Chloe Zhang
Soft plastic lures are a popular choice for bass fishing, and there are many ways to rig them. The Texas rig is one of the most common methods, suitable for fishing around snaggy cover like rocks, wood, or vegetation. Another option is the shaky head rig, which provides a more finesse presentation and is ideal for deeper water. Anglers also use the wacky rig, nose hooking, and hidden weight systems to present their soft plastic lures. With so many options, it can be confusing for beginners, but experimenting with different techniques is the best way to learn what works.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common ways to rig soft plastics | Texas rigging, shaky head rigging, wacky rigging, nose hooking |
| Texas rigging | Use an offset shank hook, insert it in the head of the bait, then back out about a 1/4 inch below the head, slide the hook through the bait and rotate it |
| Shaky head rigging | Use a shaky head hook, insert the hook point into the head of the bait, then back out about a 1/4 inch below the head, slide the hook through the bait and rotate it, push the hook point back through the body |
| Wacky rigging | Take a small sharp hook and hook it through the middle of your plastic bait |
| Nose hooking | Hook through the nose of the bait, effective around sparse cover on a drop shot |
| Jig heads | Light jig heads (1/12, 1/16, 1/20, 1/28, 1/40) for light estuary species, heavier jig heads (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/12) for bigger inshore species |
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What You'll Learn
Texas rigging
To Texas rig soft plastics, you will need a bullet-shaped slip sinker, an offset or straight shank hook, and a soft plastic bait of your choice. The best hooks for Texas rigging are offset worm hooks or EWG (Extra Wide Gap) hooks. If you are using a thin worm, an offset worm hook is preferable, while an EWG hook is better for larger soft plastic lures.
- Take the point of the hook and insert it into the head of the bait, then back out about a 1/4 inch below the head.
- Slide the hook through the bait and rotate it back around so the head sits in the offset shank.
- Pull the hook back out of the worm through the new exit hole.
- Bring the worm over the elbow of the offset hook or the keeper on the straight shank hook, and then twist it.
- You can also add a bobber stop in front of the slip sinker to keep the weight, hook, and plastic together, making it easier to manoeuvre through thicker cover.
A variation of the Texas rig is called Tex-posing. Instead of burying the hook into the plastic, the worm is pushed through, and the flat part of the hook point is laid on the back of the plastic, with only a small portion of the point penetrating the plastic. This variation allows for easier release of the hook but may result in more snags. Tex-posing is better suited for sparser cover, such as boat docks or bank grass.
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Shaky head rigging
To rig a shaky head, you can follow these steps:
- Use a shaky head hook (there are hundreds of variations), and insert the hook point into the head of the bait, then back out about a ¼ of an inch below the head.
- Slide the hook through the bait and rotate it back around so the head sits in the offset shank.
- Push the hook point back through the body of the bait, leaving the hook point just below the surface of the plastic.
The line tie eye on a shaky head should be located very close to the ball surface, if not right against it. There is some debate over whether the tie eye should protrude from the ball head at a 90° or 60°-degree angle. The overwhelming preference is for a 60° flat eye as it maintains a constant tension point.
Shaky head baits include the Yamamoto Senko Bait, Baby Bass, and the Roboworm Straight Tail Worm Bait.
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Wacky rigging
To prevent a buildup of pierce points and extend the lifespan of the stick baits, anglers can use O-rings for a wacky rig setup. O-rings can be used with the wacky rig to help preserve your plastic bait after multiple bites. Anglers can also use duct tape to wacky rig soft plastics.
Wacky-rigged soft plastic stick baits work well when worked around the edges of structures and covers. The outside edges of cattails, weed edges, and docks are high-percentage areas common across the country. Green pumpkin is a popular colour for soft plastic stick baits.
Jig heads are another common way to rig soft plastic lures. They add weight and balance to soft plastic lures, making casting and drifting easier. To rig a soft plastic lure on a jig head, insert the hook point through the tip or face of the lure. Push the point straight through the body of the lure until about 3/4 of the hook is covered. Match the jig head to your lure size and situation. Large jig heads cast further but also sink quicker.
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Nose hooking
To nose hook, insert the hook point through the tip or face of your lure, pushing it straight through the body of the lure until about 3/4 of the hook is covered. Then, work the hook point back out through the side of the lure, with the hook bend and point exposed. The straight section of the hook shaft should be fully embedded in the soft plastic lure, with the lure sitting straight on the hook shaft.
For a Texas rig, take the point of the hook down through the middle of the worm at the nose and then come out the side about 1/8 to 1/4 inch down. Poke the hook out the side and start pulling the whole hook back out of the worm through that new exit hole. Once you pull the whole hook through, bring the worm over the elbow of the offset hook.
For a Drop Shot rig, insert the hook point into the nose of the worm first, pushing the point in about 1/2 inch. Circle it down and out of the "belly" of the bait. Slide the worm a bit up the shank of the hook and onto the offset (eye of the hook). Hold the worm against the tip of the hook to determine the exit point, and then push the point into the belly, angling toward the nose. Ensure the hook is hidden within the bait, with the hook close to the inner edge but not exposed.
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Jigging
When rigging soft plastics for jigging, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, ensure that the soft plastic is oriented correctly on the jighead. If the soft plastic has a straight back, it should be rigged onto the jighead in a way that keeps it straight. This will allow the paddle tail to do its job effectively and ensure the lure swims correctly. Additionally, the hook should exit the centre of the lure's body to avoid swimming at an odd angle.
A simple trick to achieve the correct orientation is to lay the jighead over the lure body to visualise where the hook should exit. This way, you can avoid multiple attempts and preserve your soft plastic. Remember that the tail should face down, opposite from the hook. This technique applies to various soft plastic designs, including paddle tail swimbaits, straight tail soft plastics, and curly tail grubs.
When selecting a jighead, consider the weight of the lure in relation to the depth of water and the size of the target fish. For micro jigging, which targets smaller predators like perch, zander, and jack pike, weights under 5g are generally recommended. The Texas rig and Carolina rig are popular options that can be used with jigheads to create a weedless presentation. The Texas rig, in particular, minimises snags by using an offset hook with the hookpoint partially embedded in the lure's body.
Additionally, consider experimenting with different lure sizes, shapes, and weights to find what works best for the specific fishing conditions and the type of fish you are targeting. Don't be afraid to mix and match colours, plastics, and retrieves to increase your chances of success. By combining the right rigging techniques with the appropriate jighead selection, you can effectively employ the jigging method to catch your desired fish species.
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Frequently asked questions
Texas rigging is the most common way to rig a soft plastic for bass fishing. Use an offset shank hook, insert it into the head of the bait, then back out about a ¼ of an inch below the head. Slide the hook through the bait and rotate it back around so the head sits in the offset shank.
A shaky head is a great alternative to a standard Texas rig when fishing in deep water. A shaky head includes a hook attached to some form of shaky head weight that causes the worm to stand on end beneath the surface. Insert the hook point into the head of the bait, then back out about a ¼ of an inch below the head. Slide the hook through the bait and rotate it back around so the head sits in the offset shank. Then, push the hookpoint back through the body of the bait, leaving the hook point just below the surface of the plastic.
Wacky rigging is when you move the anchor point of your soft plastic to the middle, creating an action unlike any other. Take a small sharp hook and hook it through the middle of your plastic bait. Wacky rigging is great for freeing up the action and creating a profile that bass can’t resist.
If you're fishing in ponds choked with weeds, you can use unweighted weedless Texas rigs. If there are a lot of lily pads, cast a ribbon-tail worm in a dark color on top and reel it back fairly quickly, imitating a water snake.
