RIGGING FOR BASS
SIMPLE TIPS THAT CAN HELP YOU CATCH FISH

By Wayne Ek

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 1/2 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 (www.northlandtackle.com) 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 is a fishing guide, tournament angler and writer in Alexandria Minnesota.
You can reach Wayne Ek at Agape Fishing Guides, www.agapefishingguides.com