RIGGING FOR BASS
Simple Tips That Can Help You Catch Fish
The Texas and Carolina rigs are probably the two most commonly used rigs. Here
are a few tips and tricks that should make using them and the other rigs we use
a little easier.
Problem:
If you were fishing a Texas rigged worm ten years ago you had your choice of
brass or lead weights. Now you can pick from brass, lead, steel or tungsten.
With the introduction of tungsten weights some new rigging problems developed.
Tungsten weights are extremely hard on knots.
Tip No. 1:
If you’re using a tungsten weight un-pegged on your Texas rig, before tying on
your hook, slip a neoprene bobber-stop onto the line. Once you’ve tied the hook
on, slide the neoprene stop down to your knot. The bobber-stop will now act as a
cushion and stop the tungsten weight from damaging your knot.
Problem:
Historically a Carolina rig has been made up of a swivel, glass bead (usually
red) and a brass weight; then along came tungsten. Tungsten weights are probably
one of the best improvements you can make to a Carolina rig. By using tungsten
weights you will feel everything that’s down there. But using tungsten weights
has its down side. Tungsten weights are not only hard on knots; they will
eventually crack or shatter most glass beads, leading to line breakage. Also,
even though a tungsten weight is a great addition to your Carolina rig, they are
currently not being manufactured with internal rattles.
Tip No. 2:
One of the simplest solutions for the glass bead breaking is to switch to a
plastic bead. Almost all hobby, craft or sewing shops will carry plastic beads
in a variety of colors. Look for beads that are 10mm or larger. For additional
knot protection use a neoprene bobber-stop between the bead and the knot. Or
don’t use a bead at all. In that part of the country where they have “ toothy
critters ” using a brightly colored bead (plastic or glass) and a shiny weight,
which are clicking together along the bottom is just asking for the inevitable “
bite-off”. Keep the tungsten weight, but use a dark colored one, replace the
neoprene bobber-stop and colored bead with a Northland Tackle single barrel
rattle strap (Buck-Shot rattle strap). This will give you noise and knot
protection all in one neat package.
Problem:
It’s really pretty common to see an angler use a toothpick to peg the weight
when Texas rigging. When the only option in weights was lead the toothpick trick
would work. Now with harder metals used to manufacture weights, the toothpick
isn’t the best solution.
Tip No. 3:
If you’re going to peg your weights when Texas rigging ( and you should in heavy
cover), consider using the plastic sinker pegs. A couple of companies
manufacture them (T-Stops, Peg-It). These pegs will not deform your line or
cause abrasions or nicks like a toothpick would. Any nick or abrasion can cause
line breakage. Another option if you’re using smaller or lighter weights, is too
place a large neoprene bobber-stop above the weight. The bobber-stop will hold
most weights tight to the hook, but if the sinker moves up the line a little,
just add a drop of fishing glue to the bobber-stop and snug it and the weight up
against the hook. It’s not going to move now.
Problem:
Skipping docks is always fun and usually quite productive. The problem is to
skip docks properly you need to slap the plastic bait on the water with enough
force to make it skip a couple of times. Eventually after fishing a couple of
docks the plastic will come off or move down the hook shaft. Also, when skipping
docks you may need to add some additional weight to get the bait to skip
further, getting way back under the docks. It can become a balancing act having
to add enough weight to get a good skip, but not so much weight that it causes
the bait to fall too quickly through the water column.
Tip No. 4:
The Shaw Grigsby High-Performance hooks by Eagle Claw have solved the problems
associated with slipping plastics. With the wire clip on these hooks you can now
easily secure any plastic bait to the hook and have it stay in place while
skipping docks. Water Gremlins Bull-Shot sinkers are perfect for adding just the
right amount of weight to a dock rig. They come in weights from 1/64 ounce to ½
ounce. Since they are shaped like a bullet weight they will help your rig slip
over cross-members, cables and all the obstacles associated with dock fishing.
Before clamping the Bull-shot onto the line, put a drop of fishing glue in the
shots opening and then clamp it onto the line. This ensures that the Bull-shot
will stay in place all day long.
Problem:
Keeping rattles inside your tubes can be a problem. If you use tubes to skip
docks then you know how an errant skip hitting a metal pole will usually
dislodge most rattles. After catching a couple of quality fish most rattles will
find their way out of the tube as well.
Tip No. 5:
Both Bass Pro Shops and Zoom now make large glass bodied rattles with steel ball
bearings inside. They are designed to easily slide up into 4 and 5-inch tubes.
Before you push the rattles up into the tube body add a couple of drops of
fishing glue. Now the only way they will come out of the tube is if you tear the
tube apart. Both these styles of rattles are sealed in glass tubes but they are
not buoyant (they sink) so adjust your weights accordingly.
A few more tips & tricks:
Earplugs and tubes, who would have thought? By inserting foam earplugs up into
your tube bodies you can get more buoyancy from a tube. This will allow you to
fish it on top like a rat or frog bait. Or you can add a little less weight when
Texas- rigging an earplug-stuffed tube and get a tantalizingly slow fall out of
it.
In a small leak proof jar (leak proof being the key word here) put a dozen of
those foam earplugs and add some liquid fish scent. You will be amazed at how
long the scent will last in the tubes now. Or you can stuff cotton balls up into
the tube and squirt them periodically with Pro-Cure Bait Sauce.
Along those same lines, if you have a “ go to” soft-bait (tube, stick-bait,
craw) take a couple dozen and put them in a sealable quart container, (again
preferably leak proof) then cover the baits with a quality liquid fish scent.
I’ve done this for years with my jig trailers and senko style baits. Now you’re
not constantly reapplying fish scent to the rigs and I believe it increases your
bite ratio.
A quick look at new rigging products:
Northland Fishing Tackle has
brought out what could be the most innovative rigging product this year. The
company introduced the “Sling-Shot” worm weight early this season. Basically,
it’s a slotted worm weight with a rubber core, not unlike the old rubber core
sinkers we all grew up with. But this worm weight is well thought out and well
designed. The rubber core stays on your line and this feature alone allows you
to change weights without cutting and re-tying. Also, for Texas rigging you
don’t need to peg the weight, just twist the rubber core. You actually have to
see and play with this worm weight to appreciate the numerous applications for
it.
Last year a new drop-shot hook was introduced to the market. The T-U StandOut
hook is also very innovative. The great thing about this hook is that no matter
how you tie it on the line the hook will always face up and remain level.
A weight that has been out for over a year now, the Lindy No-Snagg Cent’s Slip
sinker, is a must have if you insist on fishing bass in the rocks. This is
probably one of the best snag-fee sinkers to use when Carolina rigging in snag
infested waters.
As always stay safe and we hope to see you on the water.
Wayne Ek,
Agape Fishing Guides
classicbass.com Field Staff
Wayne Ek is a fishing guide, tournament
angler and writer in Alexandria, Minnesota.
For more information you can contact Wayne at
www.agapefishingguides.com
