What is a Dingle Dangle in surf fishing?

A Dingle Dangle is a bait clip system used by surf anglers to cast large baits like whole mullet or bonito heads farther and more cleanly. It holds the bait during flight and releases it on splashdown for natural presentation.

Why use Dingle Dangles for surf fishing?

They keep your bait aerodynamic during casting, prevent bait loss, and improve hook presentation when targeting large species such as sharks, rays, and big drum.

What rigs are compatible with Dingle Dangles?

Dingle Dangles are ideal for pulley rigs, clip-down rigs, and slide bait rigs, especially when paired with breakaway or our Sputnik special clip sinkers.

Do I need bait elastic or thread with Dingle Dangles?

Yes, bait elastic is recommended to secure the bait tightly to the dingle dangle which in turn goes on the hook and clip, ensuring it stays in place during the cast and releases cleanly.

Are Dingle Dangles reusable?

Yes, they are made from corrosion-resistant materials and are reusable when properly cleaned after use in saltwater.

Ready to launch your big bait further without blowing it apart mid-cast?

Dingle Dangles are surf fishing bait clips designed to help you cast large, heavy baits farther—cleanly and efficiently. Popular among South African and New Zealand surf anglers, these clips keep your bait secure during flight and release it right on splashdown for the perfect bottom presentation.

🔩 How It Works:

Attach your Dingle Dangle clip to the bend of your hook and secure your bait using bait thread. During the cast, the bait is suspended from your sinker or impact shield, keeping it streamlined. On impact with the water, the Dingle Dangle disengages, releasing the bait to fish naturally on the seafloor.

🎯 Best For:

Casting whole mullet, bonito heads, or large cut bait
Surf fishing for sharks, rays, drum, and other big game fish
Rigs with pulleys, breakaway sinkers, or impact shields

🛠️ Handcrafted in the USA using durable, corrosion-resistant components. Whether you’re fishing heavy current off the Gulf Coast or slinging bait off a Carolina pier, our Dingle Dangles give you the distance and clean delivery you need to land the big ones.

🌍 Where It’s Popular

South Africa: A staple in surf and rock fishing for large kob, garrick, sharks, and rays.
New Zealand: Used for kahawai, snapper, and kingfish.
UK & Australia: Variations used in distance casting tournaments and rough surf conditions.
Gulf Coast & U.S. Surf Fishing: Gaining interest, especially among shark and large drum anglers.

🎣 Use Cases

Targeting Large Species: Sharks, big rays, and drum fish.
Rough Surf/Snaggy Conditions: Keeps rigs clean and reduces tangles.
Cast-and-Wait Fishing: Perfect for static baits left on the bottom.

Pro Tip (From South African Anglers)

"When fishing heavy surf or current, pair your Dingle Dangle with a sliding trace system and a long rod (12-14 ft) to maximize distance and minimize rig drag. Always secure your bait tightly with latex thread—presentation is everything."

LeadSlingers's Bait-Holder (Dingle Dangle)

Name: LeadSlingers's Bait-Holder (Dingle Dangle)
Brand: LeadSlingers
SKU: LSDD

SKU: LSDD

$6.00

Quantity

The Dingle Dangle (also known as a Dingle Dangle Clip, Dingle Clip, or Bait Clip Rig) is a specialized surf fishing accessory and rigging technique widely used by South African and New Zealand anglers, particularly for long-distance casting of large, bulky baits.
Pack #1

Yellow Bait Holders in the following lengths (1 3/4, 2 1/4, 2 3/4, and 3 1/2 in).

4 Bait Holders (Yellow Foam 3/8 thick).

Best if used with 2-4 oz Surf fishing weights.

140 lb single-strand stainless-steel wire.

Heat-Shrinked top hook keeper loop (5 mm).

Built-in flotation allows your bait to be off the sea bottom while also giving you something to wrap your bait into.

Fishing Sinker bottom loop (9 mm) to allow you to clip it down to your sinker and help you achieve maximum casting distance.

Especially designed to target a wide variety of fish, from small table fare to bigger predatory fish.

Pack #2

Consists of 3 Bait Holders Red/Blue/Orange in the following lengths: 3, 3 1/2, and 4 in.

.6 mm stainless-steel wire rated at 200 lbs.

Best if used with 5-8 oz Surf fishing weights

Heat-Shrinked top hook keeper loop (5 mm).

Thicker built-in flotation allows your bigger bait presentation to be off the sea bottom while also giving you something to bulk up and wrap your bait into.

Red (L= 3 in x W=1/2 in), Blue (L= 3 1/2 x W=9/16 in), Orange (L=4 x W=5/8).

Fishing Sinker bottom loop (7 mm) to allow you to clip it down to your sinker and help you achieve maximum casting distance, for those times when the fish are feeding on the outer bars.

Especially designed to target bigger predatory fish.

Pack #3

Consists of 4 Bait Holders.

2 x 175 lb (79.38 kg) stranded stainless-steel wire (Red) 3 1/2 in. in length.

2 x 275 lb (124.74 kg) stranded stainless-steel wire (Black) 4in. in length.

Best if used with 5-8 oz Surf fishing weights.

Heat-Shrinked top hook keeper loop (7 mm) to securely hold on to your circle hook of choice.

The bottom (10 mm) stainless-steel solid ring is of my personal preference, rated at 500+ lbs big enough to allow you to still clip it down into the bait clip of choice (preferably one of our Sputnik Special Clip Fishing Weights) and help you gain that much-desired casting distance.

Especially designed for targeting apex predators such as sharks, but they have performed extremely well over the years for us whenever we are also targeting Red Fish, Sting Rays other inshore species.

Pack #4

4 Foam Bait Holders in the following length (3 1/2 in).

Best if used with 4–7 oz Surf fishing weights.

140 lb single-strand stainless-steel wire.

Heat-Shrinked top hook keeper loop (5 mm) to hold your preferred hook.

Built-in flotation allows your bait to be off the sea bottom while also giving you something to wrap your bait into.

Fishing Sinker bottom loop (9 mm) to allow you to clip it down to your sinker and help you achieve maximum casting distance.

Especially designed to achieve better casting distances when targeting a wide variety of fish, from small table fare to bigger predatory fish, for those instances when the fish are feeding on small pieces of bait.
The Dingle Dangle is mainly made from wire; it consists of a pair of loops, the top one is used as a hook keeper, and the bottom one is used as a clip for sinker attachment that attaches to the baited hook.

The bait is secured away from the hook point using bait elastic (bait thread), which prevents it from flying off during the cast.

The Dingle Dangle clip connects to a bait clip sinke r or impact shield, typically part of a clip-down pulley rig or slide rig.

On impact with water, the bait clip disengages, allowing the hook and bait to fish freely on the bottom.

Benefit	Description
🎯 Longer Casts	Reduces bait drag and improves aerodynamic balance for more distance.
🧹 Clean Presentations	Keeps bait streamlined during flight, avoiding tangles.
🪝 Improved Hookups	Ensures bait sits naturally once released, increasing catch potential.
🐟 Perfect for Big Baits	Allows casting of large, tough, or oily baits used for sharks, rays, drums, etc.

Pulley Rigs

Slide Bait Rigs

Impact Shields or Splashdown Clips

Bait Elastic / Bait Thread

Coated Wire / Heavy Mono Leaders

Circle Hooks (size 8/0 – 14/0+)

Sputnik Sinkers or Grippers

LeadSlingers's Bait-Holder (Dingle Dangle)

🌊 PRODUCT INFO

📊 Dingle Dangle Pack Specs

🛠️ How It Works

✅ Advantages

🧰 Common Gear Used with Dingle Dangles

Product Reviews

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