My bags and bags of soft plastics means I have no understanding of how to limit it to two.  I'm sure if you follow any advice here, you'll have success because I have with most people's suggestions.  I think it would be good to think about one other thing; weights.  I'm a believer in bullet weights, free rigs, and weightless.  This is kinda new to me, but I think I would choose free rig if I only did one.  It can do most of what bullet and weightless provide and seems most versatile, but I think preparing for all 3 is best.

 

scott

A purple senko and a rage craw. 

Senko

Rage Craw

Two? You can't have just two. You have to have at least 3 because you need a worm, a craw, and a creature, right? You really need about 10...with multiple subcategories for each. 🤣

 

Here are the 3 (5) I don't leave home without:

1a. Senko

1b. Trick Worm

2. Rage Menace

3a. Brush Hog

3b. Rage Bug

1. Maxscent creature bait

2. Figure out a way to rehook torn up maxscent creature bait

1: yum spine craw 

2: 6 inch yum dinger 

or 

3: any 5 inch stick bait. basically whatever ever your preference is 

 

this literally covered 90% of my t-rig fishing last year. 

1. some type of straight tailed worm.

2. some type of curly tailed worm.

Gambler 7" worm ......Gene Larew Salt Craw....best of both worlds.....

What jumps out to me are your rods being medium power action unknown. If the action is fast maybe ok, prefer you use MHF.

Texas rig mean different things to some folks but let’s go with weedless hook using a standard 3/0 worm hook. 

Any brand ribbon tail 7” to 7 1/2” lots to choose from, 3/16 oz bullet weight.

Straight tail suggest 6” fat Roboworm Oxblood light red flake, 3/16 oz bullet weight.

Tom

Worm & Lizard

Zoom Baby Brush Hog 

Zoom Z Craw Jr.

Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Worm

I have to agree with @WRB that you really need to have MH/F rods for T-rigs.

Thats a tough one, but If I only had 2...

Airtail Rattler 

Biffle Bug

Rage bug

trench hog

12 hours ago, softwateronly said:

 I'm a believer in bullet weights, free rigs, and weightless.  This is kinda new to me, but I think I would choose free rig if I only did one.  

 

scott

This is really an excellent post and has been my experience in the last few years. 

 

I had moved away from the Texas and into the Free Rig. And I really enjoyed some of the technical or unique presentations. A DoLive Beaver on a Free Rig is bonkers! 

 

Most recently, I've moved away from weights and have been experimenting with the newest high specific gravity baits from Japan. I can see this evolving to having different weights at different parts of bait. For example, a heavy nose on a swimbait, or a heavy butt on a craw..or various weights throughout. Maybe just the ends of a Senko?  Laminated weights. Just more attention and evolution to that aspect.

 

So yes, I'd definitely rig one for Texas..but also one for a Free Rig.

 

I tend to fish smaller baits, but I had a good time fishing a Yamatanuki on a Jika Rig...which would be equally at home on a Texas. I've also fished it weightless Texas.

 

Fun little bait! 

BPS Stik-O

Missle Baits D-Bomb

Old school here

A ribbon tail worm, Culprit or Zoom, on a true Texas rig (sliding bullet weight) and a 5in. tube for punching. Almost all others are used as trailers, or rigged with the hook exposed.

Two?

 

The first would be a Netbait Paca Slim.  ³/¹⁶ bullet on the front and a 3/0 EWG as the business.  The thing is my confidence bait while Texas rigging.

 

The second would be a ZOOM Ol' Monster.  I can't stop throwing these every single summer and they catch bigguns.

 

In actuality, however, I throw quite a few baits as a Texas rig.

 

1. Yamamoto Senko

2. Netbait Paca Slim

3. ZOOM Fluke

4. ZOOM Ol' Monster

5. ZOOM Trick Worm

6. YUM Ribbontail

7. Missile Baits D-Bomb

8. ZOOM Z-Craw

 

 

 

I'm also "old school" like Papajoe.

7" Berkley Power worm (pumpkinseed) 3/16 weight and a 3/0 Gammy round bend worm hook.

FM

Rage Bug

Missile Dbomb

Rage Bug

Worm

I use the pit boss and 7” power worm. 

On 12/20/2023 at 10:04 AM, softwateronly said:

My bags and bags of soft plastics means I have no understanding of how to limit it to two.  I'm sure if you follow any advice here, you'll have success because I have with most people's suggestions.  I think it would be good to think about one other thing; weights.  I'm a believer in bullet weights, free rigs, and weightless.  This is kinda new to me, but I think I would choose free rig if I only did one.  It can do most of what bullet and weightless provide and seems most versatile, but I think preparing for all 3 is best.

 

scott

I think this applies to most every one lol.

I think this thread's ultimate answer is....there is no ultimate answer! 

 

There is no wrong answer here, as expected.

 

I do dig seeing what everyone is throwing around though! 

Great suggestions! Thanks everyone!

I'm going to start with a weightless 5" Stick Bait. Saw lots of Senko suggestions. Also quite a few suggestions for a Baby Brush Hog. I'll put that on my second reel with either a 1/8 or 3/16 oz weight. Close third and fourth choices were Zoom Finesse Worm and Lizard. Enjoyed reading about a wide variety of Texas Rig options. Thanks again!

Zoom finesse worm.