Fishing glossary
The terms you hear on the bank and in the tackle shop, briefly explained.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Bite alarm | A device (electronic or mechanical) that sounds when a fish pulls the line. |
| Backing | Filler line put on the reel under the main line. |
| Barb | The spike near the hook's point that stops it coming out; “barbless” = easy to remove. |
| Boilies | Boiled balls of flour, eggs and flavourings, the classic carp bait. |
| Catch & release (C&R) | “Catch and release”: the fish is put back alive. |
| Feeder | A weighted cage filled with groundbait, attached to the rig. |
| Ice hole | The hole made in the ice for winter fishing. |
| Disgorger | A tool for removing the hook from the fish's mouth. |
| Playing the fish | The fight with the fish, from the strike to the landing net. |
| Fluorocarbon | A line that's almost invisible in water and abrasion-resistant; good for hooklengths. |
| Hooklength | The piece of thinner line between the main line and the hook. |
| Drag | The reel's mechanism that lets line out under tension, so it doesn't break. |
| Hair rig | A rig where the bait sits on a short length of line, off the hook. |
| Jig | A rubber lure on a hook with a lead head. |
| Keepnet | A net or sack in which fish are kept alive in the water, if the rules allow it. |
| Rod | A fishing pole with rings and a reel. |
| Method feeder | A flat feeder onto which groundbait is pressed with a mould, with the hook bait inside. |
| Landing net | The long-handled net you use to take the fish out of the water. |
| Bait | What you put on the hook (worm, sweetcorn, boilies, lure). |
| Monofilament | Single-strand nylon line, stretchy. |
| Rig | The whole assembly at the end of the line: lead, swivel, hooklength, hook. |
| Reel | The mechanism the line is wound onto. |
| Groundbait | A mix thrown into the water to attract fish and keep them in the area. |
| Lure | An artificial bait: crankbait, spoon, twister, jig. |
| Pellets | Pressed granules of fishmeal or cereals, used as groundbait or hook bait. |
| Float | A float that holds the bait at a set depth and shows the bite. |
| Closed season | The period when fishing is forbidden, so the fish can spawn. |
| PVA | A material that dissolves in water: bags or mesh for groundbait next to the hook. |
| Rod pod | A rod stand, used where you can't push bank sticks into the ground. |
| Unhooking mat | A soft mat you lay the fish on while you remove the hook. |
| Shock leader | A thicker line at the end that absorbs the shock of casting a heavy lead. |
| Solunar | The theory linking fish activity to the position of the Moon and the Sun. |
| Spinning | Active fishing with lures, using a light rod. |
| Wire trace | A steel or thick-line hooklength, against pike teeth. |
| Swinger | A bite indicator hung on the line, below the rod. |
| Sabiki rig | A rig with many small hooks and sequins, used at sea (horse mackerel, anchovy). |
| Pole | A pole without a reel, with the line tied to the tip; used with a float. |
| Swivel | A rotating part that joins lines and prevents twisting. |
| Crankbait | A hard lure shaped like a small fish, which swims when you retrieve it. |