OH BOY do I love the splitshot rig!!!

[Scorcher214]

I've known about it for a while but never tried it. Today was the first time.

In my canal i caught: 2 rock bass, 1 LM, and 2 Pike.

That same day i went out on the boat and had 3 REALLY nice bass on, 1 had to be at least 4lbs. 1 just came off. 1 broke off and 1 was landed (16.5inches smallie)

So im definitely in love with the splitshot rig. Now i got a question: When you lose a fish, how do you get him back on the hook? Should i try a different lure or color, or are they un-catchable?

[Fat-G]

Agreed, it's a great technique. I like to use it in the winter, on sunny days. I usually use a green pumpkin craw, something with very little action.

[Scorcher214]

i was using worms with a curly tail, various colors and sizes.

[Nice_Bass]

Never have used the rig, but it seems like a great option.  One question though is on line twist and the bait running true.  Any tips/suggestions/issues/anything you can add on this issue?  Thanks.

[Uncle Leo]

Never have used the rig, but it seems like a great option. One question though is on line twist and the bait running true. Any tips/suggestions/issues/anything you can add on this issue? Thanks.

Add a barrel swivel. For a little weight presentation you do not need a split shot. Add weight for your desire depth or wind conditions. Caught many of smallmoth in the spring on flats with a barrel swivel tied on.

[Raul]

A tip:

When rigging a split shot rig before you close the split shot run again your line throught the slot, then close the split shot, that way it won 't slide and damage your line.

[cBooms@SML]

how do you fish that kind of rig?

[Big Bass Chaser]

A tip:

When rigging a split shot rig before you close the split shot run again your line throught the slot, then close the split shot, that way it won 't slide and damage your line.

Huh?  How do you run the line through the slot again? As in wrap it around the weight? Or?

[J Francho]

Yes, wrap it around the weight and close the shot over the loop.  This is fine, if you use soft lead shot.  Up here, where lead is banned, tin shot or other materials will cut the line, so don't wrap the weight.

[Raul]

Huh? How do you run the line through the slot again? As in wrap it around the weight? Or?

Yup, loop around the split shot and then close like Francho said. Many splits shots, specially removable split shot have a tooth in the slot in theory to catch the line and avoid it from sliding, but such thing in my experience is seldomly true, the split shot slides down the line specailly when you are fishing rocky bottoms and the tooth abrades the line badly, bad problem when you are fishing with heavy line but lethal when you are fishing with light line ( like 6 lbs test ), by looping your line around the split shot and closing the split shot can 't slide.

Never thought about what Francho stated about split shots made with other materials rather than lead since I 've always fished with lead split shots.

[Team9nine]

Another option. I place the shot on the end of the line first, clamp it down snug and then run the shot up and down the tag end of the line several times quickly to create a little groove in the "tooth" of the shot. You'll still get some sliding on rock bottom, but you eliminate a lot of the pinching effect that can damage line.

After wearing the groove, just slide the shot up the line into place, cut off the end of the tag used to groove the shot and then tie on the hook. I played around quite a bit with it this spring using 2.5# fluoro and it worked very well.

Line twist seems to be pretty inherent to the technique if you fish it a lot, so you just have to "untwist" after each trip either by hand or by trolling the line behind the boat without a bait tied on for a few minutes. Worth the time in less headaches to do this. A great numbers technique when downsized versions are used. It will sometimes surprise you just how many bass of all sizes are in a given area that you might be "passing by" with other techniques.

-T9

[Scorcher214]

T9, you couldn't be more spot on. The area i was having them hit at was an area where i could only catch a few fish and usually dinks, with the exception of a 2.5lb LM and it was like one fish a day then all the action would cease..

[bigbill]

Back in the early 70's we used a split shot rig with a creme 6" black worm. We would use a sewing needle to thread the snelled #2 hook into the worm were the lump in the body is. We would put the leader half way thru the sewing needle and pull the leader thru the worm starting at the lump in the worm. Once ots threaded we would pull the loop thru the rest of the way out of the worm. We would put the split shot were the loop is.

We would anchor the boat just off the weedline and cast into the weeds. Then the waiting begins. After 3 to 5 minutes we would move it a little. Don't forget to watch the line for movement too. This is an awesome way to fish for bass. I have used it from shore with good success too.

The split shot rig is a very old idea but it still works today.

Back in the day the culprit worms with the colored tails were the hot setup on the split shot rig too.

Warning;  The only problem we ran into was the heavy weeds once the fish was hooked.  We normally used 10 to 12lb test and heavier line.  The bass would come up under the biggest ball of weeds you ever saw.  We never lost a fish in the weeds.

If you lose a fish try using a scent on the next cast.  I fish senko's at first with no scent.  If i get a strike and miss the hook up i use scent next and i can bet the farm i hook the fish on the next cast.

I'm a firm believer in worm rattles too but i haven't tried a rattle with a slpit shot rig yet.  I think the more edge we have the better.

[lavbasser]

when does everyone favor the split shot rig over the same worm texas rigged with the same size bullet weight?

[bigbill]

when does everyone favor the split shot rig over the same worm texas rigged with the same size bullet weight?

I just made a rig like a carolina rig with a 1oz bullet weight and i left plenty of room so the line can move with the fish not feeling the weight when it grabs the plastics. This should give me more time to set the hook.  I'm trying this rig from shore hoping i can crash thru the weeds and get to the fish.