What line do you use for a wacky rig?
The best line to use for a wacky rig is either a 8 to 10 pound fluorocarbon or 8 to 10 pound mono filament fishing line. The choice is up to you but you will want to fish a wacky rig with those types of fishing line instead of a braided type of line.
The wacky rig is a finesse bass fishing technique and is often used in clear water. This means that the bass will get a really good look at your rig so you want it to look as natural as possible.
The wacky rig is one of the most effective ways to catch bass when they are not responding to the other lures that you are using. Wacky rigs can get those bass with lockjaw to bite even during the toughest of fishing days.
I am a Bass Fishing Charter Guide on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been catching bass in the ponds, lakes and canals all over Florida for more than 40 years. In the article below, I will teach you everything that I know about wacky rigs.
Let’s get started.
Watch the video below and catch more bass in the Winter.
When should you use a wacky rig?
You can use a wacky rig all year long anywhere that you think there are some bass. You can fish it in vegetation or out in open water. You can fish it along a weed line or around docks. You can fish them along a rocky shore or in thick brush.
In other words, you can use a wacky rig in just about any place or time of the year when the bass are being finicky and not biting anything else in your tackle box. The the bite is tough you should give a wacky rig a try. I think that you will be happy that you did.
Wacky rigs are a great choice for clear water on a sunny day when those bass are not responding to your other lures. The key to the wacky rig’s success is all about the fall. As this rig falls through the water it slowly flutters to the bottom. The bass will usually grab it before it hits the bottom.
How do you fish a wacky rig?
A wacky rig is probably the easiest bass fishing technique that exists. You just cast the rig to where you think the bass are and let it sink to the bottom. You need to carefully watch your fishing line when you fish with a wacky rig. The bass will often grab the worm as it falls so it is hard to feel the strike.
You will cast out your wacky rig and let it flutter slowly through the water column to the bottom. Then you will cast it somewhere else and repeat the process. It doesn’t get much more simple than that, does it?
Using a wacky rig is a very subtle approach to bass fishing. You do not need to give the worm any action with your rod tip. You let the worm fall naturally through the water column to attract the bass. If you want to give the worm a twitch or two when it hits the bottom, then that is okay. BUT don’t twitch it as it falls to the bottom. That will offset the effectiveness of the wacky rig’s performance.
The hook placement is very important for fishing with a wacky worm. You will want to use the middle part of the worm for hooking it up. You can go right in the middle or on one side or the other. Most pros try to get it right in the middle but you can offset it to one side or the other to see what works best for you.
What is the best worm size for a wacky rig?
The best worm size for a wacky rig is between 4 and 6 inches in length. Senko style worms are the most popular type of wacky worms that bass fishermen use but you can use just about any kind of worm. The key is using a straight tailed worm. The worms with a straight tail will undulate the best as they flutter through the water column.
Watch the video below and catch more bass with worms.
What is the best worm color for a wacky rig?
The three plastic worm colors that all bass fishermen need to have in their tackle boxes are watermelon, green pumpkin and something dark. These three colors will work in any water clarity condition that you will encounter out on the water.
The watermelon colored worms are great for clear water. During clear water and sunny day fishing scenarios you will want to choose a bait that is translucent. The watermelon colored worms are a light green and are the perfect color choice when the bass can get a real good look at your worm in clear water.
When the water is slightly stained a green pumpkin wacky worm is the way to go. This worm color is more of a dark green color and is much less translucent than the watermelon color. The bass love this color. You would think that they could not find your worm because it blends into the surrounding water but that is not the case. The bass will find it and destroy it if they are in the area.
When the water is dirty or muddy you will want to use a dark colored wacky worm. You can use black, blue, June bug, dark purple or any other opaque and dark colored wacky worm that you like. The black ones are probably your best bet but the other colors are close enough and will catch plenty of fish too.
How to you attach a wacky rig?
You attach a wacky rig by inserting your hook in the middle part of the worm. You can also use an o ring to help protect the worm itself. This will save you a lot of money on wacky worms.
The bass will often tear the worm in half when they hit it so you need a new worm after every fish. If you use a wacky worm o ring then you will get a lot more fish on the same worm. This will save you a lot of money over a year if you fish with a wacky rig often.
What is the best rod for fishing a wacky rig?
The best rod for fishing with a wacky rig is a 7 foot moderate action and medium power rod. You can fish a wacky rig with either a spinning rod and reel combo or a baitcasting rod and reel combo. I prefer the spinning rod and reel combo for fishing with worms using many different techniques.
Spinning rod and reel combos work well for fishing a wacky rig, a Carolina rig and a Texas rig. The worm will fall better through the water column when it comes off of a spinning reel. This will let it fall more naturally with a spinning reel.
What is the best hook size for fishing a wacky rig?
The best hook size for fishing a wacky rig is a 1/0 or a 2/0 hook. The idea of finesse fishing is downsizing your presentations for finicky bass. This is why you will want to use as small of a hook as you can get away with.
You can use an open hook or a weed less hook for fishing a wacky rig. The weed less hook is a good idea if you are fishing in brush or thick vegetation. The open hook style will get hung up a lot if you are fishing in cover of some sort.
What is the best gear ratio for fishing a wacky rig?
You will want to use a slower reel for fishing with a wacky rig. A 5:1 or a 6:1 gear ratio is the way to go with a wacky rig. You can use a spinning reel or a baitcasting reel if you prefer them.
You don’t need a fast reel for wacky rig fishing because you don’t need to gain a lot of line with each handle turn most of the time. If you are fishing in deeper cover, then you might need to get those bass out of the thick cover quickly so they don’t get you all wrapped up in the weeds.
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