Rigging For Brush Hogs/creatures

[bigal basser]

Hey Guys,

 

I'm a lurker--do lots of reading and not much posting. That said, I need some direction. I've caught many bass over the years on plastic worms, but then a little later in life, did not fish for many years. I'm back at it now and I see that creature baits have become very popular. With that, I have picked up a few packs of Zoom Brush Hogs and Baby Brush Hogs, and also plan to try some of the Rage products. I'd like some feedback as to how to rig these baits…specifically where to position the hooks in a texas rig set-up. With a worm, it's easy--you don't have to worry about it rolling over on its side or how it is laying, but just not sure with the Brush Hogs and other creature baits. They have a top and a bottom, so I'm wondering how to position the hook to where it will be presented naturally to the fish. I plan to use two methods of rigging, so I'd really like some feedback on each one. I will use a standard Owner Twistlock open gap hook (like I do for my worms), and also a "Rage Rig" type set-up with the keel-weighted hook, for when I want a more horizontal presentation. Somehow, I picture that I might need to run the Twistlock worm hook in and out of the side of the bait, on the seam, but the keel-weighted hook just the opposite--centered on the top and bottom of the bait, so as not to flip on its side. Hope this makes sense. I would think I'd do the same thing with the Rage Tail craws as well as other creature baits, since they all have a top and a bottom--the back and the belly. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Al 

[roadwarrior]

The basic rigging is just like a worm: Through the nose and into the body, then push the eyelet

through the bait. Pictures are worth a thousand words:  http://www.ragetail.com/news/rigging-info/rigging-diagrams/

 

 

 

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Click on the rage tail site & look for rigging tips & instructions on each bait. Very helpful. 

[Sam]

What Roadwarrior said plus you can always hook them on their side to have a different presentation.

 

This works well for a Carolina rig but you can also pitch and flip them side hooked.

[Catt]

Straight shank round bend hook

[Todd2]

I had a lot of success with Berkleys Power Hawg this year. Texas or Carolina rig. Mostly Texas. Once the head rips too much, I cut it down and throw it on a jig.

[bigal basser]

Sorry guys, it seems perhaps I wasn't clear enough on what I was asking…and I'm still not sure how to word it. Sam, you were closest to answering my question. Roadwarrior, I did check out the pictures on the Rage Tail site, but on the creatures shown, they are using a jig rather than the hooks I mentioned. And in that case, naturally, the weight and shape of the jig will enable the bait to lay naturally in the water--not fall over on its side. With the hooks I am using, I know to go down into the nose, then out and back into the bait, but I don't know exactly where on the bait.  If you lay the bait down flat on a table, looking down at it overhead. should the hook run in and out of the side of the bait, in the seam area, or should it be centered on the body of the bait…in the nose, out of the back (or front), rotate, and go back into the back (or front) of the bait? With a worm it doesn't matter, but I wouldn't think, generally speaking, you would want any creature bait (brush hog, craw or otherwise) laying on its side. And I would think where the hook is located would be of importance. Wish I had a few pictures of these creature baits actually tied on, where I could see for clarification. 

[Sam]

Texas Rigged - Hook through nose about 1/4 inch like a plastic worm. Pull hook through so that eye is inside the brush hog's head. Lay hook down along body of brush hog and see where it needs to go into the body of the bait so that the bait lays straight. Push hook into the center of the body and then out of top so that the barb either lays on top of bait or right under the bait's skin.

 

Side Rigged - Hook goes into the right side of the bait, out the left side and then have the barb go back under the bait's skin so that the brush hog moves sideways.

[bassin is addicting]

if i am following your question...

 you want to rig it so the flaps/appendages lay flat out to the side after rigged.  not inline with the hook  

so the hook will be entered and skin hooked/tex-posed on the the sides without the appendages... does that make any sense?  i know what i mean..but typing it can be difficult

at least that is how i do it...

[WRB]

Take a look at the Owner bass hooks page, Twistlock with CPS, several excellent illustrations and hook styles to choose from. There are other good soft plastics besides Strike King Rage, Gary Yamamoto products for example.

Innovation Beavers have 2 tubular body sections held together, you place the hook point through the center between the 2 body tubes. Brush Hogs have a flat oval body body shape, the hook point goes into the flat bottom of the oval, appendages attached to the narrow sides. You can make a knife cut about 1/2 through the thick body creatures where the hook bend is located to improve hook sets.

The only method to garrantee the creature will stay upright with appendages out the sides is use a plan stand up style shaky head jig. Weighted keel hooks also help. The standard t-rigged Brush Hog with a sliding sinker work good, don't over think it, just fish them.

Tom

[bigal basser]

if i am following your question...

 you want to rig it so the flaps/appendages lay flat out to the side after rigged.  not inline with the hook  

so the hook will be entered and skin hooked/tex-posed on the the sides without the appendages... does that make any sense?  i know what i mean..but typing it can be difficult

at least that is how i do it...

I believe this is what I was looking for…but yes, it was hard to put into words in my original post. Other tips here are appreciated and may help as well. Thanks, guys.

 

Al

[Shane J]

Here's a Rage Hawg all rigged up on my flippin' stick. That hook is a 5/0 Moaner Stick'R .

 

[roadwarrior]

Thanks my friend...That is EXACTLY what I was trying to describe.

 

 

 

 

[Craiger12]

Straight shank round bend hook

x2

[jiggz125]

Here's a Rage Hawg all rigged up on my flippin' stick. That hook is a 5/0 Moaner Stick'R .

 

Nice. What are you using to peg your sinker and what size bullet weight is that?

[Shane J]

That is a Paycheck weight stop, and a 1 oz Tungsten weight. My setup on 65lb braid for flipping wood (and that Falcon Craw Hawg is my go to bait, along with a Space Monkey and Lobster for 99% of my flippin').

[Catt]

That is a Paycheck weight stop, and a 1 oz Tungsten weight. My setup on 65lb braid for flipping wood (and that Falcon Craw Hawg is my go to bait, along with a Space Monkey and Lobster for 99% of my flippin').

Nah! Fish will not bite that

[bigal basser]

Here's a Rage Hawg all rigged up on my flippin' stick. That hook is a 5/0 Moaner Stick'R .

 

 

Shane, you nailed it--this is exactly what I was looking for. Sometimes words aren't enough, or it's difficult to put into words you can understand. A perfect example of a picture being worth a thousand words. Many thanks.

 

Al 

[Shane J]

Not a problem!

[BassAddict1911]

I prefer the lazer trokar flipping hooks, either 3/0 or 4/0. I peg my sinker, then just rig the bait in normal Texas style.

 

Hope this helps!

[catchnm]

I fish Rage Craws and Baby Brush Hogs more than any other baits I own. I like to think of myself as "old school" with a mix of new techniques as well.

Rage Craws are poured backwards to me. The eyes are on the wrong side of the bait according to where the hook slot is. I do, however always rig them where the eyes are up, which means the hook slot is on the bottom, or hook bend side of the bait. Tex-Posed always for these. It's easy as thru the head past the point, out the body, lay the hook flat against the bait and mark it with your thumbnail at the fartherest reaching point of the hook. insert completely thru the body there and then skin-hook back into the bait. I use mono or Yozuri Hybrid Ultra Soft line. 10,12,or 15lb. tests, a standard lead weright never larger that 3/8 oz. and I don't peg it. I do not however pitch or flip into really heavy cover where I fish, there just isn't any. Check your hook point aften to make sure it stays skin-hooked and these will catch most any fish in any waters. Retrieve techniques would require a completely different thread but be sure and stay flexible and experiment a lot with different speeds and actions. Swimming the Craws is always a killer.

Baby Brush Hogs are also poured with one side meant for the bend side of the hook to be on. Pull the appendages up on one and you'll see that one side is flat and attached to the bait a bit higher up the body than the other side is (best way I know to expalin it) this is the side I put the hook bend to. Same tex-posed style with the same weight rigging.

I use 2/0 straight shank Gammys on the Baby Brush Hogs and 3/0 or 4/0 EWG on the Craws.

I do Rage-Rig both from time to time and have had success there too. Shaky heads are great too. Don't overlook a wacky rig on both of these baits on calm days either.

Hope this has helped.