Is there a name for my rig?

[Pkfish49]

I don't remember exactly how I came up with this, but it works. I just caught my PB with the setup.   Most likely, I was trying to tie a Texas rig without the bullet sinker and I got it wrong.

 

I clip on a circle hook (I believe that's what I'm using) (#4 or #5) to a barrel swivel that I tied on with a clinch knot.  I take a Senko or similar plastic worm and start feeding the hook through the thick end.  I feed it as far as it goes and then pull it through where it ended up, exposing a lot of hook.  This usually ends up a little before the halfway mark of the worm.

 

I can attach a picture of the setup if it isn't clear, but I think I did a reasonable job of describing it.  

 

I know there are different ways to hook plastic worms.  I was wondering if my setup was known and if there was a name for it.  Whatever it is, it works.

[Mobasser]

It sounds to me like your using a " swimming worm". This is an old rig, where the worm is threaded onto the hook as you described. Some credit a guy named Jesse Payton from Florida for inventing this rig. Doug Hannon also sold a pre rigged " swimming worm" rig years ago. I think Hannons rig came with a pre rigged leader of heavy mono, and was designed to swim through the water on the retrieve, not fished on the bottom.

[Pkfish49]

30 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

It sounds to me like your using a " swimming worm". This is an old rig, where the worm is threaded onto the hook as you described. Some credit a guy named Jesse Payton from Florida for inventing this rig. Doug Hannon also sold a pre rigged " swimming worm" rig years ago. I think Hannons rig came with a pre rigged leader of heavy mono, and was designed to swim through the water on the retrieve, not fished on the bottom.

Ty - I've seen people thread live worms like this but avoid exposing the hook, but wasn't sure if it was used much with plastic ones.

[scaleface]

I think its called the Pkfish rig .

[Deleted account]

14 hours ago, Pkfish49 said:

... I think I did a reasonable job of describing it. 

 

No, but on the chance I understand what you did, I vote for "threaded some kind of hook (which I attached to a swivel somehow) on a worm"

[Pkfish49]

On 1/30/2021 at 11:49 AM, BassWhole! said:

 

No, but on the chance I understand what you did, I vote for "threaded some kind of hook (which I attached to a swivel somehow) on a worm"

Does this help?  I edited myself out of the selfie to focus on the rig.  

[GetFishorDieTryin]

We call that 1 the "Benny Rig" where I'm from

[Pkfish49]

The big swivel that I'm using may look out of place.  It's designed for bigger rigs.  I believe it rated something like 45 LB test.   The problem is that when I use smaller swivels, they rip off a lot.

[Deleted account]

8 hours ago, Pkfish49 said:

The big swivel that I'm using may look out of place.  It's designed for bigger rigs.  I believe it rated something like 45 LB test.   The problem is that when I use smaller swivels, they rip off a lot.

That helps, can we see the hook.

We should rename the wacky rig to free it up for this....  

[Pkfish49]

6 hours ago, BassWhole! said:

That helps, can we see the hook.

We should rename the wacky rig to free it up for this....  

 

Working out for me that I wasn't descriptive enough, as I need help with follow-up replies.  Most importantly, what type and size hook is this?  It is perfect for my Senko rig and I need to buy more.



Also, I don't have the threading down to an exact science.  Sometimes, the worm rotates sideways with the retrieval and sometimes it doesn't.  The sideways motion isn't necessary to land bass, as I often catch them without the movement, but I'd like to know how to hook up the worm to create the movement.  Does it depend on how far I thread the hook, or how much I expose the hook?

Here is one of my setups.  I don't remember if this was one of the spinners:


 

Thanks.

 

Edit - Now that I'm thinking about it, often after I hook up the plastic worm, it spins for a while, then after a number of retrieves, it stops spinning, so I assume that the weight of the worm causes the hook placement to change which changes the character of setup.

[georgeyew]

The hook you are using is an ewg hook. Probably a 2/0 or 3/0.

[BrianMDTX]

23 minutes ago, georgeyew said:

The hook you are using is an ewg hook. Probably a 2/0 or 3/0.

Exactly. Which you could simply tie off to the main line or leader without the snap. 

 

I’m trying to figure out the “why”. In a normal WR the stick bait sinks as the ends flap like a bird’s wings. In a weightless TR it sinks/glides straight with some tail movement. Is the goal here to get it to spin around as it sinks? 

[Pkfish49]

The Wacky RIG was the first Senko setup I used because it was the easiest and fastest to setup.  I caught Bass with it, but gave up on the WR because I was donating plastic to the lake all day when the worm would wear out in the center and fly off the hook.  I know I can get protectors, but I haven't had any less success with other plastic worm rigs, so I didn't bother with them.

 

I don't know whether the worms spin around when they sink, but when my retrieve is close enough, I often watch them spin as I'm reeling in.  I was curious as to why and was wondering whether I can consistently replicate the action to see if the spin will get me more bites. 

 

I've been told before that it's better to tie on, rather than use my snap swivel setup.  I like my setup because I can quickly change lures or hooks, without having to retie anything.  This was a big advantage when I fished a lot in the cold, wet, Northeast, as my fingers didn't work too well under the conditions.  Now that I'm in Florida full time, it won't be that much of an inconvenience.  In any event, I believe I have 3 or 4 working poles now, so I can dedicate one to plastic worm fishing and keep an EWG hook directly tied on.

[BrianMDTX]

Have you tried a WR with an o-ring? It won’t rip the Senko and often get many bass off the same bait. 
 

That said, if this works for you...fish it! 

[Pkfish49]

On 2/1/2021 at 6:22 PM, BrianMDTX said:

Have you tried a WR with an o-ring? It won’t rip the Senko and often get many bass off the same bait. 
 

That said, if this works for you...fish it! 

Never did.  If I try it, I'll let you know how it worked out.

 

That hook is an EWG 4/0  I just bought an assortment of EWG hooks and compared them with mine.

[detroit1]

49er.

[jbsoonerfan]

The "What the beginner" rig?

[OnthePotomac]

Just call your rig "successful"

[WRB]

Back in the 60’s when plastic worms became popular most had duplicated the egg sack of a night crawler.

My fishing partner always hook plastic worms through the egg sack (wacky rigged) and his line twisted. Ron solved that by a split ring and swivel to attach the hook and rig his worms. The rig would spin like a propeller and would ridicule Ron stating you must rig the worm straight.

Ron caught as many bass as I did, so who was right?

Tom

PS, it’s been a long time since seeing that no name rig!

[fissure_man]

This is reminiscent of the "slow death" rig that's become pretty popular for walleye.  It uses a short piece of worm threaded onto a kinked hook, which corkscrews when slowly trolled.

[Horace]

It’s called a swimming worm Doug hannon was very fond of this.

[E-rude dude]

On 2/3/2021 at 4:03 PM, fissure_man said:

This is reminiscent of the "slow death" rig that's become pretty popular for walleye.  It uses a short piece of worm threaded onto a kinked hook, which corkscrews when slowly trolled.

Yep been used in walleye fishing for years