3 Bass Rigs You Really Ought to Learn!
By: "The Bass Coach" Roger Lee Brown
Many of today's anglers all to often seem to have the
enthusiasm to get themselves all sike'd up for that big day of fishing
the following day only to find themselves coming in at the end of the
day with only one or two bass caught. They will spend the day, usually
casting, re-rigging, running, loosing lures, etc., but most of all getting
frustrated because the fish aren't cooperating. "Sound Familiar?" I,
surly know this feeling and I'm sure that any angler reading this article
has had the same feeling at some point and time. Now, don't feel bad
if this does happen to you because you are definitely not alone, there
are probably millions of other anglers out there that this same problem
happens to! But, there are a few "Tricks of the Trade" that
you can use to help remedy this problem..... at least it works for me
and many of my former bass angling
students and charter clients that I have taught in the past.
I found that on certain days when the bass don't seem
to cooperate, I usually will put my action baits away and pull out the "Last
Resort Rigs" which are the:
1. TEXAS RIG
2. CAROLINA RIG
3. FLOATING RIG
These three rigs are probably the most successful patterns
for catching bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass) that a
angler can use just about "Anywhere and at Anytime." Now, some
anglers may ask; "Why
would I use all three of these rigs?" and the answer is really quite simple.
It's like using tools of the trade! A carpenter wouldn't use a hammer to
back out a screw, nor would he or she use a screw driver to pound nails
(Well, at least most of them wouldn't!....smile!....). The same goes with
bass fishing, an angler should have the right Tools-of-the-Trade to do
a specific job!
First, let's talk about the TEXAS RIG. This rig was
the first "Plastic
Bait" rig that was used by most of the anglers when the sport of bass
fishing really got started over 25 years ago! It is a simple rig to set
up, and has produced more bass catches than any other artificial baits
ever used, even today!
To rig a Texas Rig you will need line, a hook and a
sinker.......That's It! First, you put your sinker (usually a "bullet
shaped slip sinker")
onto the line with the smaller point of the weight going on first or "facing
up." Then
tie your hook (usually a off-set worm hook) to the end of the line after you
put on the weight. Now you are ready for your plastic baits (I always refer
to artificial baits because I haven't used live bait in many years)
to be put on the hook.
This type of rig (Texas Rig) can be fished (or presented)
just about anywhere you will find bass, it has certain advantages and
disadvantages over the other two rigs that we will talk about, and I
will give a few examples after we rig up the Carolina Rig and the Floating
Rig.
So next, let's rig the CAROLINA RIG.... With this rig
you'll need line (main reel line), a barrel swivel, about 6' of leader
line, a weight, glass or brass bead or rattle chamber, and a hook. I
know this seems like a lot of stuff, but the results are incredible!
First, take your "Leader Line" (usually the
same line that is on your reel already, but I would suggest at least
a 2 lb. test lessor than your
main line in case of a break-off..... Most of the time by using a lighter
leader line, when it breaks it will break off at the leader line thus saving
the
other hardware on the rig) and tie one end of it to one end of the barrel
swivel and then put it aside for a moment. Then, take your main line from your
reel and first put on the weight (usually anywhere from a 1/2 oz. up to
a l oz. bullet or egg sinker). Next, after the weight is on your
main line, follow it with a rattle (rattle chamber, glass or brass bead)
and then tie the end of the main line to the other end of the barrel swivel
that you just put aside. After you tie to the swivel, tie your hook at
the other end of the leader line giving you a 2' to a 4' leader. Now, we're
ready
for the bait!
Next, let's rig the FLOATING RIG! This "Floating
Rig" can
and will produce bass sometimes when all else fails...... It's quite
simple to rig and
the results can be devastating! You will need a SMALL Barrel Swivel and
a Hook for this rig. First, take about 3' off of your main line for a leader line.
Tie one end of your leader line to one end of the barrel swivel, then tie
the other end of the barrel swivel to the main reel line. With
this rig you leave off the weight!........NO WEIGHT!!!!!..... Then finally,
you tie the hook (preferably a "Light Wire" worm hook) with only
allowing about a 1' leader for the leader line. The reason for no weight
and a light wire hook is to allow as much buoyancy as possible. This rig
is designed mostly for Floating Worms and buoyant plastic artificial baits.
Now, let's say that you were to fish around "Rip-Rap" (Rock
Areas) around dams levees etc. You probable'wouldn't use a Texas Rig
unless you put the lightest weight possible on it to keep it from getting
it wedged in the rocks. Nor would you use a Carolina Rig because the
heavier weight
(1/2 oz. to 1.oz.) would most likely get hung up. So, the rig that makes
the most sense would be the "Floating Rig." This rig will allow
a slow presentation over the rock areas and the bass that may be around
the rocks will come up after it. Also, this kind of rig is used better
around branches, Lilly pads, thick surface vegetation etc.
Now, let's say that we are working a "Downward" slope
from about 3' depth to a 20' depth. The most sensible rig to use would
be to use the Carolina Rig because it will stay in contact with
the bottom contour and the deeper you work it, giving it line from your
reel you can get a better Bottom Presentation." A Texas Rig can
be used for this also but the deeper you go with it the more it will
lift
off of the bottom. Let's say
that you were going to work some pockets around a Bull Rush field. To accurately
cast into the pockets a Texas Rig would be the most preferred because with
the weight of it you can make accurate casts. A Floating Rig would also
be recommended for this type of area as well.
Thick sloppy grass and vegetation areas, all three
would work, but the Carolina Rig has produced some quality bass in areas
like this over the other two rigs. Don't worry about getting weeds on
the Carolina Rig! Just give it a try and clean the weeds off of the rig
and keep casting into these thick areas and "Hold On!"
These rigs can be used anywhere and just about under
any circumstances. Remember this; most Bass Tournaments ever fished have
paid out more money fishing these rigs than any other types of artificial
baits ever used! So if you're not using all three of these rigs, I promise,
the
results can be devastating! Just give them a try!
If you have any questions regarding this article please
feel free to Email me at: rlbrown@capital.net or please feel free to
visit my web sites at: www.capital.net/~rlbrown and at: www.fishing-boating.com/basscoach or just give me a call at: (518) 597-4240
Until next time, Take Care & God Bless!
"The Bass Coach".... Roger Lee Brown
