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Sliding snell rigs are built for one very specific job:
correct hook placement on longer, irregular baits — and increasing hook-up rates when fish don’t strike cleanly.
They’re not about adding extra hooks “just in case”, and they’re not designed to compensate for poor baiting. They exist because many baits simply don’t suit a single fixed hook position, especially when fish strike different parts of the bait.
A sliding snell rig uses two hooks on the same trace:
The sliding hook is adjusted each time the rig is baited, based on the length and type of bait being used. Once set, the hook spacing matches the bait rather than forcing the bait to suit the rig.
This is deliberate adjustment, not uncontrolled movement.
Long strip baits, eels, whole squid, and livebaits don’t behave like compact cut baits.
Fish don’t always strike them the same way either.
Some hit the head.
Some grab the tail.
Some mouth the bait, turn, then load up.
Single-hook rigs rely on the fish finding that one hook. Sliding snell rigs improve the odds by allowing hooks to be placed where the bait naturally sits, increasing the chance that a strike turns into a solid hookup rather than a missed bite.
Once baited and fishing:
The rig isn’t intended for hooks to slide around during the fight. The adjustment happens before the cast, when the bait is set up correctly.
That consistency matters when using longer baits that fish often grab and turn with before committing.
Sliding snell rigs work best with:
Anywhere bait length varies, or where fish may strike different parts of the bait, this rig offers flexibility without sacrificing control.
That’s why it’s used in the surf, from boats, and along reef edges — not because of the location itself, but because of the size and behaviour of the bait.
Sliding snell rigs are often used alongside bait elastic, particularly with longer or softer baits.
A common approach is:
This keeps the bait straight and aligned, and once wrapped, it also holds the sliding hook in position for the cast.
The elastic doesn’t change the way the rig fishes — it simply keeps everything where you’ve set it.
Sliding snell rigs are commonly paired with circle hooks, but the important factor isn’t the hook name — it’s alignment.
The snell creates a direct load path along the hook shank, and the sliding top hook allows that alignment to be adjusted to suit the bait. When the bait sits straight, the hooks work together rather than against each other.
Sliding snell rigs are often used for species like mulloway, snapper, and gummy sharks, but they’re not limited to those fish.
Any species that:
can suit this style of rig.
It’s a bait-driven rig, not a species-locked one.
Most issues come from how the rig is set up, not the rig itself:
Used properly, sliding snell rigs are tidy, controlled, and repeatable.
Our sliding snell rigs are tied with controlled adjustment in mind.
The bottom hook is fixed.
The top hook slides smoothly to suit the bait being used.
Spacing is designed around real bait lengths, not theory.
They’re made to be adjusted every time you bait up, then fished with confidence.
If you’re choosing rigs based on bait size rather than guesswork, sliding snells are worth understanding properly.
From here, you can:
Knowing why a rig works makes choosing the right one easier.
ALL our rigs are Hand Tied by experienced Fishos, the rigs we sell are the rigs we use. If you have any saltwater fishing rigs in mind and they're not on here, get in touch and have it custom made for you, drop us a line with what you are looking for and we'll see if we can help.
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