Texas and Carolina rigs are great techniques for catching fish. Going weightless is another great technique for producing bass. From top to bottom, weightless soft plastics work great in any type of cover or structure.

The three basic lure types are floating, jerk shad, and Senkos. Using these lures provide the angler an affective choice for catching fish. Be selecting certain rigs and baits; the entire water column is covered.

The floating worm, such as the Berkley 6” Power® Float Worm, is an excellent choice for shallow water, cover such as grass or treetops, and banks with over hanging bushes. Banks covered with grass, bushes, or trees are a great starting point. Colors like pink, sherbet, and dirty white work well with these techniques. Constant visual contact is needed when fishing with a floating worm. The use of bright colors aid the angler in keeping eye contact with the bait.

Sluggo type baits, also called jerk shads, are another great bait, especially in the springtime. Shad gather and spawn in the spring similar to other species. The jerk shad mimics a dying shad with its slow fall and side-to-side action. This slow fall allows the angler to target water from the surface to any depth determined by the angler to hold fish. Berkley 5” Power® Jerkshad colors are available in albino, pearl white, or Arkansas shiner are obvious choices.

A new lure hit the market several years ago called a Senko. A salt impregnated plastic sinks with a seductive wiggle. Since it is loaded with salt, the bait sinks faster than a jerk shad but slower than weighted bait. With a wide variety of colors to choose from, pick a light, dark, and shock color to add to your arsenal.

Rigging weightless baits are easy. Just add a hook. There are no multiple knots, weights, or beads to be added.  However, a swivel is a preference for a floating worm. A straight shank worm hook is used for the floating worm. There are two ways to rig a floating worm: straight or kinked. I prefer to rig the worm with a kink. The worm will stay closer to cover longer and provide more action when falling.

For jerk shads and Senko, the best hook is an Owner Rig N Hook 4/0. J style or wide gap hooks are another good choice. The key to rigging is making sure the bait is straight. With a jerk shad, the bait should glide with ease. The slight twitch of the rod produces a reaction. The Senko should also be rigged as straight as possible. This helps the bait to fall straight down and maximize the seductive wiggle of the bait. This is important when fishing next to trees, walls, and other places where the lure should fall next to cover.
 
Fishing weightless is productive but several tips will help you catch fish. Floating worms are visual baits. This means you watch the lure closes as it moves through the water. Bright colors help the anglers to maintain contact visual contact with the bait. If the lure suddenly vanishes, pause briefly, then set the hook. If line tangles become a problem, add a small swivel about a foot above the worm. This causes the lure to sink faster but is not a problem. A straight worm hook with the barbs on the shaft in 2/0 or 3/0 is the lightest hook available. The key to floating worm is keeping the lure close to the surface. Cast the lure near trees, overhanging bushes and other structure in or over the water.

The jerk shad is the most difficult of the three to master. Most strikes occur when the lure is out of site of the angler. In addition, after the lure is twitched, enough slack is in the line to dampen the signal of the bite. If you check the lure before you make the next twitch, some fish are detected. If you work the bait and find a bass has the lure, quickly sweep the rod to the set the hook. Be a line watcher. Often the line will jump or move to one side when a strike occurs. Rig the lure as straight as possible. I prefer an Owner Rig N Hook but EWG and J style hooks work just as well. A hard hook set is needed to drive the point through the plastic and into the fish.

Rig the Senko the same as a jerk shad. Bites can be difficult to detect but the common tick signals most strikes. Since the bait is loaded with salt, bass hold on to the lure longer. Line watching is important because the fish often swim off with the bait without detection. A small jump in the line is often the only visual indication that a strike occurred. Since the bait swims freely, any pressure should be interpreted as a bass. One advantage of the Senkos is the salt causes bass to hold on to the bait longer. After casting to the target, allow the bait to fall on a slack line. The bait does all the work. After reaching the bottom, lift the lure with the rod and allow it to fall again. Watch for line movement as the lure falls.

Each lure has its place in the tackle box. Using weightless plastics is a great way to catch fish. Floating ways are excellent for topwater action around shallow banks or grass. Jerk shads are productive when shad are present in the area. Senkos are great substitutes for Texas rigged worms. So, try a weightless rig on your next trip.

Special Thanks to Berkley. www.purefishing.com

Jeff Bruhl is a member of the Louisiana Outdoors Writer Association, pro angler, and a pharmacist. His website, www.marshbass.com, covers freshwater fishing across Louisiana and the gulf coast. Each Saturday morning between 5-7 am CST, a bass fishing report can be heard on the Outdoors with Don Dubuc Radio Show (www.dontheoutdoorsguy.com) on 870 AM from the New Orleans station. Jeff has made numerous television and radio appearances on shows like Paradise Louisiana, The Big Fish, and ABC26.com. From tips on youtube.com to weekly reports on his website, his articles and reports provide tips and tactics for bass anglers in the sportsman paradise. Jeff’s sponsors include Abu Garcia, Xpoint hooks, Bud Light, Louisiana Fish Fry Products, Power Pole, Stanley Jigs and Spinnerbaits, Skeeter, Dockside Marine, Rat-L-Trap, and Berkley. For more information about fishing in Louisiana, drop Jeff an email at jeff@marshbass.com.