When baiting your strayline rig it is important to remember that how you present the bait is the difference between hooking that trophy fish or a quiet day on the water. When fish are feeling picky you can entice them with a nicely presented pilchard or squid.

The idea of straylining is the bait is presented in a more realistic natural manner, so it is important that you choose the appropriate sized sinker to allow the bait to float and bob in the current. If the sinker is too heavy then your bait will just be pinned to the sea floor. The amount of weight needed will depend on the current you are fishing in but generally a sinker between 1/4oz and 2oz would be ideal.

These two hook strayline rig examples are best suited to larger baits such as whole pichards (or pilchards with the heads removed), squid or larger strips of bait. Strayline fishing is a great way of targeting larger snapper and other predatory fish, particularly when paired with a good berley.

To correctly bait your strayline rig view the diagrams below for each bait type.