The Free Rig is a  setup where the weight slides freely on the line above a hook tied directly with a knot (usually an EWG or straight shank hook). A drop-style weight (often a tear-drop or cylinder) is threaded onto the line before tying the hook, allowing the bait to fall more naturally and slowly with minimal resistance. It excels in pressured waters and when fishing around light cover, giving soft plastics a very natural, fluttering presentation.

 

Now my question is if your using a worm that requires a 4/0-5/0 hook like a Yamamoto cut tail what action rod/line do you think would be the best for this technique?

I fish this style with two different setups, depending on the weight I am throwing. Spring and early summer before the water gets hot, I am generally fishing a bit faster, and I use medium action rod and 15-20lb test, with a 1/4oz-3/8, with a sturdier wire hook. As summer progresses and the water gets hot, I switch to a very light setup. A light action rod, 10lb test, with a 1/8oz-1/4oz weight and a light wire hook. By this time, I am fishing very, very slow. But fishing this light, and this slow, the Kut Tail worm probably isn't doing what it is designed to do. 

I almost exclusively throw it on M/F or M/RF with an occasional bfs; with 10-14lb floro.  The exception is throwing a 4.8 bullflat or 7" fluke w/ a 3/8oz weight on 16-20lb floro.  Sometimes in the thick of summer, it feels like I need a big bait to get their attention.  I never know what's the deal, so I'll rig up a M and H and see what works.

 

scott

I’d still love to see underwater footage of a free rig and an unpegged Texas rig to see the difference. Preferably not in a tank and actually on a decent length of line.

1 hour ago, woolleyfooley said:

I’d still love to see underwater footage of a free rig and an unpegged Texas rig to see the difference. Preferably not in a tank and actually on a decent length of line.

 

Plenty of Youtube videos. It's pretty cool.

Quote

 

 

This year was going to be a big free rig year for me.

 

Nope, swim jigs and Neko rigs mostly.

 

Haven't even tried it yet.  

 

No excuses, need to get out the 4.8” Bullflats I bought.

 

Can’t tell me a big bass wouldn’t love those things!!! 

 

 

3 hours ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

This year was going to be a big free rig year for me.

 

Nope, swim jigs and Neko rigs mostly.

 

Haven't even tried it yet.  

 

No excuses, need to get out the 4.8” Bullflats I bought.

 

Can’t tell me a big bass wouldn’t love those things!!! 

 

 

 

Now that's a big free rig. I'm usually throwing that size on a 6/0 Beast or 5/0 Ryugi.

3 minutes ago, PGA Dropout said:

 

Now that's a big free rig. I'm usually throwing that size on a 6/0 Beast.

 

Yeah I haven't tried them yet. I'm about sure I don't have any hooks that big, Omnia here I come.

 

In fact, I've only tried a free rig once last year using an old bell sinker but I caught a pretty nice bass on it so I thought I would really go "all in" this year.

 

Thought wrong. LOL

 

There's just soooo many different techniques/baits nowadays you can't do them all.

 

Another bait that I bought for free rigs that I'm excited about trying is the DoLive Beaver. Looks amazing. I would think Smallmouths would go bonkers over it.

43 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

 

Yeah I haven't tried them yet. I'm about sure I don't have any hooks that big, Omnia here I come.

 

In fact, I've only tried a free rig once last year using an old bell sinker but I caught a pretty nice bass on it so I thought I would really go "all in" this year.

 

Thought wrong. LOL

 

There's just soooo many different techniques/baits nowadays you can't do them all.

 

Another bait that I bought for free rigs that I'm excited about trying is the DoLive Beaver. Looks amazing. I would think Smallmouths would go bonkers over it.

 

The Ryugi weighted hook has become my new favorite for shallow water or slower falls. 3/0 for the 3.8 and 5/0 for the 4.8. Just be sure to replace the keeper with a CPS spring. 

 

Dolive Beaver 3.5 is king of the free rig; nothing falls quite like it. Surprisingly I catch more green fish than brown on it.

 

If you don't mind lighting money on fire in exchange for fish, the Bottom Up Bulls Hog is also really good for a different, finesse presentation.

 

The free rig has replaced a lot of techniques for me.

39 minutes ago, PGA Dropout said:

 

If you don't mind lighting money on fire in exchange for fish

 

I don't mind but my wife DOES!!!!!!!!

 

LOL

23 hours ago, PGA Dropout said:

 

Plenty of Youtube videos. It's pretty cool.

Yeah I’ve seen Glenn’s video. I’m more interested in underwater footage in a larger body of water comparing both rigs.

44 minutes ago, woolleyfooley said:

Yeah I’ve seen Glenn’s video. I’m more interested in underwater footage in a larger body of water comparing both rigs.

Those videos exist. 

 

But I've also seen Free Rig videos with poor technique. On the drop, you need slack line to get the greatest bait to weight separation. Without slack in the line, the bait and weight can be darn near connected so you don't get that great separation and secondary bait action. You have to fish it correctly if that's the action you're after. Otherwise it fishes like a Jika when the weight is "connected"...which is still pretty excellent! 

 

This is a good video on the topic:

 

 

And for my money, this is one of the best underwater clips on the great separation and secondary stall action of the Dolive Beaver. Note how straight the drop is. A Texas rig glides more on the drop.

 

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxFzu9wcEvbneZaDSR2dchgHx_apm1kxrJ?feature=shared

Best video I can find but it's Japanese. They're using the Duo Realis tank to test things which is deeper than most videos I've seen.

 

Biggest take aways, Free Rig falls more 90 degree, and unpegged Texas falls at an angle.

 

There's some instance the weight separation is the same as the unpegged Texas, but I think they popped the rod a bit? 3rd and 4th drops, the Free Rig has further separation.

 

Free Rig starts around 0:56 mark. Pegged Texas Bull Flat looks sick.

 

20 hours ago, RRocket said:

Those videos exist. 

 

But I've also seen Free Rig videos with poor technique. On the drop, you need slack line to get the greatest bait to weight separation. Without slack in the line, the bait and weight can be darn near connected so you don't get that great separation and secondary bait action. You have to fish it correctly if that's the action you're after. Otherwise it fishes like a Jika when the weight is "connected"...which is still pretty excellent! 

 

This is a good video on the topic:

 

 

Thank you!

Ive got a couple questions if you guys don’t mind.
How heavy of weighs are you running? I’m thinking about some middle of the road size stuff. 3.8”bellows gill, 3.8” bull flat, super fluke, bronco bug.

Something like 1/4oz in 3ft-10ft and 3/8oz in 10-15ft? 
What about weights for some smaller stuff like a 2” and 2.8” bellows gill, 3” bull flat? 
I guess I’m pretty much wondering about your whole weight selection process in general.
To tie into that, if you go with a heavier weight how does that affect the whole system? Does it make the plastic have less“floating time”because it’s pulling the whole rig down faster, or does it give the plastic more “floating time” because the heavier weight barrels to the bottom fast and gets more separation from the plastic? 

 

I use 1/4oz most of the time..even in 10-20 feet.

 

The only time I size up is if there's significant current. Because i want that bait pulled straight down. I use the lightest weight I can to achieve that. I want light because many bites happen on the weightless separation. So feel for me is important.

 

5 minutes ago, RRocket said:

I want light because many bites happen on the weightless separation. 

So the lighter weight gives more separation in your experience? 

8 hours ago, 10,000 lakes Bassin said:

So the lighter weight gives more separation in your experience? 

A heavier weight will get down to the bottom quicker...which should give greater separation on slack line.

 

But I don't always want greater separation. Particularly in deep water. If I'm using a flat (ish) bait and there's huge separation on the initial drop...it takes forever to get to the bottom. That might not be what you want...particularly if fish are relating close to the bottom. 

 

And sometimes the weight chosen is needed to activate appendages. I found that LESS than 1/4oz didn't pull enough to adequately activate the claws on the Dolive Beaver or Egu Chunk and therefore 1/4oz and higher was needed for those baits.

 

As with all things bass fishing it's situational, depends on conditions, baits, etc

 

There is a bit of a learning curve to discover what works best for your style, body of water, bait, etc

 

 

Saw this video and found it interesting. Shows a comparison between the free rig and an unpegged Texas rig using soft jerkbaits and swim baits.

 

 

Certain types of baits are standouts on the Free Rig. Those jerkbaits sure didn't look like it.

 

I'd rather use a Dolive Stick. Has that great jerk action but on the drop behaves like a Senko with a great rocking action.

I’ve been throwing free rigs more than anything the last year or two. My main setup is a 7’ M/Fast with 15lb fluoro. Typically 3/16oz weight and 4/0 EWG hook - move up to a 1/4 oz if it’s windy.

 

I have recently started tinkering with a 6’6” M/MFast spinning rod, 8lb fluoro and a 1/8oz free weight, dropping a 5” Zipper on a 2/0 EWG. Following the scopers around and picking up the fish they left on the ledges in 15-20 foot range has been really successful, they’re grabbing it on the fall and heading for deep water - almost self setting. 

17 hours ago, RRocket said:

Certain types of baits are standouts on the Free Rig. Those jerkbaits sure didn't look like it.

 

I'd rather use a Dolive Stick. Has that great jerk action but on the drop behaves like a Senko with a great rocking action.

I agree. I just thought it was an interesting video given it shows a free rig and an unpegged Texas rig side by side.

12 minutes ago, woolleyfooley said:

I agree. I just thought it was an interesting video given it shows a free rig and an unpegged Texas rig side by side.

Here's what the Dolive Stick looks like. Granted, this is the "Fat" version..but having fishing the regular version a lot, it behaves the same. That shimmy/swim on the weightless drop is money!!