| There is no doubt, the wacky rig is as simple as it | | | | retrieving it will give it life by making the bait |
| gets when it comes to Bass fishing techniques. | | | | seem like its swimming away due to the ends |
| The Bass that have been put into tournament live | | | | swaying back and fourth. Sometimes that's all it |
| wells are a testament to the wacky rigs | | | | takes to get the Bass to strike. A full bellied Bass |
| performance. Just this past weekend has been an | | | | prefer the dead sticking of the wacky rig and |
| amazing demonstration of its ability to catch Bass | | | | that's how eight out of ten of my Bass are |
| when other techniques failed. | | | | normally caught. It works, period! |
| My partner and I witnessed two boats fishing a | | | | Wacky rigging with a Senko worm and hook |
| gin clear reed bed that we purposely targeted | | | | alone are effective in relatively shallow water, but |
| from studying our maps prior. One of the boats | | | | in deeper water this same rig can be enhanced |
| was definitely tournament anglers, probing the | | | | for the deep dwellers such as the Smallmouth |
| reeds like a torpedo. They were obviously | | | | Bass. Smallmouth generally like the deeper water |
| pre-fishing for the next day's tournament. They | | | | because they like the cooler temperatures. But |
| must have had their bow mount at high output | | | | the deeper staging fish can also be had with the |
| because they were moving, obviously site | | | | wacky rig by adding nail weights to each end of |
| pre-fishing, but never the less fishing just the | | | | the Senko. Adding just enough weight to it for a |
| same! We didn't witness a single Bass taken with | | | | prolonged fall is the ticket. Nail weights can be |
| their efforts and without notice another boat | | | | bought at your nearest tackle shop or you can |
| probed the same waters, but with such a racket | | | | cut your own from the nearest hardware store. |
| that you would swear the Bass should have | | | | Cast the wacky rig with the nail weights as far as |
| scattered to oblivion! | | | | you can and let it fall on its own merit. By using |
| Now let me give you some parameters of the | | | | the Spider Wire Invisi-braid one only has to keep |
| situation. The water was anywhere from two to | | | | an eye on the slack line to detect a Bass. The |
| five feet in depth with pencil medium density | | | | slightest nudge will be felt and seen so be ready |
| reeds scattered in gin clear water conditions. Just | | | | because Smallmouth are notorious for the |
| to prove a point, my partner and I proceeded | | | | infamous 'grab and go' in the wink of an eye. |
| right into the heart of the highway of travel of | | | | An ideal wacky rig combo would consist of a |
| the previous boats and boated not one, but two | | | | spinning reel set up. I am partial to my Diawa |
| beautiful Largemouth Bass weighing in at five | | | | Steeze 6'8" medium action rod teamed up with |
| pounds plus each! Now how did we accomplish | | | | the Shimano Sustain 1000. Spinning is a good way |
| such a feat you ask? Quite simple really; the | | | | to go with wacky rigging, but any spinning reel will |
| wacky rig! | | | | do so long as it has a good tough drag system to |
| The wacky rig consists of three main | | | | handle the hook sets. In order to take the |
| components that when combined make a lethal | | | | Largemouth out of cover or the water dancing |
| Bass fishing weapon. The bait itself is normally a | | | | Smallmouth on the end of your thumb and |
| Senko worm with a Gamakatsu weed less hook | | | | forefinger, you need to have a good strong back |
| in the mid section of the Senko. The hook doesn't | | | | bone in the rod. As far as the length goes a 6'8" |
| necessarily have to be weed less, but with weeds | | | | or a 7'2" medium rod will do the trick. We need |
| in the mix it's a prerequisite. And to top the rig | | | | the elasticity of the tip to get the wacky out |
| off we have a ten or twelve pound fluorocarbon | | | | there and for distant casts the length helps along |
| leader or main line. The line that shines for me is | | | | with the action. |
| the Spider Wire Invisi-Braid in ten pound test. It | | | | When you think you have tried everything and |
| has proven its invisible qualities and superior | | | | are about to give up; have you tried the wacky |
| strength in my outings. So when the wacky rig is | | | | rig? All I can say is that when rigged properly the |
| ready I have a black Senko Worm with a black | | | | wacky rig can up your odds immensely. I am |
| Gamakatsu weed less hook and Spider Wire | | | | living proof of that because in one day alone I put |
| Invisi-Braid line. When this setup is in gin clear | | | | this rig to a vigorous test with the Steeze, |
| water all the Bass see is 'black' and that is the | | | | Sustain and Invisi-Braid combo and lipped over |
| important ingredient! | | | | 40lbs of Bass. That, my angler friends, is what it's |
| A good salt impregnated Senko Worm is ideal | | | | all about. The wacky rig alone out fished many, |
| because it helps in its flutter to the bottom. On | | | | even a ruckus caused by boat traffic was not |
| the initial cast I like to give the wacky rig plenty | | | | enough to steer the Bass away from the |
| of slack line. This is of utmost importance | | | | effective wacky rig! I can guarantee you that the |
| because you want it to look as natural as possible | | | | first and second chance anglers sure turned their |
| to the Bass. After the cast and its settling to | | | | heads when I posed for the camera holding both |
| bottom dead stick it by letting it lye still for as | | | | five pound plus prizes! |
| long as you can stand it. Then by jerking while | | | | |