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Charted WatersCoastal Virginia
Sheet 05 of 28

beginner rig

Bottom presentation

High-low (double-drop) bottom rig

Pre-tied high-low rigs from any tackle shop work fine to start

Water
pierbridgesurf
High-low (double-drop) bottom rig schematicTop to bottom: main line, swivel, dropper loop, second hook, sinker.

Schematic, not to scale. Hover, tap, or tab through the parts; the drawing isolates each one.

Terms usedMain lineSwivelDropper loopSinker

Components

As listed in the rig record, top to bottom.

  1. Main line to a three-way or barrel swivel
  2. Two dropper loops above the swivel, each with a baited hook
  3. Sinker below the swivel to hold bottom

Setup

Hook
Size 2–1/0 for spot/croaker-sized bait; step up toward 1/0–2/0 for black drum or bigger whiting.
Weight
Just enough pyramid or bank sinker to hold bottom in the current you're fishing — too much weight makes bites harder to feel.

How to fish it

Pre-tied high-low rigs from any tackle shop work fine to start — bait both hooks with a small piece of bloodworm, shrimp, or squid and let it sit on bottom.

When to use it

  • Piers, bridges, and bank spots on a moving tide
  • Panfish runs — spot, croaker, whiting — from late summer into fall
  • Calm to moderate current; switch to a fish-finder when the sinker will not hold

Common mistakes

  • Using too heavy a sinker for calm conditions, which drags the bait and looks unnatural
  • Waiting too long to set the hook on a light bottom bite

Variations

Dropper-loop bottom rigs: the same idea, adjusted

Rigs drawn from the same schematic family — heavier, lighter, or with one part changed for a different fish or water.

All bottom rigs

Where to use it

Water this rig is documented for

All fishing spots