How to rig a Texas rig: step by step pictures

[The Rooster]

Recently someone PM'ed me and asked for a picture of a T-rig already set up so they could better comprehend how to do it. So I made this to help them out and also thought it might be of some use to others who may have questions on how to do this.

If the pictures are too large then I can resize them through photobucket.com where I hosted them at. Current size is 640 x 480 and I didn't see any suggested size in the forum guidelines sticky topic (any suggestions??).

Anyway, to the subject..........

To rig a Texas rig up, you need the following materials.

Note in the picture above that there is a top and bottom to the worm. Also, I show two different hooks in this picture so you can see the differences in them but you only use one or the other. See how the offset extra wide gap hook resembles a G in shape and the straight shank looks like a J instead?? The straight shank hook is not offset either, the eye is straight inline with the shaft, but the EWG hook is offset in that the eye part is bent instead of being inline with the shaft. Anyway, to start rigging you take that bullet weight in the picture and slide it onto your line nose first. After that you tie on the hook.

Once you have the hook tied on then you line up the tip with the nose of the bait and insert it in about 1/4 inch or so. If the worm you are using is segmented then it's fairly easy to see how far down to go. I usually run the tip in about 2 to 3 segments and then back out the bottom again.

Then after bringing the hook point out the bottom of the head I then slide the worm up the shank of the hook towards the eye and rotate it around so that the hook point is towards the belly of the worm again. Then slide the head of the worm up and around the eye of the hook so that the line knot is inside the plastic of the worm. The plastic will provide a cushion for the knot so the sinker does not bang repeatedly into it to weaken it. The worm's head should be completely up around the offset portion of the hook, not on the main shank anymore. Then you are ready to put the hook tip into the body of the worm.

But I don't just run it through anywhere. First I'll line up the hook point beside the worm body to see where's a good place to bring it through at so that the worm still looks natural on the hook.....as if there's no hook in it at all even though there is.

Once I figure out where I want the hook to come through at (and that's easier using the segments again) then I run the hook point straight through from belly to back. Not at an angle, but straight across through. That's important so that the hook lays good and flat on the other side when you're finished.

Then after it's through I will adjust the worm on it so that the hook point lays flat against the back of the worm.

After that the rigging is finished. The hook point is completely exposed but still fairly weedless cause of how low on the worm's back it lays. If that's not enough then you can grasp the body of the worm in front of the hook point and push it forward, then let it come back and embed the hook tip in the plastic some to hide it. That's called skin hooking. It's completely weedless then but still will tear through on impact of setting the hook so you don't miss fish. This picture here shows how much hook you will see above the body of the worm if rigged right. It's also skin hooked in this picture.

When you are finished rigging the lure, the worm will look natural, not stretched on the hook or sagging in the middle either. It should look just like there's no hook in it at all. This picture shows how the sinker will rest against the head of the bait with a Texas rig (Carolina rig has the sinker away from the bait when finished). The knot is safely cushioned inside the head of the worm away from the sinker inpacting it as it slides around on the line.

This method of hooking a plastic bait is not just for the Texas rig. It also works for Carolina rigs and also for rigging a plastic weightless with no sinker at all. And that's the long and the short of it!!  

[Jake.]

Glenn also has a video on it:

 

[The Rooster]

That's a good video to watch!!  I didn't know there were such things out there!!

[bigfruits]

you might also want to mention how you inserted the hook through the seam on the worm.

thanks for taking the time to give back to the community

-z

[J Francho]

But its upside down!  

Just kidding  ;D

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

you might also want to mention how you inserted the hook through the seam on the worm.

Rigging straight on the seam and keeping everything in line prevents twirling,line twist and makes for a more natural presentation.

[I.rar]

well done.

just a suggestion , but i thnk there should be more how-to's for the newbs like myself.  like how and when to use leaders and jig heads. how to rig grubs , tubes etc..