I was introduced to the Texas Rig back in 1972 while the equipment has changed the technique is still the same. The Texas Rig was originally designed to fish a plastic worm but today it is used with any type of soft plastic.

The Texas Rig and deep water (15' +) structure

1) Make a long cast

2) Strip 3 or 4 arms length of line, this will assure a vertical fall

3) Count the bait down, 15' of water count to 20 to make certain the bait is on the bottom, do it in your head if need be

4) Pause a good 30 seconds after the bait reaches bottom

5) Lower your rod to the 3 o'clock position while reeling slack & feel for anything unusual

6) Move the rod from 3 o'clock to 11 o'clock in three motions

7) Pause 30 seconds & feel for anything unusual

8) Repeat 5, 6, & 7 all the way back to the boat

9) If at any time you feel a noticeable tap, tug, line tighten, heaviness, or see line movement.

10) Without hesitation drop the rod, reel the slack, and set the hook

thanks for the info man!

The interesting point here is: 7) Pause 30 seconds & feel for anything unusual

Usually most anglers fish it too fast.

The interesting point here is: 7) Pause 30 seconds & feel for anything unusual

Usually most anglers fish it too fast.

Thats very true. I am guilty of that 90% of the time.I'd probably get more bites if I could pause for that long every time.

Good post, as I always have said when in doubt set the hook.

It's always interesting how "old school" guys like myself learned particular techniques.  

My T-rig introduction was considerably different.

First, it was always considered a shallow cover lure.  Rarely fished deeper than 8' and almost always in the grass and weeds.  The retrieve technique was similar, but deeper than 8-10 feet and structure especially where rocks and ledges were involved almost always meant jigNpig.  And in those days pig meant pork.  Uncle Josh #11 was standard.

This is fun.  Anyone else out there old enough to know about the "old days" but young enough to still remember them?

This is fun.  Anyone else out there old enough to know about the "old days" but young enough to still remember them?

Hehehe. I just spit water all over my KB laughing from that. Thanks for the laugh...

Ok avid knock the cob webs off, blow the dust away, and give us your's  

I like comparing how people in different parts of the country learn the same techniques but add local flavor. A friend and I did an article on night fishing, he fishes Beaver Lake in Arkansas, and I fish Toledo Bend in Texas. I was taught how to fish worms in the marshes of Southwest Louisiana where the average water depth is 2 to 3' and the vegetation is unbelievable. We fished worms rigged with weedless hooks and the heaviest weights were 1/32 oz.

Heh...I know for a fact that I am guilty of fishing my t-rigs way too quick. I still catch fish on them, but more so in the spring and summer months when the bass are feeding much heavier. Informative post. A good reminder to anyone who fishes a t-rig on how to do it right and be more productive with it.

That is what I'm talking about!  This is the way I was taught to bass fish back in the late 70s/early 80s when I was only knee-high to a grasshopper (I'm still only shoulder-high to that same grasshopper, but that is neither here nor there ;D).  Another little trick that I still do now is keeping a tight line to the bait while it is at rest almost to the point of moving it slightly.  By doing this, some subtle movement is actually telegraphed to the bait often inciting a reaction from a nearby fish.

I remember (possibly incorrectly) that the fishing shows I watched in the 70s always showed the anglers fishing the T-rig too fast.  It would hit bottom and they would pick it up and let it drop.  A second or two would pass, they would pick it up, and let it drop again.  I found the most success by fishing it in a similar fashion to the way Catt describes it, though I don't remember reading it in a magazine or seeing it on a show.  BTW, what year is it?  

Dink, I do the same maybe I should add #11

Senile1, my father-in-law taught me this technique back in 1972, 34 yrs later I still use it, & still catch.

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got

When to set hook

This is the way Shaw Grimsby put it to me, its call the three tap theory.

The first tap the bass has inhaled your bait

The second tap the bass has exhaled your bait

The third tap I'm tapping you on the shoulder asking you why you didn't set hook!

Drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook

Raul and his compadre go to fish

Raul ties a worm, compadre ties a worm.

Raul makes a cast, compadre makes a cast.

Compadre reels in and makes another cast.

Compadre casts again.

Compadre casts again.

Raul looks at compadre and asks: " are you in a hurry ? " :-?

Great post.

I'm guilty of the same, my 30 sec. become 2 by the time the lure is close to the boat.

my first lessons with a TR was in '66- after the cast and worm settled, keep rod at 3 o clock, after about 30 seconds, turn the reel crank ONE turn, repeat til worm is under boat, then jig slowly several times before reeling in.  most taps are very subtle, and using this slower method usually produces  better than average fish.  we fished this method in depths to 30'.  those were the days before super "bass boats"- my first bass boat was a 14' jon, 6 hp evinrude, and a one blade (3' paddle) trol motor.  not much running around-just fishing on 140,000 acre rayburn lake