Hooks, Weights, and Rigs

The hook size you use depends upon the size and shape of plastic baits you are fishing. Using off-set hooks will help eliminate the plastic sliding down the shaft of the hook. Wide gap hooks should be used when fishing the thicker plastic baits. The thicker plastic baits such as frogs, flukes, Slug-gos, and Bass Assassin, will bunch up on a regular worm hook. It's hard to get a good hook set if you don't straighten it out. The weedless hook is normally used for fishing grubs, gitzits, and frogs. This particular hook helps protect the barb from snagging in heavy vegetation. There are several ways to rig plastic baits.
   Carolina rigs have a weight either pegged or separated by a swivel, 12 inches to four feet from the hook. If you are fishing deep water, I would suggest using the swivel. If your hook gets snagged, normally you will only lose the leader and not the weight. Keep extra leaders with the hooks attached in a zip-lock bag in your boat, and you can quickly re-tie your Carolina rig. The hook size you use depends upon the size of plastic bait you are fishing, so store different size hooks on those leaders in the zip lock bag. Remember, the larger the bait, the larger the hook.
   A Texas rig places the weight just above your hook. This technique works well in water up to just over 20 feet deep, depending upon the structure you are fishing. If you are jigging in deep point grass beds, use the Texas rig because it keeps contact with your slim tail or gator tail worm. Using the Texas rig under these conditions makes it easier to feel a fish on your line.
   The shape of the weight must also be considered. If the structure you will be fishing has a sandy, clean bottom, or grass, you can use a bullet weight. If there are rocks or tree roots, etc., use a barrel-shaped weight. It will roll over these obstacles better. If you are fishing light line, I would suggest using the Water Gremlin split-shot. It can be easily removed and replaced with a lighter or heavier split shot when the wind sops blowing or increases in strength.
   A wacky style rig does not have a weight on the line. Tie your straight-line hook or weedless hook on the line. Push the point though the middle of the plastic bait, cast out the line, and let the bait move in the water either with the water movement or your rod tip. Because the weight is missing, your bait should not bog down coming across grass. Some people place a headless nail in the worm head to help it fall quicker.
   Plastic manufacturers continue to create new shapes, styles, and colors for baits each year. All of them will catch fish. Just remember that oldies can be goodies to the bass. The only limitation of how, where, when and which plastic to use to catch bass is your own imagination.

Plastic Grubs
Worm Basics
Plastic Worms
Fishing Worms
The Lowly Worm
Finessing The Worm
Gitzits and Tube Baits
Soft Plastic Stickbaits
The Doodlin' Technique
Soft Plastics...A Breakdown
Gitzits: A Fisherman's Favorite
The Texas Rigged Plastic Worm
The Texas Rigged Plastic Worm Pt. II