When referring to nets, reels, baits, lines, rods, hooks, sinkers, spears and lures, anglers

call them fishing tackle or fishing equipment. The fishing gear that is attached at the end of a line is called terminal tackle and this category includes hooks, swivels, sinkers, and snaps.

The word tackle referring to fishing equipment comes from ‘takel’ which initially meant the rigging of a ship, or to put it otherwise, the gear consisting of ropes supporting a ship's masts and sails. It was only later that “tackle” got to mean fishing equipment, and the meaning remained to our days.

The most basic fishing equipment includes a rod with a line and a hook, a lure and a bait attached to the hook and a sinker. The line consists of a basic cord manufactured according to a specific pattern to be both resistant and nearly invisible for fish. There are various things that an angler asks about when buying a fishing line such as resistance, stretch, strength and so on. The line will be selected based on the size and the species peculiarities of the fish he/she intends to catch.

The sinker, otherwise known as a plummet, is made form a weight that helps in casting the hook and the bait as far as possible from the shoreline or from the boat that the fisherman uses. They are usually made of lead as their purpose is to get underwater quickly attracting the attention of fish to the bait. In some parts of the world, lead can no longer be included in the fishing equipment because of its high toxicity level. If ingested by bird species or other fish, the lead causes the death of the animal.

Another standard item of fishing equipment is the hook. The hook serves as a support for the bait and it gets stuck in the mouth of the fish. Hooks get attached to the line; and the fisherman can choose from a pretty wide range of shapes, sizes and materials.

Last but not least, the fishing equipment cannot be efficient without bait or lure. The lure is a piece at the end of the line that looks and moves like something resembling the prey of the fish you are after. Its purpose is to catch the attention of the fish with its color, movement and vibrations. Once the fish attacks the lure, it gets hooked. Bait, on the other hand, is the actual item attached to the hook and intended to be attacked and eaten by the fish. The bait can be either natural consisting in smaller fish, insects or crawlers or artificial, made of plastic or other material to lure the fish|Bait can be natural including insects, little fish or worms, or artificial made of fabric or plastic materials}.