the free-rig. i think i understand.

[thediscochef]

anyone tried a mag fluke on this? 

[LrgmouthShad]

This rig is kinda interesting

 

It and the neko beg me all the time to take a closer look

[txchaser]

On 8/18/2023 at 8:15 PM, txchaser said:

I have a jika but haven't tried it. 

 

Deps Gill Flat in the right color came in yesterday. We'll see how they do tomorrow. 

Gill Flat produced zero bites.  it was a big worm day. 

I suppose I should have tried the big worm on the free rig, but I did notice that the Reins tungsten bullet weights slide really well, the last foot of fall looked the same as my free rig. 

 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Tom. perhaps I'll upload a video and some pics I've collected over the last 2.5 weeks on this Free Rig at night.

 

Tonight was second 20lb bag in a week on it.     First time was 22.5 with a 7lb kicker, tonight was three 5s.....5.6, 5.8, and 5.11.......but could only get a couple 2lb fish to round out the bag....really thought I was gonna hit 25lbs tonight, but it just shut down instantly once the moonset happened around 10pm.  

 

The 5.11 from tonight was one of those fish that you can't even feel them hit it when you bounce it, you just feel weight.....thankfully I hammered it, and bingo.   That's the greatest sensation in pitch darkness.   

 

Free Rig Til Die boys ?

 

41 minutes ago, txchaser said:

Gill Flat produced zero bites.  it was a big worm day. 

I suppose I should have tried the big worm on the free rig, but I did notice that the Reins tungsten bullet weights slide really well, the last foot of fall looked the same as my free rig. 

 

 

Yeah I simply can't beat the Zoom Black Grape Ol Monster 10.5 on this Free Rig, they like everything on it, but this is the obvious clear winner.      Two 20+ bags exclusively on that combo.   

I dedicated a night last week to the Gika Rig...Gama's version.   Caught 8 fish, biggest was a 2.11.    

 

Might throw it more in the future, threw it tonight a bit as well, but didn't wow me instantly like the Free Rig.  

[fin]

On 7/31/2023 at 6:59 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

No doubt about it, in lakes where fish have seen tons of bottom contact stuff, the Free Rig makes a HUGE difference I'm finding.    I've watched the differences in person, on YT videos, it doesn't look like much, if anything at all.......but the fish again no doubt can tell the difference.

 

I don’t get the free-rig. What is supposed to separate the bait from the weight?

 

I can see how they would separate on the initial fall, especially in deep water, but once you pull on the line and the bait bumps into the weight, from what I've seen, they stay pretty close together.

 

In moving water, like a creek or river, I can see this working. The force of the water stream could separate the bait from the weight.

 

I can imagine if you had a super-buoyant bait, the buoyancy of the bait could pull them apart, but once you add the weight of a hook, most baits aren’t much more than neutral buoyancy.

 

If the bait and weight don’t separate, I don’t see the advantage over a Carolina rig. At least with the Carolina rig, you know your bait is separated from the weight.

 

What am I missing here?

 

Obviously it is working very well for you. ?

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

28 minutes ago, fin said:

 

I don’t get the free-rig. What is supposed to separate the bait from the weight?

 

I can see how they would separate on the initial fall, especially in deep water, but once you pull on the line and the bait bumps into the weight, from what I've seen, they stay pretty close together.

 

In moving water, like a creek or river, I can see this working. The force of the water stream could separate the bait from the weight.

 

I can imagine if you had a super-buoyant bait, the buoyancy of the bait could pull them apart, but once you add the weight of a hook, most baits aren’t much more than neutral buoyancy.

 

If the bait and weight don’t separate, I don’t see the advantage over a Carolina rig. At least with the Carolina rig, you know your bait is separated from the weight.

 

What am I missing here?

 

Obviously it is working very well for you. ?

 

I've mentioned in a previous post that I'm perplexed by how something that I can't really see with the naked eyes even in tank tests translates to such a huge difference to these fish.    

 

Another thing that I mention and continues to stand out to me is the hook placement on caught fish.   I'll have to upload the video to show, but on so many of these fish, especially the 5+ fish, they're hooked deep in the roof of the mouth.    That's telling me something but I can't say exactly what it is.......the fish are able to pick this bait up without feeling the extra weight which I think adds to this.  

 

Lastly, and another thing I can't really explain is how often fish hit this thing after you pop it up verses dragging a standard T Rig where I think less is far more in terms of retrieve.    The fish are cuing in on that little 1ft drop when I pop it more than anything else I'm thinking.     So something is happening differently.    If I was just dragging it will little input I'm not sure it would be beating the T-Rig.   

 

This is one of the most nuanced techniques I've tried thus far, and not nuance to me but rather nuance in the mechanics by which the fish are finding it more appealing.   I didn't use it for a long time because it seemed extremely stupid, looked like a solution in search of a problem.   I think I proved myself thoroughly wrong at this point lol. 

 

 

[fin]

22 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I've mentioned in a previous post that I'm perplexed by how something that I can't really see with the naked eyes even in tank tests translates to such a huge difference to these fish.    

 

I've learned that it's sometimes best not to puzzle over things too much in fishing. There are things that seem impossible to understand/explain that make a huge difference. Sometimes you never figure it out, and really, who cares if you keep catching fish?

 

It sounds like you're getting more weightless fall (slower fall) than with the t-rig, and that's what accounts for the success. The difference is in the amount the weights slide on the line. It seems like a Carolina rig or pegged weight like 12" from the bait would work as well, but maybe not.

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

9 minutes ago, fin said:

 

I've learned that it's sometimes best not to puzzle over things too much in fishing. There are things that seem impossible to understand/explain that make a huge difference. Sometimes you never figure it out, and really, who cares if you keep catching fish?

 

It sounds like you're getting more weightless fall (slower fall) than with the t-rig, and that's what accounts for the success. The difference is in the amount the weights slide on the line. It seems like a Carolina rig or pegged weight like 12" from the bait would work as well, but maybe not.

 

I've been meaning to C-Rig big time, bought some C-Rigging stuff a couple months ago, but I tend to sell out to learning something new and haven't gotten around to it.    I C-Rigged a bunch growing up, but since coming back to the sport haven't picked one up. 

 

I think you're absolutely correct about the slower fall, and then once they commit, I believe the Free Rig accounts for a better hookup percentage and fewer lost fish than a T Rig in my own usage.   

 

I would have never used the Free Rig until I watched Ben Milliken keep coming back to it in his videos over the summer, and the same deal goes for why I'll definitely be focusing heavily on the C-Rig in the future.....it's one of Milliken's bread and butter baits.   He used it to win at Toledo Bend, and then was using it to catch SMs on the SLR up north.    

 

His other big bottom contact bait is a swing head, says he stopped throwing jigs for the most part and throws a swing head instead.    

 

I've really boughten into his whole "freedom of movement" mindset that he stresses.    The more I study him, the more consistently I'm able to catch 5+ fish it seems.     

[Pat Brown]

I just think both of y'all good at catching fish to be honest and probably would slay donkeys on most things you devote time to, but I still find your free rig observations/experiences very interesting and I gotta dedicate some time to it.  I have a big rocky flat where they feed that I have to fish fairly horizontally and they seem fairly bored with most bottom baits.  Maybe this should be where I do it.

[LrgmouthShad]

No, I think the deal with the free rig is that

 

1. the weight moves more freely both along the line and rotationally compared to a t-rig

2. the weight pulls on the bait from a different vertical angle when compared to a t-rig

3. the weight pulls on the bait from potentially a rotated position 

All the above means that the bait, in simple terms, just falls differently than a t-rig

 

…..

 

Does this replace a T-rig???

 

…. 

 

NO

[AlabamaSpothunter]

36 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I just think both of y'all good at catching fish to be honest and probably would slay donkeys on most things you devote time to, but I still find your free rig observations/experiences very interesting and I gotta dedicate some time to it.  I have a big rocky flat where they feed that I have to fish fairly horizontally and they seem fairly bored with most bottom baits.  Maybe this should be where I do it.

Love to see you try it given your history on pressured waters and producing truly monster fish out of said waters.    

 

 

[Darth-Baiter]

@LrgmouthShad about nailed it on #1,  i had the opp to watch the presentation in gin-clear waters.   a bullet weight has the entire length of the sinker providing friction on the line.  a free rig only has a tiny thin wire hoop and it has LESS friction on the line.  so it separates from the bait easily.  it doesnt drop off the bait effortlessly, but it does drop better.  the bait then gets to drift down in any direction.  

[LrgmouthShad]

Plus, the rig apparently comes from Korea. That means it has to be good. I’ll order free rig with a side of bibimbap, please

[Darth-Baiter]

Just now, LrgmouthShad said:

Plus, the rig apparently comes from Korea. That means it has to be good. I’ll order free rig with a side of bibimbap, please

no kidding?!!  Banchan!!  

[txchaser]

TBH it probably looks very similar to fishing a drop shot where you let the bait fall to the bottom then pop it up. Or you sit around all day waiting for the weightless bait to get to the bottom. 

 

That last foot of fall is totally weightless and it looks great. I'm especially liking in the heavier weeds I often fish - the T-rig on a (not Reins) typical bullet weight I think is getting buried up in the grass. 

 

[RRocket]

5 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I've been meaning to C-Rig big time, bought some C-Rigging stuff a couple months ago, but I tend to sell out to learning something new and haven't gotten around to it.    I C-Rigged a bunch growing up, but since coming back to the sport haven't picked one up. 

 

I think you're absolutely correct about the slower fall, and then once they commit, I believe the Free Rig accounts for a better hookup percentage and fewer lost fish than a T Rig in my own usage.   

 

I would have never used the Free Rig until I watched Ben Milliken keep coming back to it in his videos over the summer, and the same deal goes for why I'll definitely be focusing heavily on the C-Rig in the future.....it's one of Milliken's bread and butter baits.   He used it to win at Toledo Bend, and then was using it to catch SMs on the SLR up north.    

 

His other big bottom contact bait is a swing head, says he stopped throwing jigs for the most part and throws a swing head instead.    

 

I've really boughten into his whole "freedom of movement" mindset that he stresses.    The more I study him, the more consistently I'm able to catch 5+ fish it seems.     

Sounds a bit similar to my progression into newer finesse rigs and in particular the Free Rig.

 

I started out throwing swing head style jigs since the ability for the hook to be "free" really resonated with me. Great action, comes through weeds great, and catches fish! My favoritea were the Z-man Finesse Texas Eyez, and the Decoy SV-46..a very unique weight.

 

The Jika and Free Rig were the next logical steps. They comprise the bulk of my fishing these days. And I'm especially fond of the Dolive Beaver on the Free Rig (I'm looking forward to testing Rapalas knock off, the Crush City Bronco Bug! Anyone else?)

 

And while a C-Rig isn't ideal for the areas I typically fish, when I do I also use a ringed hook to keep with the free hook ethos.

21 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Tom. perhaps I'll upload a video and some pics I've collected over the last 2.5 weeks on this Free Rig at night.

 

I'm REALLY interested in this. I've thrown baits after dark and have never had a bite, let alone have caught a bass on a sub surface presentation.

 

Am wondering if this a one of those odd regional phenomena things (what works in X might not in Y)

 

I'd love to hear as much detail into what you're doing as you can share! 

[fin]

11 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I believe the Free Rig accounts for a better hookup percentage and fewer lost fish than a T Rig in my own usage.   

 

Can you really know that for sure though? You could be totally missing them and never know. It might just be that you're getting more bites overall, which makes sense. Logically you're getting a little more sensitivity from the t-rig, and the fact that you're hooking them deep in the roof of the mouth could be a sign that they have it before you are feeling it. Still, free-rigging is better overall as long as you're not gut-hooking them.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

After completely selling out to this pattern/technique for the entire month of August, I've blown away some personal benchmarks, and as I continue to refine my process over these last two weeks, the results are unlike any single month stretch I've had in terms of 5lb+ fish, as well as bags over 20lbs.   

 

Over the course of about 70 hours spent on the water at night in the month of August......all using a Free Rigged 5/0 Mag Lizard, Mag Worm, Mag Finesse Straight tail:

 

Number of 5lb+ fish caught:  18   ( 2 fish over 7lbs)

 

Largest bag:  8/30   Blue Supermoon, 5 for 23lbs........7.3 big fish, 5.14 & 5.13 fish, and then a pair of 2lb class fish.   These are bags over half days (4-5hr sessions)

 

** 8/29  5 for 20.5.....however I lost a 5+ pretty close to the boat that would have put me close to or a little over 25lbs.   

 

Never got my August monster with a 7.3 being big fish, however unlike months where I've caught true monsters, I've never be able to ride a derby winning pattern for an entire month. 

 

3.8 hrs fished for every 5+ fish 

 

Favorite baits:   Zoom's 8" Mag Lizard, Blackberry, Black Grape, Black w/ Red Flake, Black, Green Pumpkin w/ Blue Flake 

 this bait is the OG big fish night bait, my PB came on it, and it's dynamite when you alternate it with the other options listed below like with the Ol Monsters.  

 

Zoom's Ol Monster:  Black Grape, Green Pumpkin w/ Blue Flake, Junebug w/ Red Flake  

 this bait is just exceptional in every manner when it comes to big fish, and accounted for about 50% of my fish. 

 

Roboworm 7" Fat Straight Tail:  Black Grape, After Dark, Midnight

 this bait excels when the bite is a bit tougher, but you are stilling looking for the 5lb+ bite. 

 

6th Sense Boosa Worm 9.6": Pumpkinseed juice, Watermelon w/ Red Flake

 this bait floats and is a real sleeper......it's the bait that Milliken was throwing when I got inspired to throw the Free Rig.   

 

Colors:    Can't see your hand in your face nights.......Black Grape, Blacks, dark stuff listed above. 

 

Blue Supermoon type of night.......you can't beat the Green Pumpkin w/ Blue Flake.  

 

*** I never believed much in scent or was too lazy to apply it in the manner where it would work......that's the only other gamechanger I can easily point to besides 1. Free Rig 2. Bulk plastics mainly 10" curly tail worms 3. religious use in Bang Garlic scent 

 

**** last thing I think is important to point out as well, first time I treated Gama hooks like disposable gear.....meaning if I felt the hook was even the slightest dull, I changed it out.   

 

This pattern is about over sadly though, already getting our first let up in the heat and the fish are going to be roaming more herding up bait.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RRocket]

I really want to hear more about night fishing.

 

Would this work anywhere? 

 

Nobody here ever fishes for bass at night...and even mentioning it will get you bewildered looks.

[Pat Brown]

Yeah night fishing for bass is a famously fun way to catch giants.  Pat Cullen caught over 1100 double digit bass all at night and all on Buzzbaits at all times of year and many different size bodies of water.  Try it!

[LrgmouthShad]

Night fishing is not magic but you can fish at night successfully everywhere. I did it in NY for a time too, so it certainly works up North. 

[RRocket]

7 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Yeah night fishing for bass is a famously fun way to catch giants.  Pat Cullen caught over 1100 double digit bass all at night and all on Buzzbaits at all times of year and many different size bodies of water.  Try it!

So you just fish exactly as you would during the day..but at night? 

 

Do they see that well at night? 

[Pat Brown]

6 minutes ago, RRocket said:

So you just fish exactly as you would during the day..but at night? 

 

Do they see that well at night? 

 

 

They see well at all times of day.  They have to worry less about heron and otter and pike easily killing them at night and they can more easily ambush prey in the dark.

 

A basses eye sight is it's strongest feeding mechanism and bass can see 4 times further than we can.  If the water clarity is 4 ft.  They can see a lure 16 feet away.

 

Not to mention they have lateral lines they use to find prey that's vibrating.

 

At night I like to use bulkier baits in general and I like to fish topwater, but yes, fish as you would during the daytime!  Bass don't abandon favorable bait holding structure when the sun goes down!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

4 minutes ago, RRocket said:

So you just fish exactly as you would during the day..but at night? 

 

Do they see that well at night? 

If anything the fishing and certainly size of the fish get better during the night.

 

I'd also say that I'm a significantly better Bass fisherman at night than during the day.   I fish more patiently, fish casts that I'd otherwise reel back to quickly because "they weren't perfect", vastly more connected to what my bait is doing through enhanced senses once you lose your acute vision.  

 

The Bass will eat reaction moving baits as well as slow moving baits, however I prefer to use slow moving baits.    Fish the same places and things you would during the day in the beginning, then you'll refine the nuances on your particular body of water and what they want differently at night vs. day.   

 

There is a huge psychological barrier to night fishing, and for myself I have to fight it every new season of night bassin which is in the months of July and August in Alabama.     It's a confidence deal, it's hard to imagine you can do better in pitch black than on a sunny Spring day.     After fishing for 6-8 weeks only at night, it's always so foreign going back to day fishing.   

 

A completely different world comes alive as well, a whole new crew of critters come out after dark and it's so cool to witness that aspect of nature.  

 

From the Supermoon night

[RRocket]

I've fished at night here, as it's fairly common to do so for walleye and catfish.

 

Never for bass though! 

 

I'll go out tonight and see what happens. I will have a benchmark to compare it to as I will fish the exact same spot with the exact same bait using the exact same rig I used this morning.

 

Should be an easy comparo. I must admit...I am skeptical. If bass fishing was as good at night here as during the day, many anglers would be doing it.  And nobody does. Am wondering if it's one of those odd regional things that works well in X but not in Y. Even top water seems to stop completely here after the sun goes down, as I've continued to throw post sundown and never a bite let alone a fish. And that's multiple times over many years. It just seems to stop dead after dark.

 

We'll see!! Thanks for the encouragement and info, fellas!