Wacky Rigging

[tallen316]

I threw a wacky rig for the first time today and was very successful. I did however get a lot of line twist. Is that normal? If not what did I do wrong?

[K_Mac]

When fishing weightless a little twist is not too unusual. Make sure you are centered and don't get in too much of a hurry during the retrieve.

There are times when wacky will produce better than anything else. Enjoy!

FWIW trolling the line only behind the boat or walking it out in the grass will remove the twist. Good luck.

[cast_and_destroy]

When fishing weightless a little twist is not too unusual. Make sure you are centered and don't get in too much of a hurry during the retrieve.

There are times when wacky will produce better than anything else. Enjoy!

FWIW trolling the line only behind the boat or walking it out in the grass will remove the twist. Good luck.

x2 - work it in a little bit slower

[Darren.]

Not only slower, but are you fishing spinning or baitcasting?

With spinning, and you may already do this, be sure to close the bail by hand. You can add to twisting headaches when reeling to close the bail - in my experience.

You'll find the wacky rig to be deadly, welcome to the fanclub :-)

[papajoe222]

The other thing that will twist thelin, is moving your rig with the reel instead of the rod. With a slow pumping action, most of the twist that occurs when pulling the rod tip up will uncoil when you drop the rod tip down. Give a slight pause when the rod reaches the 10:00 position then reel it down to nine o'clock or lower before repeating.

[Bluebasser86]

A small, quality swivel can really help prevent line twists also. Just attach a leader to the swivel and tie it to the mainline. You can even add a small amount of weight above the swivel to make a wacky/c-rig of sorts if you're fishing deeper water.

[Jake P]

A small, quality swivel can really help prevent line twists also. Just attach a leader to the swivel and tie it to the mainline. You can even add a small amount of weight above the swivel to make a wacky/c-rig of sorts if you're fishing deeper water.

x2

[Wayne P.]

The best line type for that presentation is a braided superline. It will still twist as much as a mono, but it won't be as affected. I use the 6# and 8 # mono equivelent diameter super lines.

[tallen316]

I was fishing with spinning gear using 8 lb mono. Is that too light of a lone to be using? My problem might have came from working the lure too fast. I would give the rod 3-4 small jerks up to about 11 o'clock then quickly try and reel out my slack in order to feel a fish. Sometimes the bite was difficult to distinguish. On several casts I would watch my line move after the lure hit the bottom, try and set the hook, but there was no fish. I guess sometimes bass just pick up the lure on the end and try to bite it??

[Bluebasser86]

I was fishing with spinning gear using 8 lb mono. Is that too light of a lone to be using? My problem might have came from working the lure too fast. I would give the rod 3-4 small jerks up to about 11 o'clock then quickly try and reel out my slack in order to feel a fish. Sometimes the bite was difficult to distinguish. On several casts I would watch my line move after the lure hit the bottom, try and set the hook, but there was no fish. I guess sometimes bass just pick up the lure on the end and try to bite it??

8lb is what I usually use for wacky rigging. It's possible the fish are hitting your bait and spitting it back out before you get the hook set. A good scent like JJ's might help solve that problem. Personally, I think taking up slack quickly is probably one of the worst things you could do wacky rigging. Let it sink on a slack line so that bait can work and watch your line for any twitches. Sometimes letting it hit bottom and just sit there for a few seconds is what gets them. They follow it to the bottom and after it settles and just sits there they can't take it anymore and they suck it up. Either that or they engulf it the first time you go to move it after they've been staring at it on the bottom.

[Crestliner2008]

A small, quality swivel can really help prevent line twists also. Just attach a leader to the swivel and tie it to the mainline. You can even add a small amount of weight above the swivel to make a wacky/c-rig of sorts if you're fishing deeper water.

X3 - I use 10# test Fireline main with a #8 Spro Powerswivel on the end. Then I tie on a 2' section of 8# test fluorocarbon leader and then the hook. Do not wait too long with your hookset or the the fish will ingest the bait too deep. Never had to worry about them dropping or rejecting a Senko. And, if the cover is sparse enough, go with a size #1 or #1/0 INLINE circle hook. If the cover is too dense, then Gammy's #1/0 weedless is a good choice. You just have be quicker on the hookset when using weedless hooks. Like I said....they ingest Senkos FAST!

[Wayne P.]

Over 75% of the bass I catch each year are with that presentation. I don't use a weedless hook with the slim worms and definately no Circle hook. I do use my own version of a weedless hook for Senkos made with an Octopus hook.

[tentimesover]

The best line type for that presentation is a braided superline. It will still twist as much as a mono, but it won't be as affected. I use the 6# and 8 # mono equivelent diameter super lines.

This is THE answer. I fished mono/hybrid/fluoro and always had more or less problems. I recently switched both my spinning outfits to braid -- with a hybrid leader -- and no more line twist problems. All I had to do is to learn to tie the Alberto knot to attach leader to line. It's foolproof.

[retiredbosn]

I think anglers put twist in their line by reeling while the fish is taking drag, if your reel is 5:1, one turn of the handle puts five twists in the line. When fishing spinning tackle NEVER turn the handle while the fish is taking drag. Alot of times it is done accidently the fish is coming in and then of a sudden makes a run while the angler is reeling.

[Bass Junkie]

What these guys have said pretty much covers your bases. One more thing, however..... If you are not fishing the presentation the entire way back to the boat, you will probably be "burning" the bait back to the boat. When you do this, watch the bait. It spins like a helicopter blade, creating immense amounts of line twist.

[Wayne P.]

What these guys have said pretty much covers your bases. One more thing, however..... If you are not fishing the presentation the entire way back to the boat, you will probably be "burning" the bait back to the boat. When you do this, watch the bait. It spins like a helicopter blade, creating immense amounts of line twist.

You are almost corrent. BUT if you reel in very quickly, the lure won't spin as much-it doesn't have time to do so. A round worm is mostly the type used for that presentation. It isn't hydrodynamic enough to develope any spin if the resistance is high like with a very fast retrieve.

[tallen316]

The hook I am using is a 1/0 gamagatsu octopus. I did notice that some of the fish were hooked deep like that one in Wayne P. pic. I guess I am not setting the hook quick enough.

[retiredbosn]

Wayne, how are you attaching the worm to your hook, looks like there is thread around it. I've been trying to figure it out.

[Wayne P.]

I put a piece of 1/4" electrical heat shrink tubing over the worm, then insert the hook point through the tubing, pull the hook eye under it, and Tx rig the point. I use the tubing to keep the hook eye from pulling out of the worm when fishing in thick weeds, docks, and timber. It is a tight fit so no heating is needed.

I use a 2/0 Octopus hook for finesse worms and a 3/0 Octopus hook for Trick worms. A 4/0 Octopus with added weedguard for Senkos.

That set up was developed since I fish Briery Creek Lake a lot---mostly flooded timber and used to be full of hydrilla. The total rigging will handle the biggest bass in any cover IF they don't get wrapped up too much.

It starts like this:

[Wayne P.]

The hook I am using is a 1/0 gamagatsu octopus. I did notice that some of the fish were hooked deep like that one in Wayne P. pic. I guess I am not setting the hook quick enough.

You have no control of where a fish is hooked with plastic worms, jig, or any bottom bouncing presentations. When a bass takes in those presentations, it hits the back of their throat and they crush it with the crushers at the back of the throat. If you hook one in the jaw, you are lucky since it is on its way out of the fish's mouth.

If you are paying attention, you can hook them in the mouth somewhere before they swallow it.

[tallen316]

Wayne do you normally fish this on spinning equipment? Do you or could you use casing equipment?

[00 mod]

You can use wacky on baitcasting equipment. It is most commonly used on spinning equipment though. I recently got back from Mexico bass fishing, and fished a wacky senko/dinger some on baitcasting equipment. My first cast(wacky) was an 8lb even LM. My largest ever wacky fish! I never felt it hit. I went to lift the worm off the bottom, and it didn't budge. Set the hook and the fight was on.

I was using St croix avid 70mh/f with a core50 and 15lb Invisx flouro. This is not a setup I would fish back here in the states though. If I were to fish casting, I would opt for a 7 foot medium/fast rod with smaller diameter line(10-12) and flouro because it sinks.

[Wayne P.]

Wayne do you normally fish this on spinning equipment? Do you or could you use casing equipment?

Yes, I normally use spinning gear, but I use baitcasting gear also if skipping under docks or getting a vertical fall in timber is not the pattern.