Whats Your Most Successful Way To Rig Creature Baits?

[tcbass]

According a previous thread the most popular creature baits are the Zoom Brush Hog, Baby Brush Hog and Pitboss. I saw that one poster asked this question and I thought it was a good one. However, I think his post got lost in the shuffle. So here's his question:

 

 

Once you've got it narrowed down to one (or 4) favorites, what's the mostly (most successful) rigging? 

Obviously conditions will dictate, but I'm guessing most will generally throw in similar-type conditions when they put a creature on and end up with one or two regular rigging methods?

 

T-Rig - small weight <1/4oz ?

T-Rig - larger weight > or = 1/4oz ?

Weightless  ?

Carolina ?

Nail ?

Weighted hook (swimbait type) ?

As a Trailer?

Other?

[tholmes]

T-rig - 1/8 to 1/4 oz. bullet weight

T-rig - weightless

 

That's about the only rigs I use for creature baits.

 

Tom

[Bobby Uhrig]

My best way

[Choporoz]

I never heard/thought of putting a creature on a shakey head -- should be on the list -- looks great.  But, I usually use the baits to pitch into horizontal cover close to shore and always figured a nice slow, unweighted presentation best -- I'd be hesitant to throw a jig head into the thick of a downed tree

[Lasher]

1. T- Rig with bullit weight

2. Shakey Head

3. T- Rig weightless

4. Jig trailer

5. C Rig

[Jar11591]

T-Rig - small weight <1/4oz -- most of the time

T-Rig - larger weight > or = 1/4oz -- fishing deep or windy

Weightless -- rarely

Carolina -- if I'm fishing in mid-lake structure

Nail -- never

Weighted hook (swimbait type) -- never

As a Trailer -- if I'm using a jig I always use a craw or curly tail trailer.

[War Eagle 44]

I only fish them two ways, first is a t-rig and second as a jig trailer. My Texas Rig fishing isn't all that complicated but I also don't have a set standard that I always start with. I use weights (always tungsten) from 1/8 oz all the way to 2 oz. Pitching a creature bait around the bank I usually go with a lighter weight, say 1/8 to 5/16, with a 1/4 oz my most common. This applies to baits like the baby brush hog, baby paca craws, and rage craws. Anytime I'm using a beaver style bait in these same area's I always go straight to the 5/16 oz. For some reason I always seem to get the most bites on beavers using this weight size. I've of course experimented with lots of different weights but have settled on this one. I've proven it to myself many times while fishing with buddies, I can be on their boats fishing behind them with us both fishing the exact same baits on the same line the only difference will be that I'm using the 5/16 and they aren't, they'll either be lighter or heavier, and I'll get more bites than them almost every time.   

 

My flipping grass slash punching t-rigs never go below 3/4 oz (always pegged obviously) and up to 2 oz in extreme cases. My most common weight here is the 3/4, I've found with a small plastic such as the Zoom Speed Craw it is all that's needed 95% of the time provided that I take my time and make very accurate pitches. I only use one hook for flipping/punching and that's the Owner Twistlock flipping hooks.  

 

I use different hooks on different plastics when I'm just fishing a regular t-rig. Anything from straight shanks to EWG's to offset round bends.

[Mike L]

Florida rig

Texas rig

Shaky head

Mike

[eyedabassman]

Weighted hook,split shot,and what others posted

[roadwarrior]

Rage Rigged

 

ShakE2

 

T-rigged weighted and unweighted

 

C-rigged

 

Jika Rig

 

Split shot

[MemphisFF]

Hey Mike what's the Florida Rig?

[aavery2]

Hey Mike what's the Florida Rig?

It's another way of saying weighted TX rig.

[Bankbeater]

T-rigged and as a jig trailer most of the time. When I find good structure I will C-rig the bait.

[iceintheveins]

For me, I use a 1/4 ounce parasite weight generally, will go heavier for deeper water or when it's windy. The Pit Boss gets a 3/0 EWG, the full sized brush hog a 4/0 EWG. The Baby is a much thinner bait, so a 1/0 EWG is great, as is a 2/0 regular offset hook. For punching a 1 ounce tungsten weight and a bobber stop, they go through thick mats better than a parasite weight.

[Mike L]

On 5/13/2014 at 3:19 PM, MemphisFF said:

Hey Mike what's the Florida Rig?

  

Any weight that is pegged to the hook and not free to move on the line is a Florida rig.

I use a bobber stop which allows you to have both options.

Its called that because of the mostly grassy, weedy lakes that Florida has..

Mike

[Catt]

Rage Rigged

ShakE2

T-rigged weighted and unweighted

C-rigged

Jika Rig

Split shot

Yelp!

[Crankinstein]

I use a T rig with a 1/4 bullet weight most of the time. I use a KVD rodent and zoom lizard quite a bit. I can get the Rodent to stand straight up just like the bait on the shakyhead.

[tcbass]

  

Any weight that is pegged to the hook and not free to move on the line is a Florida rig.

I use a bobber stop which allows you to have both options.

Its called that because of the mostly grassy, weedy lakes that Florida has..

Mike

 

 

 

I wondered how those weights worked. lol.

[ragetail1061]

Weightless t rig for me and fish it real slow on the bottom

[Bluebasser86]

Texas rig, C-rig, and quickly becoming my favorite, a swinging football head

[tcbass]

Texas rig, C-rig, and quickly becoming my favorite, a swinging football head

What's a swinging football head?

[Bluebasser86]

What's a swinging football head?

A hinged football jighead.

It's an awesome way to present most plastics but seems to work especially well with creature baits of all kinds.

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

Two things never forget to try a creature bait on a drop shot rig! 

 

There is no wrong way to fish a creature bait, except maybe as a spinner bait trailer they tend to make spinners roll or lean.

 

J-

[mikey5string]

Mega strike mega shake stand up jig heads with a havoc pit boss. My favorite all around. The mega strike heads don't fall down in the water and the pit boss has nice action in the appendages. Dragged or hopped along bottom.

Carolina rigged with 3/4oz tungsten weight and a flouro leader. For probing bottom, finding structure, covering water, looking for deeper fish. I'll usually use a fluke, straight worm or craw/creature.

Texas rigged or florida rig with a lighter tungsten weight. For working weed lines, sparse grass and other cover. I like t rigs for weeds in mid summer.

The jika rig is great. I use a 1/4 oz with an owner yuki bug. Great combination. I have been meaning to make some jika rigs with 1/2oz weights. The 1/4 is a little light for me.

[WIGuide]

Texas rigged with a slightly larger weight, and sometimes I dropshot the smaller creature baits.