rigging magnum sized worms

[mojojojo]

Whats your guys preferred way of rigging large worms like the strike king bull worm, Yum Mighty worm, Manns 12" jelly worms..etc?

Ive been having real good luck with the Yamamoto 12" curly tail rigged weightless Texas style with a 5/0 round bend hook reeled very slow. 

Any of you recommend a specific shaky head jig for worms this big? Ive noticed the Yum Mightyworm will stand straight up and would be great on a shakey head.  Would a standard shaky head be too small for a worm this size? 

[papajoe222]

I don't ever recall using anything other than a Texas rig with larger worms (10in.+).  I work the larger worms slower than I do the 6-7in. ones and in order to get action out of the tail on most, calls for either working the worm with your reel, or having enough weight at the nose to activate the tail movement as the bait falls.  Hook choice depends entirely on you and the conditions you are fishing, whatever you have confidence in. 

I throw mainly thinner worms like Mann's and Culprit and opt for a 3/0 to 5/0 hook.  If I feel I'm getting short pick-ups, I'll thread the worm up past the knot a couple of inches as I find it hard for me to wait when setting the hook.  (I really can't say that it helps, but I think it does)

You can get a similar action to a shaky head by pegging the weight and working it like one. 

[DaleGribble]

try a 1/4 oz gamakatsu skip gap shakey head. Larger size and easy to rig 4/0 ( believe) hooks. Stays put because of the skip gap bend. 

[Airman4754]

6/0 EWG for T-rig and 6/0 straight shank for C-rig. 

The only shaky head I use anymore is the Megastrike Shake2's. They come in both EWG and straight shank for personal preference and they will handle a magnum worm. I run 11" ribbon tails on them occasionally. 

[mojojojo]

thanks for the replies. I tried the Manns 12" worm like papa joe recommended by T-rigging and pegging the weight and it works real well. I didn't realize those worms float so the tail stands straight up so no need for a shaky head jig. Didn't get any bites last night but I can tell its going to work good.

 

[Bankbeater]

I like to use the bigger worms on deep structure.  I'll drop a worm with a 1/2 ounce or larger weight straight down and move it up or down, or throw out and work the bait back in.

[WRB]

It's not the length of the worm, it's the diameter of the soft plastic where the hook is being rigged that determines hook gap size. You want to avoid the worm body sliding down filling the hook gap with plastic and preventing the hook point penetrating into the bass mouth.

One method is to place the hook into the side of the worm body instead of through the center. Another method is using screw in spring style hooks.

I use a rubber peg-it about 1/4 long inserted through the hook eye, then pull the hook eye into worm head until it just dissapears into the plastic about 1/8". The rubber peg hold the worm head securely preventing it from sliding down the hook shank. 

Owner #5103 size 5/0 or 6/0 straight shank round bend worm hook for most worms 9" to 13".

Tom

[Crestliner2008]

You might want to think about using a 6/0 swimbait (belly weighted) hook with screwlock keeper at the eye. Works great with the larger worms.

[Catt]

[chadmack282]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

Offset with round bend is the only hook that makes sense to me!

EWG the eye lines up with point of hook causing point off hook to not be able to penetrate the roof of mouth.  Offset round round bend hook point is out further than eye.

My 0.02cent for what it's worth....

["hamma"]

 I use a 5/0 or 6/0 straight shank with a screwlock 1/2oz or 3/4oz weight for manns 12 inch jelly worms,.this rigging combo works really well due to the straight shanks ability to allow the worm to slide easily down the hook, coupled with the screwlock weight, the worm slides up really easy saving worms, and giving me a better shot at landing the fish due to the combined weight of worm and weight away from the fishes mouth. Thank you, Jimmy Houston and Tom Mann, it does work just like you stated. (I saw a show about this, pretty sure it was Jimmy) If I was to use a "pegged weight" id probably use a offset round bend,.. The black or purple are my usually choices so i have them in bulk, and i like to use them around deep weeds in clear water. A good pigbait, the old large kangaroo worm was just as good or better.

 I've been looking for replacement weights as massachusetts passed a lead ban.,, i use those screwlock weights alot  cuz they work so well I had about a hundred of them,.. today I was at basspro (yeah the monkey bit me) and found that Bullet Weights are now making them with tungsten,...WOOOHOOO!! expensive,.. but i feel they are worth it. Probably cost a few hundred to replace the lead ones i have. So I just started with the smaller weights today as thats what they had on the rack. I hope they make them in the larger sizes as well.,.

[Big Swimbait]

This is my new favorite way to rig big soft plastics - Buckeye Magnum Goby Sled.

[the reel ess]

I've seen a couple shows where the host takes the EWG and bends the hook point out. Gives you the space needed for the worm to get out of the way and the point to snag the fish.

[Catt]

18 hours ago, Catt said:

Offset round bend hooks can be obtained with longer shank lengths which places the hook point farther back.

[Big-O]

22 hours ago, Catt said:

This is a great hook style/design and there is a new one coming out at ICAST that is for big Worms, big creatures etc... Design assistance by yours truly, KVD, Denny Brauer, Edwin Evers and a few others. Gonna be a GOOD ONE and in many sizes... YEP! 

[Catt]

5 minutes ago, Big-O said:

This is a great hook style/design and there is a new one coming out at ICAST that is for big Worms, big creatures etc... Design assistance by yours truly, KVD, Denny Brauer, Edwin Evers and a few others. Gonna be a GOOD ONE and in many sizes... YEP! 

Is it gonna be Mustad?

[Big-O]

9 hours ago, Catt said:

Is it gonna be Mustad?

Uhhhh YEP!!! How'd you KNOW

[Bluebasser86]

I pour swinging football heads with 7/0 EWG hooks and fish big worms, Zoom Ol' Monsters and the YUM Mighty Worm being my favorites. Not exactly a shakyhead, but pretty similar. 

[Big-O]

You might want to ck out the Moaner Hooks EnRaged Shakey. You can find them online at both "Siebert Outdoors" and/or "Moaner Hooks". The 3/4 and 1/0oz models have a Super hook made specifically for BIG Worms and Extra large creature baits... I designed the EnRaged series shakeys but I don't receive any financial benefits from sales, I just need these for my own use because IMO they're the best design for this style of presentation on the market... just sayin'     

[doyle8218]

On 6/13/2016 at 9:32 AM, Catt said:

Offset round bend hooks can be obtained with longer shank lengths which places the hook point farther back.

This^

[Big Swimbait]

14 hours ago, doyle8218 said:

This^

Penetration Hooks has the longer shank hooks as well.