Was getting blanked on the river  this morning throwing underspins, neds, deep cranks, spinners, could not get a bite to save my life.  

 Then I picked a baby bass general on a 1/8 weedless wacky head.and started firing right into the cover, skipping it into the wood on every shade line.  I landed 20+ nice smallies in an hour, probably missed at least that many,  literally every spot I thought there should be a fish , I caught 3 out of the same hole multiple times

 I had moved away from wacky rigs, just didn't seem "fishy" enough compared to all the new super rigs, but man I forgot how it hammers fish.  Also it cracks me up everytime I reel up a walleye with that wacky rig sticking out of its mouth

Congrats on the fast action. I used to live in Wisconsin. Where were you fishing? 

It is hard to beat a wacky rigged worm or a Ned rig on a tough day. Great job in dialing it in!

On 6/2/2025 at 7:24 AM, Swamp Girl said:

Congrats on the fast action. I used to live in Wisconsin. Where were you fishing? 

Wisco river between portage and the dells

2 hours ago, bartnc37 said:

Wisco river between portage and the dells

 

I know it well. I once lived on the Wisconsin River and fished it most summer mornings for smallmouth.

The wacky rig was a major confidence bait for me when I first got into bass fishing like 5-6 years ago. But I haven't fished it in a couple years... I should probably bring it back into my repertoire. Thanks for the reminder. 

 

Ironically, the biggest bass I ever caught was fishing a wacky rig in heavy cover, because at the time I didn't know any better. I caught a lot of weeds on my wacky rig back then, but also some really big fish. 

Honestly, I haven’t thrown a wacky rig in years. It’s just not something I keep in my arsenal for whatever reason. Not against it just don’t utilize it. 
 

good on you for getting the pattern!

I over looked the Wacky Rig for many years Never again . It has saved the day more times then I can remember. Congrats on your day 

A "weightless Texas rig" or whatever that is called is my version of a wacky rig, and often makes the day here.

Yesterday was the inverse, with most fish wanting something more active.

On 6/5/2025 at 8:22 AM, Susky River Rat said:

Honestly, I haven’t thrown a wacky rig in years. It’s just not something I keep in my arsenal for whatever reason. Not against it just don’t utilize it. 
 

Same

Dunno why...actually I probably do. As mentioned, the "new thing" and "oooh shiny" gets me every time 🙁

it’s more fun and catch bass on moving lures then soaking soft plastics.

Wacky rigged worms like Weightless Senko, nail weight worm, drop shot wacky hooked worm, Flick Shaky jig worm is boring but fun catching bass on using finesse tackle.

Tom

Now that I can more easily sit on those deeper water (15 - 30 feet deep) rocky main lake points/humps, I have been fishing them. . . . with a wacky/weightless 5" Senko. Usually throwing them onto the submerged edges in 15' and dragging them off the high spots into deeper water, even with a 10-15mph breeze. The prevailing winds usually blow across the points, so I sit on the backside of the point and throw up onto the high spot into the wind.

 

Many of the bites occurring directly beneath the boat, so. . . . vertically fishing 5" Senkos in 15 - 30 feet of water. Takes a minute to let them get to the bottom.

 

It has been as effective as anything else we've been throwing (dropshot, texas, c-rig, crankbaits, swimjigs, jigging spoons, spybaits, and others). More effective TBH. Pretty good fishing actually by local standards. Yesterday, we had fish biting on the bottom, and boiling on top. My son left his dropshot rig out, bagged one on a Spook, then returned to find a two pound smallie waiting on the dropshot.

 

We tried five spots in three hours yesterday, just to see if it was a pattern, and caught fish on all of them, with the weightless wacky Senko being the top producer.

On 6/5/2025 at 3:41 PM, bowhunter63 said:

I over looked the Wacky Rig for many years Never again . It has saved the day more times then I can remember. Congrats on your day 

 

Can't say I've ever been skunked on a Wacky or a Ned.

 

100% fact.

The wacky rigged Senko was a mainstay for me when I  was first starting out.  After a while it was replaced with the weightless t-rigged version.  This was because it performed better around weeds that I have to contend with starting late May.

 

A couple things happened this year that changed my perspective on the wacky worm.
 

Number one,  I got off the bank and in the canoe.  Secondly I finally found weedless wacky hooks that work for me.  Because of that, the wacky rig has been experiencing a bit of a renaissance for me.  
 

I primarily use it to target fish in clear water around shallow cover.  It is also the bait that I am most proficient with skipping. 
 

I’m definitely a believer.

I just got back into fishing after a long hiatus. I can't remember ever using this rig. I see it a lot on YouTube though. Any particular baits you like more than others?

4 minutes ago, LokiDawg said:

Any particular baits you like more than others?

Weightless - nothing beats the Yamamoto Senko for action

Weighted - I'm particular to the Yum Dinger - with even a small weight (1/16oz) it gets near the Senko in action...and it's quite a bit less expensive and it's also more durable.

I actually throw all wacky rig on a 1/16 VMC weedless ( single wire )wacky head unless throwing in grass.

 

The max scent general in baby bass or the Green pumpkin party is $ as well.  

On 6/25/2025 at 4:36 PM, WRB-2.0 said:

it’s more fun and catch bass on moving lures then soaking soft plastics.

Wacky rigged worms like Weightless Senko, nail weight worm, drop shot wacky hooked worm, Flick Shaky jig worm is boring but fun catching bass on using finesse tackle.

Tom

Try fishing them in a relatively fast moving river...

 

Another day saved by ned rigs and wacky worms today after battling the fog this morning. Seems to be a theme this year, half hearted swipes at topwaters, nipping swim jig trailers, bumping cranks but not getting them in their mouth.  They just seemed half hearted till you get a hook in them, then it's a raging tornado if smallmouth fury

  At this point I'm just searching with moving baits till I get any response or see them busting on bait and then I pick em apart with the old wacky/ned 1,2 combo.  Caught 17 this morning, basically off of two spots/schools.  Good size , all but 2 were over 16, and the shorts were at least close to legal. Best landed was 18.5 but I broke off a solid 20 at the boat, tried to keep him out from under the boat in the current, on the upside I saw the wacky jig fly out of his mouth when the line snapped, so at least he isn't swimming around with jewelry 

 

For lake fishing, we often use a wacky rig as a follow up bait.  Smallies miss topwater a lot, and getting a wacky rig right back to them is a high percentage play.

@bartnc37: That's a well-shaped smallie. 

On 6/30/2025 at 8:31 PM, bartnc37 said:

The max scent general in baby bass or the Green pumpkin party is $ as well

Lord how mercy you got that right

On 6/30/2025 at 8:31 PM, bartnc37 said:

The max scent general in baby bass or the Green pumpkin party is $ as well.  

Your saying max scent is money well spent for whacky?

I go wacky with the General when I’m desperate for some action.