FishTax Posted February 2 Posted February 2 I am going to try to throw a Texas rig more this year. That has me thinking about different setups and I am curious to hear what all of you think. If you could only have one Texas rig set up for an entire year, what would it be? Specifically what plastic, color, hook and weight, assuming you are mostly running the banks with it, not fishing deep. Very interested to see the results of this. I know a lot of people like beavers and a lot of people like worms and lizards. Can't wait to see what you all think will work the best year round. 3 Quote
Super User Jar11591 Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 Rage Bug Watermelon red flake, 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG, 5/16 tungsten bullet, 40lb Sufix 832 with a 25lb Yo-Zuri HD fluorocarbon leader on a 7’2” MH-F stick with an 8.x:1 reel. 1 Quote
MonsterZero Posted February 2 Posted February 2 Berkeley Pit Boss 4", Skeet's Hot Craw. 5/0 or 4/0 EWG. Not actually sure what weight I have on there; probably 1/4oz or so. It has rapidly become one of my favorite baits and definitely my favorite soft plastic. I have other colors, but this one is excellent. 1 Quote
Global Moderator Mike L Posted February 2 Global Moderator Posted February 2 Rage Bug… Junebug, 4/0 Trokar TK130 hook, 1/4oz weight, 14# Sniper Mike 3 Quote
Junk Fisherman Posted February 2 Posted February 2 Blue fleck Baby Brush Hog with a 3/16th tungsten sinker and a 2/0 EWG Trokar hook. Other considerations: 4" Max Scent Black/Blue Chigger Craw, watermellon/red Zoom Super Hog, Black and Blue or Green Pumpkin Fat Ika, 5" black/blue Senko 1 Quote
Super User LrgmouthShad Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 Should be a crime to limit a Texas rig to this…. 10” black ribbontail with 1/2oz weight for me, unpegged. 5/0 offset round bend hook. 6 Quote
Global Moderator 12poundbass Posted February 2 Global Moderator Posted February 2 Watermelon Rage bug, 3/0 EWG Gamakatsu, 1/4-3/8oz tungsten weight, 40lb Smackdown braid. 3 Quote
Super User king fisher Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 Junebug Zoom Magnum Trick Worm. 4/0 EWG hook, 1/4 oz lead bullet weight, un pegged. Fished on a 7 ft. medium heavy fast rod, with Sunline Sniper 16 pound line. 3 Quote
Super User AlabamaSpothunter Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 I hate to give an opinion other than the thing you're specifically asking about, but nothing has been more game changing for me in the bottom contact realm than a Free Rig. By the numbers, the Free Rig accounts easily for my most fish over 5lbs. Once I discovered the Free Rig, I'd say I almost never throw a T Rig anymore. 1/4th oz Free Rig weight. 4/0 Owner Haymaker EWG or Gamakatsu 4/0 Nano Coated EWG Missile Baits Destroyers and D Bombs in Super Bug and Brusier Flash, Bellows Gill Elastomer, and Zoom ol Monster in black grape or green pumpkin blue. Money back guarantee on that setup 😎 4 Quote
GRiver Posted February 2 Posted February 2 BPS… 7 1/2 ribbon tail, garlic, June bug color. Ewg 3/0-4/0 & hook, 1/8-3/16 bullet weight, on a 7ft med-heavy/ fast, spooled with big game mono- moss green. 1 Quote
Super User T-Billy Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 I would never limit myself to one. That's just silly. I could however get by quite happily with a green pumpkin Beaver and a black Zoom Ol Monster. Sometimes profile is a big factor. They'll either want one or the other. Weights are gonna vary from 1/8 to however much it takes to get through the mat. 7'6" HF rod and 50# braid. Snelled straight shank always. 1 1 Quote
Super User casts_by_fly Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 I fish a Texas rig for two main things. 1- bottom focused search bait for active fish and 2- target pitching. I have a bunch of grass and less wood so I’ll throw a Texas rig (I’d throw a jig more if that was reversed) to get through the grass more cleanly. My standard starting point is a 3/8 tungsten (pegged) and a standard rage bug. I like a straight shank flipping hook around a 4/0 (depends on the brand) but other hooks are fine. Color depends on the day but with my clear water it’s usually some combination of green pumpkin, blue craw, black/blue flake, etc. I picked up some “no brainer” in my last order which is green pumpkin black flake on one side and gp blue flake on the other. I’m sure it will work. I might downsize to the midi or even the mini at times. I’ll swap to a rodent (which is more like a pit boss shape) for something different. Some days the fish want less weight and some days more. But if you gave me a set of weights from 1/8-1/2, a couple rage bugs, and associated hooks I’m pretty sure I could catch a couple. 2 Quote
Super User scaleface Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 I'm going to be pitching and casting, so a 5/16th oz tungsten weight gives me enough weight to pitch effectively with 17 lb clear blur fluorescent trilene xl. Lately I've been using a 7 inch Rage tail Cut-R worm . With the hooked tail down it prevents twisting. I barely skin hook it in the side with a 3.0 offset worm hook. Redbug is a good color. I keep biting the worm down as it gets torn up. I get just as many bites with it gnawed down to 4 inches than when it was longer. I can catch a lot of bass on one worm. 4 Quote
Super User Columbia Craw Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 Blue craw with red flake Rage Bug affixed to an Owner 4/0 EWG, 5/16 Sieberts tungsten flipping weight, pegged on Diawa 20lb J Floro. 1 Quote
PBBrandon Posted February 2 Posted February 2 My go to- Rod- St. Croix LTB 7’3” HXF Reel- Daiwa Zillion SV 8.5:1 Line- 15lb Invizx Weight- 1/4oz tungsten bullet Hook- Gamakatsu 4/0 EWG Plastic- this is a tough one but probably a green pumpkin or watermelon red flake 5” Senko 1 Quote
MediumMouthBass Posted February 2 Posted February 2 6 hours ago, FishTax said: Specifically what plastic, color, hook and weight, assuming you are mostly running the banks with it, not fishing deep. 1. Stick baits. 5" SK Ocho, 5" Yum Dinger, 5" Berkley General. 2. Craws. SK Rage Craw, Netbait Paca Craw/Paca Craw JR, 3" and 4" Berkley Chigger Craw's too, Z Hella Crawz. 3. Craws with lots of action. Gambler Burner Craw/Missile Baits Craw Father, Berkley Crazy Legs Chigger Craw, Z Turbo Crawz, Zoom Ultravibe/Magnum UV Craw. 4. Creatures. SK Rage Bug, Missle Baits D Bomb, Netbait B Bug, Z Palmetto Bugz, Berkley Pit Boss. (Will vary from 3" to 4" sizes). 5. Other Creatures. Missile Baits D Stroyer, SK KVD Game Hawg/Magnum Hawg. Colors are called different things across the brands but ill go with anything thats Black/Blue, Green Pumpkin, Magic Craw, Summer Craw, Orange Craw, Okeechobee Craw, PB&J, Black, Sapphire Blue. If i had to pick just a select few, going from first pick to last it woud be: #1. 5" Ocho, #2. Magnum UV, #3. D Bomb, #4. Paca Craw, #5 D Stroyer. In Okeechobee Craw, Summer Craw, PB&J, Black/Blue, Green Pumpkin. Hooks: I like Berkley Fusion 19's (although you may need to sharpen them), or VMC bulk packs for EWG's. Sizes 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0. Weights: Siebert tungstens 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2oz. So much less bulk towards the front of the bait, and much more sensitive. Line: Varies from 12lb Yo Zuri Hybrid to 40/50lb Power Pro. Knot: San Diego Jam. I will add my opinion on this though, ive realized the most important part of a T rig is the weight. How fast or slow it falls beats any scent, shape or color. But more importantly it has to be a tungsten weight. Ive fished T rigs for years on Aird X's and Ugly Stik GX2's... Very cheap and not the most sensitive rods, after switching to Lews, Dobyns, etc in the more expensive $100+ range ive definitely noticed a difference, but not nearly as much as using a tungsten. It almost supercharges it. 1 Quote
Brian11719 Posted February 2 Posted February 2 4/0 ewg (whatever your favorite brand it) 3/16 or 1/8 bullet weight w/ a stopper Zoom mag 2 15lb braid w/ a 10lb fluoro leader Tough call between the mag 2 or the ultravibe speed worm since I go back and forth between the 2...but I like them both for the versatility since you can swim them or bounce them off the bottom depending on what they seem to want that day. 2 Quote
Super User Catt Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 Powell Inferno 703C 7'0" Medium Heavy X-Fast Lew's Team Lite TLL1SH 7.5:1 Berkley Big Game 15# 3/0 straight shank round bend hook Weightless - 1/4 oz Zoom's Ultravibe Speed Worm Watermelon Neon tail dipped in Spike-It Dip-N-Glo Chartreuse Garlic Bank shallow out to 20' 4 Quote
Maverick2017 Posted February 2 Posted February 2 TX rig is my favorite technique because it’s weedless and versatile. I throw it 80% of the time aside from when conditions dictate a moving bait with some flash. NRX+ 873CRR JDM Shimano Bantam MGL 15lb - 18lb fluoro on a pegged 1/4 oz weight. When I use 50lb braid, I’ll go to an 1/8oz pegged or even weightless in shallow water less then three feet deep along the banks. I typically vary weights from weightless to heavy depending on what I’m doing, where I’m fishing, bottom composition, and wind. Gammy Nano Alpha EWG Round 4/0…had a 100% hook-up rate last season with this hook with zero lost fish. Zoom Ol’ Monsters, 5” senkos, and Missile Baits D-Bombs ALL DAY LONG 😎 The TX rig is a technique I can literally throw all day long because I can pitch it, skip it, flip it, punch it, drag it, pop it, and even swim it. Accompany it with a topwater bait such as a frog or spook, and you’ve got the swiss army knife of versatility for LM species. 4 Quote
Tackleholic Posted February 2 Posted February 2 Zoom Z Craw Jr., color 420 California, 1/4 ounce red/black football jighead with a 3/0 sickle hook. I hoard those jigheads because I can't find them anymore. 2 Quote
Alex from GA Posted February 2 Posted February 2 Zoom green pumpkin finesse worm, 1/0 worm hook, 1/8oz bullet weight, 6 lb mono. 2 Quote
Super User WRB Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 I fish Texas rig with a bead and sliding bullet weight. Worms anywhere from 6” to 13” straight, curl and ribbon tails. Most common weight is 3/16 oz for worms 6” to 7 1/2”, 1/4 & 3/8 for larger worms. Hooks prefer straight shank 3/0, 4/0 & 5/0. Tom 2 Quote
Super User bowhunter63 Posted February 2 Super User Posted February 2 Zoom Brush Hog 3/16 ounce sinker. 3/0 EWG Gama Quote
woolleyfooley Posted February 2 Posted February 2 D bomb in green pumpkin (good color in most conditions) with a 4/0 straight shank hook. Tungsten weight, 25lb tatsu fluoro. I find it interesting that most suggest an ewg, even with beaver style baits. I was starting to question my choice of straight shank until I saw that @WRB uses straight shanks as well. 🙂 1 Quote
10,000 lakes Bassin Posted February 2 Posted February 2 6 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said: I hate to give an opinion other than the thing you're specifically asking about, but nothing has been more game changing for me in the bottom contact realm than a Free Rig. By the numbers, the Free Rig accounts easily for my most fish over 5lbs. Once I discovered the Free Rig, I'd say I almost never throw a T Rig anymore. 1/4th oz Free Rig weight. 4/0 Owner Haymaker EWG or Gamakatsu 4/0 Nano Coated EWG Missile Baits Destroyers and D Bombs in Super Bug and Brusier Flash, Bellows Gill Elastomer, and Zoom ol Monster in black grape or green pumpkin blue. Money back guarantee on that setup 😎 What brand free rig weights do you use? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.