In my neck of the woods, a hula grub is a smallmouth staple.  Everyone I know throws them from now to December. A football head jig is the norm.  I good friend of mine showed my an alternative rig option and he swears by it. He was fine with sharing it.

 It’s a form of Neko rigging. Use the o ring tool, insert the collar strand portion in the tube. I turn it as I insert it, wetting it first until I can slide the o ring on the grub body.  Position the o ring 1/8 inch behind the shirt or tentacles.  Insert a Neko nail weight in the collar center. The key is to use a nail with a bulbous head that is exposed.  Hook an extra wide gap finesse hook under the o ring perpendicular to the twin tail.  The head of the nail weight clicks when it’s in contact with rocks. The twin tails will stay slightly raised.  It’s less prone to wedging in rocks and the hook penetrating is similar to a nose hooked drop shot worm.  I use the Dobyns nail weights and throw this rig on a medium action spinning rod, braid to Floro leader.  
 

I honestly have only tried this set up for one trip because it is new for me but I hooked the three bites I got on it.  I hope it  might be an option for you guys and gals. BTW: best with the 4 inch size!

I was fishing a river system last year with a friend.  He was down stream fishing, and was slaying them.  Decent size also.  I asked him what he was throwing, and he showed me a Neko rigged 5" single tail grub.  He used a 1/32 oz nail weight, and an Owner Mosquito hook.  He set me one up, and about 5 casts later a very very nice 2 plus pound smallie destroyed it.  I will have to give this a try.  He told me he's been Neko rigging grubs for a few years now.    

8 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

 Hook an extra wide gap finesse hook under the o ring perpendicular to the twin tail.  

so the hook is in line with the hula body?

This is akin to a wacky rigged hula grub.

 

My braid just said "wacky wig a huwa gwub"

 

....and now you just said it out loud.  LOL!

The hook is perpendicular to the twin tail like rigging a jig hook but wacky rigged using a o-ring and nail weight inserted into the flat skirt nose end.

Also C-rigged with off set 3/0 hook.

Tom