alsworms Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 I'm wondering if most of you guys like to fish your stick baits wacky style, or do you have another method you'd care to share? I know there are several ways to rig them. Just curious what some of your favorites are? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senkosam Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Chris, until the vegetation is in full bloom, my standard rig is texposed with a 3/0, 4/0 or 5/0 wide gap, weightless. The size chosen should insert 1/3 to less than 1/2 the worms length for the best whip of a 4 1/4, 5 1/4 or 6" stick. If saltless, I use the rig in less than 5', but in deeper water, will split shot (of fixed Carolina rig) or use a weighted hook. Salted-weighted worms can be used in any depth for the horizontal drop versus the jerk, so no-weight rigging is my favorite. I don't insert a nail like some used to for the Slugo. I would just as soon use a 1/32 bullet weight for sink-&-jerk persentations where two planes of action occur: the drop or vertical and the jerk or horizontal - similar to imparted, grub-actions or that of a sinking jerkbait. Yesterday I fished with a friend and caught bass and pics on a strictly horizontal jerk presentation adjacent to wetland shallows and emerging veg. The fish were stacked in 4' of less all around the lake feeding on perch fry and the whole food chain going into the spawn. I even caught a few 9" bass and 12" pics on 5" sticks! For some reason, I get better Wacky-action in late summer or fall. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthworm77 Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 toss up 50% wacky/ 50% Texas rigged Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsac Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 I only fish the fat 7 inchers. I use a Mustad Ultra Point EWG 5/0, t-rig, skin hooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siebler_custom_baits Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 i really only fish the tex. skin hooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 We fish them 50% wacky and 50% texas skin-hooked; but we use smaller hooks. We will use a 1/0 or 2/0 ewg for wacky and a 2/0 or 3/0 for texas.(salted baits) We find that if the hook is too big it takes away from the natural action of the bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted April 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Interesting stuff fellas. Thanks for the replies. Most of my plastic fishing in the past has been limited mainly to split and dropshotting, but the wacky rig has produced some unbelievable action. I have done lots of reading on the "Texposed" rig and will have to give that a try. Looks semi-weedless, without the worry of driving the hook through the bait into the fish' mouth. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigZ Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 If there isn't too much structure (snags) I like to dropshot a 4" s?nko type bait hooked wacky style about a foot above the weight. Since you're into dropshotting, this should be super easy for you. I use a 1/0 owner mosquito hook for this method. I laughed when I first saw this rig, but then I saw some kid hammer fish after fish on it. O-ring wacky is really good, almost everyone I saw at Clear Lake last time was throwing the things that way. I think the purpose behind it really is to save the s?nko, as 90% of the time it just slides up the line on the o-ring after you hook the fish. Seeing as Yamawhatsit's baits go for 14 bucks a bag at CLear Lake, it makes sense that you would want to defeat their planned obsolescence. Carolina with a small Green Pumpkin s?nko kicks some serious bass here too, I use owner 2/0 rig'n hooks for these and a longer leader, I think the wider gap makes it easier to get a good hookset. In timber a teeny bullet weight can help you out too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrs5kprs Posted April 26, 2004 Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 I TX/TXpose most of the time. Whacky is big this time of year on the Ozark lakes. I just don't like the line twist with that rig. Also tears them up faster. May have set my new record this am when I caught 7 (or 8, we lost track) bass on the same stick. Mine usually tear up after 2-3 at best, worse if whacky rigged. That was a handpour from the Del-mart mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted April 26, 2004 Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 wacky and texposed is the best for me. Sometimes I will peg a mojo weight 3-4 feet up(but only do it on ones I add no salt to so they float. Pink and red are the main colors I use. Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capecodsmallie Posted April 26, 2004 Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 I rig 'em texpose with a 1/0 or 2/0 for the 4inch ones. I like to use a 1 for the 3inch or I'll nose hook them. I like the 3 inch the best. I also rig the 3 inch with a mushroomhead jig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigZ Posted April 26, 2004 Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 dtrs5kprs-- Try using an O-ring (or a rubber band folded over a couple times) around the bait and slipping your hook under it. 1 bait will last all day regardless of the number of fish, unless it's a real Senko... those fly apart when a crappie looks at em. Del, I like the Mojo weights for almost everything (wish they made 3/4), and I agree about the saltfree stuff for C-Rig or mojo'd stick baits. Has anyone actualy added floating stuff to a stick yet?I fish some rocky crap and those weights are the best thing since....um...walking sinkers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.J. Posted April 26, 2004 Report Share Posted April 26, 2004 I use the texposed method most of the time, but I also like to wacky rig a 3" bait on a drop shot set up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
