Gang Hook Pilchard Rig
A whole pilchard threaded onto a string of ganged hooks — the classic rig for presenting a natural, fish-shaped bait that hooks salmon, mulloway and sharks wherever they strike the bait along its length.
Best For
You'll Need
Step-by-Step Instructions
Buy a ready-made gang of 3–4 hooks, or make one by snelling hooks in a string, eye to shank.
Tie the swivel to your main line and the 80–120 cm leader to the swivel.
Tie the first (smallest) hook of the gang to the end of the leader.
Thread the pilchard onto the gang head-first — the front hook sits near the head, the rest spaced along the body so the bait sits straight and flat.
Add a sinker as conditions demand — the bait should sink naturally with a slight flutter.
Cast the ganged pilchard into the gutter, channel or berley trail and let it sink naturally with the sinker just holding. Fish take the bait along its length and hook themselves on the string of hooks — simply lift into the weight and keep steady pressure.
When you want a big, natural bait presentation — surf salmon, mulloway in the gutters, snapper on the drift, or big baits for sharks. The bait fish shape does the work.
Trim the pilchard to half-length for smaller mouths; use a fresh fillet threaded on two gangs for salmon in big surf; run the rig unweighted and free-drifting down a berley trail from a boat.
Hooks ganged too close together (the bait bends and spins), pilchard threaded crooked so it rolls in the current, and leaders too light that get bitten through by toothy fish.
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