Flapper Rig For Surf Fishing

Flapper rigs, set up much much like top and bottom, or double drop loop rigs. Allow anglers to fish more than two hooks with less tangling. Fishing with more than two hooks on a double or single strand dropper loop rig can get messy. Flapper rigs are also a little involved to make with a lot of parts.

The snelled hooks, called snood hooks are attached to swivels on the flapper rig leader line. Almost set up like the crab snoods on a trot line.
The snelled or snood hook is attached with a quick change loop, often used for weights. Just pass the hook through the loop at the top of the leader or snood, and pull it tight. Anglers can also just tie the snood onto the swivel as well. I prefer to use presnelled hooks and make the rig body the size I need for the presnelled hook lengths. This makes changing out hooks much faster and easier.
The swivels are kept in place on the rig’s leader or rig body with beads and crimps. This allows the swivels to rotate the snoods around the leader line with little resistance. This replaces the dropper loops we usually use for our rigs.
Some anglers will make snoods with beads or floats for pompano fishing. Make sure the loop at the end of the leader is large enough for the float to pass through.
Since the flapper rig uses two different line sizes, we can’t tie dropper loops.

The main rig line, leader line, or rig body is a heavier monofilament line than the snood or snelled hook lines. The idea is the snoods can be replaced when one breaks off and not destroy the entire rig itself. Fifty to eighty pound monofilament line is recommended for the flapper rig body. Some prefer to use fluorocarbon.

The heavier leader also allows for a harder cast with the larger weights; Sputnik, storm sinkers, pyramid sinkers, surf claw, and frogs tongue sinkers. The name flapper rig comes from the action of the hooks making a flapping sound in the wind as the rig is cast. The snoods or leaders should be separated on the rig body enough to not overlap during casting. Snoods or the snelled hooks are usually twenty pound monofilament. I use presnelled leadered hooks. If you need a new snood or leadered hook you can replace it easily with a quick change loop. This also allows the same rig body to be used for different hook sizes for targeting different species.

The flapper rig’s design functions similar to a morticians rig used for surf fishing for pompano in the Gulf. It also looks like your basic top and bottom rig, high low rig, fire ball rig, or double dropper loop rig. Flapper rigs work well off boats and there are modified versions known as wishbone rigs, designed specifically for targeting flounder. Flapper rigs do not do well near structure or in heavy currents. Both conditions will tangle up or snag the rig.