All around Texas rig

[Mike L]

5 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

you know, I know this works for a lot of people. But I still haven’t gotten to the point of a lighter weight Texas rig and a regular senko. In my brain that’s a finesse presentation- 

 

I hear ya…

Nobody hates using a light weight, light line on a light spinning rod more than me!

If that was the only way I could catch a fish I’d rather just stay home and pull weeds. 
 

But an 1/8 rigged on 20# flouro throwing a heavy salted stick bait is only used to help in running water, deeper holes or as a change up in brush piles. 

For that I’ve had some success with it, but you gotta pick your fights. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[Mobasser]

Good thread. I chose a Roboworm, but there are so many great plastic baits to use on a t rig. Over the years I've used a bunch of them, and they've all worked.

[FishTank]

8 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

you know, I know this works for a lot of people. But I still haven’t gotten to the point of a lighter weight Texas rig and a regular senko. In my brain that’s a finesse presentation- I’ve already fished moving baits and something like a rage bug.  If I have to go to a senko, I’m already jumping to a Ned rig. 

 

 

It's not really finesse or light to me. The totally weight is around 1/2oz. It's sinks like a rock.  

 

Also,  this was my basic go to for many years but I have traded it off for either a wacky rigged senko on a weighted jig head or a free rig. 

[Texas Flood]

I would call my light TR setup a power finesse more than just a finesse presentation. I use 1/8 or 1/4oz weights on #12 Tatsu. 

 

 

The setup is also used for tubes and light jigs

 

 

[casts_by_fly]

14 hours ago, Catt said:

 

R.O.F.: Rate Of Fall

 

ROF is just as important as the lures action. Most anglers think, use the lightest weight possible or they base weight off of water depth. Both can be completely wrong. 

 

I will throw 3/16-1/4 oz in 20' or 1/2-3/4 oz in 5'. 

I totally get rate of fall.  Some times when I’m sure the fish are eating on the bottom I’ll have three different weights with the same bait until I figure out what they want where. That’s not my holdup with a weighted senko. 

 

14 hours ago, Mike L said:

I hear ya…

Nobody hates using a light weight, light line on a light spinning rod more than me!

If that was the only way I could catch a fish I’d rather just stay home and pull weeds. 
 

But an 1/8 rigged on 20# flouro throwing a heavy salted stick bait is only used to help in running water, deeper holes or as a change up in brush piles. 

For that I’ve had some success with it, but you gotta pick your fights. 

 

Mike

 

 

12 hours ago, FishTank said:

 

It's not really finesse or light to me. The totally weight is around 1/2oz. It's sinks like a rock.  

 

Also,  this was my basic go to for many years but I have traded it off for either a wacky rigged senko on a weighted jig head or a free rig. 

 

I don’t think of it as light per se. Like you said, a basic 5” senko runs 3/8oz and you can throw that on most baitcasters easily enough. For me, I think of a senko as a neutral to negative feeding bait. Something to throw on the tougher days. If the fish are actively feeding then I’m throwing moving baits or (if they are bottom oriented) a different plastic likely a beaver. If the fish are not so active and those things aren’t working, then I’m skipping a weighted full size senko and going straight to a Ned rig (possibly with a 4” senko).  
 

and yet, I know a lot of fish are caught on a weighted Texas rigged senko.  Maybe I should just default to a senko instead of a beaver when I tie on a Texas rig. 
 

 

 

[Darth-Baiter]

On 2/3/2025 at 2:26 PM, Texas Flood said:

The Owner Haymaker is kind of a hybrid of EWG and straight shank. Its been great for me so far but I only started using them at the end of last season.

 

I found this hook a bit snaggy.  Great hook but there is very little forgiveness when I’m fishing structure 

[Sota]

I’m thinking of a 4-5” senko watermelon. I am thinking 30-40 lb 832 probably hi viz. cause I am old and have a time picking up what the line is doing. 

[padlin]

So, was there any consensus or 81 different answers to the “best all around Texas rig”?

[LrgmouthShad]

5 minutes ago, padlin said:

So, was there any consensus or 81 different answers to the “best all around Texas rig”?

🤣 No consensus. You already know. Like most threads, everyone gave their opinion based on their own experiences according to waters and seasons they are familiar fishing. We all try to find an answer or two that we think our bass might relate to. Trouble is they can’t read… dang that’s kind of a problem….

[Texas Flood]

11 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I found this hook a bit snaggy.  Great hook but there is very little forgiveness when I’m fishing structure 

I noticed that too when I first started using them. I decided to not full tex pose it but just enough for the tip to barely break the surface. My hookup ratio was still the same and saw less snags.

[Mike L]

@LrgmouthShad is right

No, asking a question looking for a singular answer to make it easier to make your decision is next to impossible on a public forum. 

We all come at everything from our own experiences. 
It’s up to each to decide what’s best for them. 

You’ll just have to do what most have already done. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike
 

[Pat Brown]

24 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

🤣 No consensus. You already know. Like most threads, everyone gave their opinion based on their own experiences according to waters and seasons they are familiar fishing. We all try to find an answer or two that we think our bass might relate to. Trouble is they can’t read… dang that’s kind of a problem….

 

 

Funny thing is I have utmost confidence in every single bait here - y'all just PM me and I'll let you know where to send the samples! 😂😂😂

[Texas Flood]

59 minutes ago, padlin said:

So, was there any consensus or 81 different answers to the “best all around Texas rig”?

Ask a vague question, you get a lot of answers🤷‍♂️

[Jar11591]

52 minutes ago, padlin said:

So, was there any consensus or 81 different answers to the “best all around Texas rig”?

Only consensus for a T-Rig is the use of a glass bead…

[Catt]

3 hours ago, padlin said:

So, was there any consensus or 81 different answers to the “best all around Texas rig”?

 

"Best all around Texas Rig" consists of a bullet weight, hook, & a piece of plastic. 

[casts_by_fly]

3 hours ago, padlin said:

So, was there any consensus or 81 different answers to the “best all around Texas rig”?

 

No consensus, but if the OP carried 3 weights (1/4, 3/8, 1/2), a Green pumpkin and Black/blue color of a beaver and a basic worm, and then just went fishing I bet he'd catch fish.  That's a pretty minimal setup (4 bags of plastic, a 4/0 worm hook, and a small handful of weight).  I think that's what the OP was going for- "if I just fished this one base setup and wanted to catch fish".

[Motoboss]

5 hours ago, Catt said:

 

"Best all around Texas Rig" consists of a bullet weight, hook, & a piece of plastic. 

Pretty much this with your choice of variables 

[Derek1]

My hands down favorite t rig set up

8” bull worm in moon juice color. 
1/4 oz tungsten 

5/0 straight shank worm hook

falcon Cara eye crosser

currado 200 k with 50# power pro

they pick it up and run then I wack em. It’s an agreement we have lol. I’m getting excited just thinking about it. Love it. 

 

[FishTax]

OP was looking for exactly what he got. A great conversation with tons of different perspectives and a few new ideas. I've been fishing a texas rig for 25 years so I know how to do it but wanted to hear what others do. The specifics were to try to keep people apples to apples. Until the free rig convo... 

But I loved the entire thread, and feel free to keep it going  

Oh, and since I'm the OP, send all samples to me and I'll bring @Pat Brown along on our testing session 🤣 but the key here is send samples. lots of samples.  

[Texas Flood]

As someone who prefers to fish with bottom contact baits, I could talk about it all day(You all have been warned)

[Motoboss]

2 hours ago, Texas Flood said:

As someone who prefers to fish with bottom contact baits, I could talk about it all day(You all have been warned)

I agree. My number one method of fishing is the T-rig by a large margin.

[Texas Flood]

1 hour ago, Motoboss said:

I agree. My number one method of fishing is the T-rig by a large margin.

A jig is still my go to but a TR is just behind it

[FishTax]

8 hours ago, Texas Flood said:

As someone who prefers to fish with bottom contact baits, I could talk about it all day(You all have been warned)

Keep going! This site keeps me sane when I'm not on the water. 

Alright everyone gave their top choice, what's your second choice for weight and plastic? 

[Texas Flood]

1/4oz with a Reaction Innovations Pocket Rocket. 
 

 

That’s basically the go to for my light combo with #12 Tatsu

[Motoboss]

1/8-1/4 tube, 10# floro