convention rather than biology and is labelled as such.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary UK and European sea angling practice as reported by practitioners, including ground, seasonal timing, bait and method convention.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of species behaviour and regional angling practice, recorded as consensus rather than as scholarship.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • European sea bass

    Well-established and independently described.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Shore lure practice for bass.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary shore lure practice.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Garfish

    A practitioner claim about how Belone belone is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for garfish.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for garfish and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Giant African threadfin

    A practitioner claim about how Polydactylus quadrifilis is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for giant african threadfin.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for giant african threadfin and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Giant snakehead

    A practitioner claim consistent with the species' verified feeding behaviour.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of surface lure fishing for snakeheads in South-East Asia.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary treatment of surface lure fishing technique.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Golden dorado

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Golden mahseer

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Golden perch

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Goliath tigerfish

    A statement about how a species is fished outside Europe, resting on restated international practice rather than on the British angling literature.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of regional angling practice, recorded as consensus rather than as scholarship.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: International recreational angling practice and the record framework that documents which species are pursued and how.Background and mechanism onlyPassage read and verified

  • Great snakehead

    A practitioner claim about how Channa marulius is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for great snakehead.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for great snakehead and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Hampala barb

    A practitioner claim about how Hampala macrolepidota is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for hampala barb.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for hampala barb and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Huchen

    A practitioner claim about how Hucho hucho is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for huchen.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for huchen and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Ide

    A practitioner claim about how Leuciscus idus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for ide.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for ide and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Japanese sea bass

    A practitioner claim about how Lateolabrax japonicus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for japanese sea bass.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for japanese sea bass and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Jungle perch

    A practitioner claim about how Kuhlia rupestris is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for jungle perch.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for jungle perch and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Largemouth bass

    A practitioner claim about the dominant method for the species.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of lure fishing as the dominant bass method.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary lure fishing technique in the angling press.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Largemouth yellowfish

    A practitioner claim about how Labeobarbus kimberleyensis is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for largemouth yellowfish.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for largemouth yellowfish and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Leerfish

    A practitioner claim about how Lichia amia is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for leerfish.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for leerfish and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Longnose gar

    A practitioner claim about how Lepisosteus osseus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for longnose gar.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for longnose gar and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Longtail tuna

    A practitioner claim about how Thunnus tonggol is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for longtail tuna.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for longtail tuna and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Mangrove jack

    A practitioner claim about how Lutjanus argentimaculatus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for mangrove jack.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for mangrove jack and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Meagre

    A practitioner claim about how Argyrosomus regius is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for meagre.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for meagre and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Murray cod

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Muskellunge

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Nile perch

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Northern pike

    Long-established and independently described. Recorded as convention.

    • Pike and the Pike Angler — Stanley Paul, 1981 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Spinning and lure work for pike.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Still-Water Angling — MacGibbon & Kee, 1953 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Lure fishing for predators in stillwater, described from an independent tradition.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Northern snakehead

    A practitioner claim about how Channa argus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for northern snakehead.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for northern snakehead and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Payara

    A practitioner claim about how Hydrolycus scomberoides is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for payara.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for payara and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Pink salmon

    A practitioner claim about how Oncorhynchus gorbuscha is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for pink salmon.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for pink salmon and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Pollack

    An established way this species is taken recreationally in north-west European waters, recorded because it is true rather than because it satisfies a gate.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Shore and boat practice in north-west European sea angling for the species and method described, presented across multiple independent contributors.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this quarry to this method, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as tested fact.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Rainbow trout

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • Trout & Salmon — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established salmonid angling technique and its application to this species.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Sand flathead

    A practitioner claim about how Platycephalus bassensis is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for sand flathead.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for sand flathead and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Silver trevally

    A practitioner claim about how Pseudocaranx georgianus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for silver trevally.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for silver trevally and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Smallmouth bass

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Speckled peacock bass

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: Recognition of the species as an established sport fish and the angling methods and tackle classes conventionally used for it.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practice connecting this species and method.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Spotted grunter

    A practitioner claim about how Pomadasys commersonnii is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for spotted grunter.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for spotted grunter and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Spotted seatrout

    A practitioner claim about how Cynoscion nebulosus is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for spotted seatrout.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for spotted seatrout and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Striped snakehead

    A practitioner claim about how Channa striata is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for striped snakehead.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for striped snakehead and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Taimen

    A practitioner claim about how Hucho taimen is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for taimen.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for taimen and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Thin-lipped grey mullet

    A statement about how a species is fished, which is angling convention rather than biology and is labelled as such.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary UK sea angling and shore gathering practice as reported by practitioners: ground, seasonal timing, tackle, bait and method convention.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of technique, quarry behaviour and regional practice, recorded as consensus rather than as scholarship.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Traíra

    A statement about how a species is fished outside Europe, resting on restated international practice rather than on the British angling literature.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of regional angling practice, recorded as consensus rather than as scholarship.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • IGFA International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements — International Game Fish Association (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: International recreational angling practice and the record framework that documents which species are pursued and how.Background and mechanism onlyPassage read and verified

  • Twaite shad

    A statement about how a species is fished, which is angling convention rather than biology and is labelled as such.

    • Coarse Fishing — A. & C. Black, 1912 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Established coarse angling practice, including method selection, presentation and the reasoning behind them.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Freshwater Fishing — Macdonald & Jane's, 1975 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Freshwater angling technique and the principles behind method selection.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated angling practice, recorded as consensus rather than as scholarship.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Weakfish

    A practitioner claim about how Cynoscion regalis is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for weakfish.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for weakfish and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Wels catfish

    Established angling practice for this species, recorded as convention. The note states the property of the animal or its water that makes the method the answer.

    • Freshwater Fishing — Macdonald & Jane's, 1975 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Freshwater angling technique and its application to this species.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary practice for this species in the British and European coarse press.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • White bass

    A practitioner claim about how Morone chrysops is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for white bass.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for white bass and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Yellowfin bream

    A practitioner claim about how Acanthopagrus australis is commonly fished, following from where and how it feeds.

    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated practitioner accounts of fishing for yellowfin bream.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Practitioner treatment of the methods used for yellowfin bream and comparable species.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

Related techniques

What these connections rest on (1)

Practitioner consensus — 1 connection

Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.

  • Lure fishing

    Categorical placement.

    • Pike and the Pike Angler — Stanley Paul, 1981 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Spinning within predator and lure practice.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary categorisation of lure methods.Citation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

What you fish it with

What these connections rest on (4)

Practitioner consensus — 4 connections

Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.

  • Non-slip loop knot

    An arrangement joined to the knot that actually builds it, written where the knot is characteristic of that arrangement rather than merely possible in it. This is the edge a reader travels: they arrive looking for the arrangement and need the connection it depends on.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: British sea angling practice: shock leaders, multi-hook trace construction and the dropper loops a trace is built from.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of established connection convention, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as scholarship.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Freshwater Fishing — Macdonald & Jane's, 1975 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Comprehensive angling practice: reel filling, leader and dropper construction, and the connections each arrangement rests on.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Coarse Fishing — A. & C. Black, 1912 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Classical coarse angling practice: hooklengths, loops, droppers and the terminal arrangements built from them.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Palomar knot

    Which knot a kind of fishing conventionally uses is established practitioner knowledge that converges across independent traditions and independent state agency guides, and it is labelled as consensus rather than as tested result. Nothing here ranks knots by strength: see `why-knot-strength-tables-disagree` for why that number does not exist.

    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary UK lure and predator angling practice as reported by practitioners, including braid-to-lure connections and finesse rigging.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • How to Tie Fishing Knots — uni, blood, improved blood, surgeon's and loop knots — Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (Take Me Fishing) (Angling or fisheries organisation)Relied on for: A contemporary national angling-participation body's knot guide, covering the connections used in modern lure fishing and the materials they are tied in.States this directlyPassage read and verified

  • Polarised glasses and eye protection

    That a practice conventionally depends on a piece of equipment, drawn from published description of practice rather than from testing.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Long-running published description of British sea angling practice, including reels, casting, rough-ground technique and terminal arrangement.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of equipment convention and its use, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as scholarship.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Uni knot

    Which knot a kind of fishing conventionally uses is established practitioner knowledge that converges across independent traditions and independent state agency guides, and it is labelled as consensus rather than as tested result. Nothing here ranks knots by strength: see `why-knot-strength-tables-disagree` for why that number does not exist.

    • Knots Every Angler Should Know — Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 2015 (Government fisheries body)Relied on for: A state fisheries agency's knot guide: which knot is set out for which connection, and the fishing it is presented for.States this directlyPassage read and verified
    • Learn to fish: tying the knot — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 2025 (Government fisheries body)Relied on for: The same connections set out independently by a second state wildlife agency, written separately and agreeing on purpose and material.States this directlyPassage read and verified

Skills behind it

2 more
What these connections rest on (10)

Practitioner consensus — 7 connections

Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.

  • Floating, suspending and sinking lures

    A fish or a record joined to the comparison it is a worked example of, written only where the subject's own behaviour is what makes the comparison concrete rather than where the comparison could apply to it.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: British sea angling practice including tackle convention, terminology and the units the sport is described in.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary UK angling practice as reported by practitioners, including tackle comparison and the faults anglers meet.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Line twist, and where it comes from

    The method that generates most of it.

    • Freshwater Fishing — Macdonald & Jane's, 1975 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Line behaviour, knot performance, terminal tackle and casting mechanics.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Pike and the Pike Angler — Stanley Paul, 1981 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Line, knot and terminal-tackle mechanics described independently of the sea-angling tradition.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Margins, features, and why fish use edges

    A link from a practice, an environment or a geography to the mechanism it rests on. It asserts that the mechanism is load-bearing here rather than merely relevant, which is the test applied throughout this file.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Long-running published description of how conditions are read in the practice named, by ground type and by region.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of how the condition named governs the practice named, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as scholarship.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Retrieve speed and the pause

    Retrieve variation is the central skill in lure fishing and is discussed as such across traditions.

    • Pike and the Pike Angler — Stanley Paul, 1981 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Predator angling practice on lure choice, retrieve and terminal tackle.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary coarse and predator angling practice.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Rod action and power

    Fast actions dominate lure rods for reasons of feel and hook setting that practitioners state consistently.

    • Pike and the Pike Angler — Stanley Paul, 1981 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Predator angling practice on lure choice, retrieve and terminal tackle.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary coarse and predator angling practice.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • The kinds of lure, and what each imitates

    A link from a practice or a piece of equipment to the explanation of what it is for. The two records are halves of one answer and the edge is what lets a reader arriving at either find the other.

    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary UK coarse, match and predator practice as reported by practitioners, including lure and line convention.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of contemporary tackle convention, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as scholarship.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Turbidity and visibility

    A link from a practice, an environment or a geography to the mechanism it rests on. It asserts that the mechanism is load-bearing here rather than merely relevant, which is the test applied throughout this file.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Long-running published description of how conditions are read in the practice named, by ground type and by region.FishingHQ's interpretation of what it saysCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • General angling website restatements of established technique — Various (Credible secondary source)Relied on for: Widely restated descriptions of how the condition named governs the practice named, recorded as practitioner consensus rather than as scholarship.Background and mechanism onlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

Authoritative guidance — 2 connections

Stated by a fisheries authority, scientific institute or recognised angling body. Authoritative, but summarising rather than demonstrating.

  • Spinning, casting and retrieving

    The method record carries the ambiguity most directly.

    • FAO fishing gear types and fishing technology information — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Scientific institute)Relied on for: Gear classification distinguishing rod-and-line lure methods and reel types.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

  • Why line twists, and how to stop it

    Spinning is the method that generates twist by design rather than by accident.

    • Freshwater Fishing — Macdonald & Jane's, 1975 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Tackle handling practice on line management, swivel use and playing a fish against the clutch.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

Scientific evidence — 1 connection

Supported by peer-reviewed research or fisheries science. The sources are listed and can be checked.

  • Why fish follow a lure and turn away

    Retrieve variation is a technique response to a specific failure.

    • The Ecology of Vision — Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1979 (Scientific literature)Relied on for: Underwater visual environments and the way detection changes with range, depth and water condition.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly

Compared with

What these connections rest on (1)

Practitioner consensus — 1 connection

Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.

  • Light rock fishing

    A parent-child relationship between near-identical techniques at different scales.

    • Sea Angler — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: UK shore lure fishing practice: tackle scale, presentation and ground.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
    • Angling Times — Bauer Media (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Contemporary UK angling practice and the adoption of imported techniques as reported in the angling press.States this directlyCitation checked — the work exists and is described correctly
Share this page