Wacky Rig Baits? Bottom Hopper Jr.?

[PaBassMan13]

I see a lot of folks will rig a Zoom Trick Worm on a Wacky Rig; but does anyone rig a Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper or Bottom Hopper Jr. on a Wacky Rig? I currently use a Berkley Havoc Flat Dawg on the Wacky Rig and it does pretty well. But I'm looking for something even a little more finesse and thought the Bottom Hopper Jr. would be a good choice. I have already ordered them but just wondering if anyone else has tried this bait. Or if you have used the Trick Worm for a Wacky Rig I would like to hear your results as well (since it's kind of the same bait). It seems the beauty of the Bottom Hopper is that I should be able to wacky rig it; I can throw it on a neko rig, a shakey head, a ned rig and even weightless texas rig. It seems as if it's a VERY versatile bait. 

[Outdoor Zack]

3 hours ago, PaBassMan13 said:

I see a lot of folks will rig a Zoom Trick Worm on a Wacky Rig; but does anyone rig a Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper or Bottom Hopper Jr. on a Wacky Rig? I currently use a Berkley Havoc Flat Dawg on the Wacky Rig and it does pretty well. But I'm looking for something even a little more finesse and thought the Bottom Hopper Jr. would be a good choice. I have already ordered them but just wondering if anyone else has tried this bait. Or if you have used the Trick Worm for a Wacky Rig I would like to hear your results as well (since it's kind of the same bait). It seems the beauty of the Bottom Hopper is that I should be able to wacky rig it; I can throw it on a neko rig, a shakey head, a ned rig and even weightless texas rig. It seems as if it's a VERY versatile bait. 

 

I never did wacky rig it, but my dad caught a really nice bass on one once.

 

Bottom hoppers are good worms, especially for the money.  They seem to float really well, so I would guess they'd work well on a wacky rig.  Or any other way.

 

Personally, I like the full size one in Junebug on a 1/16 oz. Texas rigmore than any other rig.  

[ETX92]

I use both the trick worms and bottom hoppers on a wacky rig. Just depends on what I have with me. They work well.

[FCPhil]

The flat Dawg is a killer bait, once I found it, it became my go to worm. Have you tried putting it on a weightless hook? It will fall just like a wacky worm but is weedless and casts better. (I use a 4/0 Lunker city Texposer hook which works perfect)

[Chowderhead]

1 minute ago, FCPhil said:

The flat Dawg is a killer bait, once I found it, it became my go to worm. Have you tried putting it on a weightless hook? It will fall just like a wacky worm but is weedless and casts better. 

 

This is exactly what I have been doing at the local pond and getting very good results. Love using the Flat Dawg!

[beardown34]

i don't understand ... i tried the flat dawg and the thing is so soft and fragile. a bluegill straight up ripped off half the worm without me setting the hook. maybe i have a bad batch.

[FCPhil]

They are fragile...but they are cheap and work great. 

[Bluebasser86]

You can wacky rig almost anything. I've wacky rigged lizards and brush hogs to get a big profile and slow sink, or because I was bank fishing and had nothing else, it still worked though. I've fished the Bottom Hopper Jr as a wacky rigged dropshot bait quite a few times and caught fish with it. 

[WIGuide]

Although I haven't tried them wacky rigged, I use the jrs a lot as a dropshot bait and have done well with them. This was one that fell for it

[Attila]

I've been using them on a shakey head and it's worked well, going to be trying it on some alternate baits this coming weekend.

 

[PaBassMan13]

18 hours ago, FCPhil said:

The flat Dawg is a killer bait, once I found it, it became my go to worm. Have you tried putting it on a weightless hook? It will fall just like a wacky worm but is weedless and casts better. (I use a 4/0 Lunker city Texposer hook which works perfect)

I have used the Flat Dawg weightless texas rigged and do like it; but they do rip VERY easily and are normally good for one fish. I started using them on a wacky rig and liked them but again; they ripped very easily. I solved that problem with an o-ring; I had one flat dawg last for 22 bass a few weeks ago with the o-ring. Now that was impressive, haha! I found that rigging them with a worm hook and weightless I use a 2/0 ewg hook; it always seemed like anything larger would rip the bait on even a bluegill nibble. But they do cast a mile and have great action. I would take one of those over a senko 7 days a week.  

16 hours ago, beardown34 said:

i don't understand ... i tried the flat dawg and the thing is so soft and fragile. a bluegill straight up ripped off half the worm without me setting the hook. maybe i have a bad batch.

I don't think you have a bad batch; that's just how they are. They have a TON of salt in them and rip very easily; but those things sure do catch Bass!

2 hours ago, WIGuide said:

Although I haven't tried them wacky rigged, I use the jrs a lot as a dropshot bait and have done well with them. This was one that fell for it

I plan on using them for a drop shot as well. Actually; that's why I bought them originally; to use as a drop shot bait. When rigging do you use it wacky style or hook through the tip when drop shotting?

[WIGuide]

19 minutes ago, PaBassMan13 said:

I plan on using them for a drop shot as well. Actually; that's why I bought them originally; to use as a drop shot bait. When rigging do you use it wacky style or hook through the tip when drop shotting?

1

I don't think I've ever wacky rigged them, I usually nose hook them. I'm sure they'd work either way though. 

[fishballer06]

Check out the Berkley Shakey Snake. It has quickly become one of my favorite plastic baits. It's great for my wacky/neko/Shakey needs. 

[ETX92]

1 hour ago, PaBassMan13 said:

I plan on using them for a drop shot as well. Actually; that's why I bought them originally; to use as a drop shot bait. When rigging do you use it wacky style or hook through the tip when drop shotting?

 

Both ways work. Remember if you wacky rig it that will slow up the fall dramatically. I tend to prefer wacky hooking it vs nose hooking it.