Fishing Terminal Tackle

For live minnows, visit us in-store at Angling Sports, we keep them fresh and ready for your next trip. Make sure to call ahead of time to check if we still have any in-stock on any given day.

Prefer something longer-lasting? We also carry a wide range of soft plastic minnow baits available to purchase online or in-store, perfect for anglers who want lifelike action without the hassle of live bait.

G-Juice is a proven livewell water conditioner (formerly U2 Pro Formula) designed to keep fish healthy during transport and tournaments. It’s a single-phase liquid that’s non-toxic to humans, pets, and aquatic life, safe in fresh or salt water, and approved for use with The Oxygenator. 

Why it works: G-Juice removes nitrites, ammonia, chlorine, chloramines, and heavy metals that quickly build up in livewells, while adding essential electrolytes, replacing the protective slime coat, and helping stop minor bleeding. That combo reduces stress and mortality, especially on hot days or long boat runs.

Pick up fresh nightcrawlers right here at Angling Sports. They’re perfect for multi-species fishing across the Thames, Lake Erie, and nearby lakes. Nightcrawlers are large, hardy earthworms that stay lively on the hook and draw strikes from walleye, smallmouth bass, trout, perch, bluegill, and crappie. Fish them on slip floats, bottom rigs, spinner harnesses, or split them into half-crawlers for finicky bites.

Make sure to call ahead of time to check if we still have any in-stock on any given day.

To keep your worms in peak condition, we stock insulated bait containers, worm bedding, ice packs, aeration solutions, and compatible conditioners. You’ll also find the right terminal tackle, snelled hooks, size-appropriate octopus hooks, and worm harnesses, to match local conditions and water clarity.

For panfish on local ponds and marinas, size 8–4 baitholder or octopus hooks keep worms and small minnows pinned without tearing.

For walleye on Lake Erie and Fanshawe/Lake St. Clair: size 4–2 octopus or slow-death/worm hooks excel on crawler harnesses and live minnows. 

When fishing smallmouth/largemouth around the Thames and cottage lakes, opt for size 2–1/0 octopus or EWG for minnows, tubes, and creature baits or 2/0–3/0 EWG for thicker plastics. Match hook gap to bait body—aim for 1/3–1/2 of bait height. 

Check our Terminal Tackle collection for octopus, baitholder, circle, EWG, and finesse options from trusted brands.

On rivers like the Thames, go slim and sensitive. Stick/stream floats or pencil-style sliders track straight in current, let you control depth precisely, and reduce drag so bait drifts naturally. Space a few small split shots down the line to balance the float and keep your presentation in the strike zone. 

On lakes (Erie and inland), round or oval clip-on bobbers and slip floats work great for perch, crappie, and walleye. Use bobber stops to set exact depth over weedlines, reefs, or suspended schools. 

Windy days? Bump float size for visibility and casting distance. Clear water calls for natural/low-profile tops; stained water benefits from bright, high-vis caps to spot subtle takes.

Use a dropshot when accuracy and control matter. In current seams, bridge pilings, and deeper holes, 1/8–1/4 oz cylinder or teardrop dropshot weights with a 4–6 lb fluorocarbon leader keep your bait 3–8 inches off bottom and in the strike zone. Pair with finesse minnows or worms for neutral smallmouth.

Choose a bullet weight (Texas rig) when you need bottom contact or to slide through cover. A 1/8–3/8 oz tungsten/lead bullet with an EWG hook drags cleanly across rock/gravel flats and along eddies, telegraphing bottom changes and bites. In higher flow, dropshot offers superior stationing; when covering water or triggering reaction bites, go bullet/Texas.

For 2–3 inch minnows and swimbaits (perch, crappie, river smallmouth), use 1/16–1/8 oz ball-head jigs with fine-wire size 2–1 hooks, easy hooksets, lively action. For 3–4.5 inch swimbaits (smallmouth, walleye, pike), step up to 3/16–3/8 oz to maintain bottom contact in 8–15 feet or light current; hook sizes 1/0–3/0 keep plastics tracking straight. 

Around weeds or wood, choose weed-guarded or EWG swimbait heads to slip through cover. Over rock or in current, keeled or aspirin heads add stability and reduce rolling. 

Match weight to depth, current, and wind—lighter for shallow/clear, heavier for current/wind or deeper structure. Find ball, football, weedless, and swimbait heads in our Jig Heads and Terminal Tackle collections.

In clear Lake Erie conditions (reefs and summer months), fluorocarbon leaders (6–10 lb) shine, offering low visibility, excellent abrasion resistance, and crisp sensitivity for finesse techniques like dropshots, tubes, and jerkbaits. Pair a 10–20 lb braid mainline for long casts and instant bite detection, then add a 6–10 ft fluorocarbon leader.

In stained water or when fishing in wind and waves, monofilament (8–12 lb) is the better choice for slip floats and crankbaits, its natural stretch helps absorb shocks, keeps treble hooks pinned, and maintains bait suspension.

For jigging or bottom contact, a braid + fluoro leader setup gives the best feel and control.

Choose line based on technique, cover, and water clarity:

• Mono – forgiving and buoyant for floats and cranks
• Fluoro – stealthy and sensitive for finesse setups
• Braid – strong and ultra-sensitive for power fishing

Explore mono, fluoro, braid, and leader spools in our Fishing Line & Tackle collection to find what works best for your Erie adventures.

Use swivels anytime your lure tends to spin. Barrel swivels are reliable all-round options for spoons, inline spinners, and drift rigs. For stronger current or faster retrieves, rolling or crane swivels rotate more smoothly and help cut down line twist.

Snaps make it easy to change lures quickly when fishing with crankbaits, jerkbaits, or spoons. Choose compact sizes that match your lure’s rating so you don’t affect its natural action. Snap swivels are a convenient choice for trolling or for shore anglers who switch baits often use lighter versions for finesse setups.

Split rings let lures move more freely and improve hookup angles. Replace any rusty rings and, if needed, only go up one size to avoid restricting the lure’s movement.

Pro tip: add a small swivel above your leader or snap on spinner setups to further reduce twist.