Wacky Rig - Help?

[hutch4113]

Went out to Thorah on Saturday. I am trying to learn Smallmouth patterns, etc. as I am still pretty new to fishing. Thought I would give wacky rigging a try. Had the right hooks/worms - but ran into problems getting them to sink.

 

I wanted nail weights, but CT did not have them - so I thought I would try finishing nails. But guess they don't have enough weight.

 

Anyway - suggestions?

 

I was in about 40FT of water - and was marking what I assume were SM....of course you know what happens when you assume.

 

 

[jbailey]

you might want to use the hooks with the bullet weight at the top and texas rig if you are fishing that deep, wacky rigging generally drops slowly (i use it in 10 fow usually)

[grimsbylander]

In 40 feet of water I'd be wacky rigging a worm on a dropshot.

[BucktownAngler]

you can use weighted wacky hooks, nail weights or dropshot.

 

i would use wacky/dropshot like grimsby

[BillM]

That sounds like an awful slow presentation for smallmouth out in Simcoe in July... Unless it's on a dropshot rig like mentioned above..

[musky_hunter]

Those weighted hooks aren't very strong. Was fishing the tourny on gbay and i used the weighted wacky hooks by Owner and Jackal. I lost at least 5 fish and straightened at least 2-3 of the mentioned hooks. Crazy how hard the smallies pull !!

 

I was using a MH rod, 30lb sx1 with 16lb sniper leader with a loose drag on my Steez.

 

Will go back to my gammy hooks.

Edited July 8, 2013 by musky_hunter

[JoshS]

I'd drop shot deep fish. Wacky rigging is more for shallow water. You can fish whatever you're wacky rigging on the drop shot. 4in senko's work well, Gulp leaches, minnows, slammers, finesse worms, etc..

[nexstar]

drop shot is your best bet. The action of the worm will still be there. Good luck.

[buick14]

Your avatar wouldn't lead me to believe u were new to fishing lol

 

I'd second the dropshot without a doubt, and match the tag end to the depth ur marking those puppies at

[Rich]

Use a jighead.

 

Works great.

[Rattletrap2]

I always crimped a decent size split shot about 2-3 feet up from the wacky rigged Senko if I wanted to get it down into weed pockets. I would think this would help out in deeper water as well. Don't be afraid to experiment like you did with the finishing nails. There are no rules when it comes to this stuff. Do what works!

[Ron]

Make your own nail weights.... You can buy lead solder from any hardware store, cut to desired length and insert. just make sure you get acid free.

[OhioFisherman]

I can't picture fishing a conventional wacky rig in 40 fow, I would fall asleep waiting for it to hit bottom. LOL

 

Like mentioned a drop shot rig, tube, jig, blade bait, jigging rapala, modified carolina rig, there just seems better choices to me.

[hutch4113]

Thanks to everyone for their help. It always pays to ask - especially if you want to learn.

 

I probably should have said I was also throwing Tub Jigs, and trolling cranks - but when I go out, I usually want to try something new. However I had no idea that Wacky Rig was a shallow water technique - though I probably should have figured it out when my worm sat at about 5 feet, and went no where...lol.

 

So for a traditional Wacky Rig - probably use in 5 to 10 feet of water?

[aplumma]

I use a shaky rig down to 20 ft no problem. It is a football head jig with a senko and a O ring in the middle of the body. Pass the hook thru the O ring and get a small bit of the senko. It should form the letter T with the jig head facing down. Cast it out and let it fall on a slack line that you are watching/fingering for a change in direction or speed of the fall. once it hits bottom jiggle the tip 5-9 times to shake the rig on the bottom and wait 10 seconds then retrieve and do again. The fall of the lure is usually when they hit and the bottom shake gives a follower a reason to strike. Remember if the water is clear a fish will come from over 20 ft easily to see this offering so move around and cover some water.

 

 

Art

[fishindevil]

I use wacky senkos in up to 25ft no problem and yes it will take a bit longer to sink but it does at times drive the bass crazy and it will produce better at times than a weighted worm that sinks fast !!! It all about the action and the senko pulsing as it sinks !!!! Sometimes I will use a weighted 1/8oz mustad weedless hook and it will sink a bit faster into the weed pocket openings or if it's a bit of a windy day !!!! There is no wrong way to fish a senko it's my fav style of bass fishing besides a topwater frog !!!! Like someone above said to put a splitshot on the line and that helps its all about trying new ways to fish it !!!! Even a weighted worm offset hook in the nose of the senko will get it down to 20ft pretty quick !!! Smallies go bonkers over that set-up fishing in the Haliburton/Bancroft lakes where it's rocky and there is a deep drop off !!!! It's so versatile I have caught pike muskies walleye and even a unexpected 3lb lake trout while fishing that presentation !!!!! My gf will sometimes even wacky hook a senko and troll with it behind the boat really slow while I'm moving along the shoreline fishing the shore !!!!! And it's amazing the bass she gets using it just that way !!!!! She even caught a whitefish in the Ottawa river drifting with a wacky rigged senko over a 15ft shoal while we were smallie fishing !!!! Lol. Lol. Let your imagination come up with a set-up you might just be amazed at the results !!!!! Tight-lines. Shawn

[farsider]

Art, that rig you described is still just a weighted wacky rig. I use the 'O' rings too. It really adds to the longevity of the bait. The "Wacky" rig decribes hooking the worm through the middle to get the 'T' shape you mentioned. The Shaky head rig is a stand-up jig screwed into the nose of the worm then shaked as you described.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1ajg_4_UQU

 

Cheers,

Mark

I use a shaky rig down to 20 ft no problem. It is a football head jig with a senko and a O ring in the middle of the body. Pass the hook thru the O ring and get a small bit of the senko. It should form the letter T with the jig head facing down. Cast it out and let it fall on a slack line that you are watching/fingering for a change in direction or speed of the fall. once it hits bottom jiggle the tip 5-9 times to shake the rig on the bottom and wait 10 seconds then retrieve and do again. The fall of the lure is usually when they hit and the bottom shake gives a follower a reason to strike. Remember if the water is clear a fish will come from over 20 ft easily to see this offering so move around and cover some water.

 

 

Art

Edited July 10, 2013 by farsider

[Mack66]

Read an article in ontario out of doors that suggest wacky riging with a weight in one end that looked like a headless nail if I remember right. Would give it the appearance of a shaky head I would think

[aplumma]

You are correct Mark It is wacky rigged but shaking it on the bottom triggers my strikes. I also use the rig as you described as a shaky rig using the senko worm rigged inline not as a T both are deadly not only on the fall but the bass will follow it to the bottom and group around it till they get a trigger from the shaking.

 

 

Art

[sofabed]

I use a vertical drop hook and have it fished it up to 25 feet. You can buy them at CT in either a 2/0 or 3/0. I have used both.

[singingdog]

I catch lots of big smallies in 20-25 FOW on wacky-jigged senkos. I really like the Zappu Inchi jigheads (haven't ever had hook problems, even with 21" SM) because the hookset is very similar to using a circle hook. Jigs made especially for a wacky-jig (they call it flick-shake some places) are very short and compact. This allows you to "shake" the senko which sometimes triggers strikes better than a simple fall. It's a deadly deep-water technique that, for me, out produces dropshot most of the time.

[b_cdot]

Buy sinking worms for shallower water or around shallow emergent cover and remember mono line makes it fall much slower...If you fish deeper 6+ fow I agree with previous posts, try dropshotting it I have lots of luck doing this on LSC for smallies

[MCTFisher9120]

Have you tried the Lake Fork Ring Weight? The LF Ring Weight is a good alternative for wacky rigging and getting your bait down some. Weighted "wacky jig's" like VMC or the Gamakatsu G Finesse wacky jig's are nice. Never played around with deep water senko fishing, you can drop shot the 4" or 3" version's on a small hook I'm sure it would work well.

 

Bring some Tube jig's with 1/4oz or 3/8oz heads try them deeper down. If the fish are on bottom then get deeper. Try a mid range crankbait, something 14-20ft might find them suspending.

Edited July 13, 2013 by MikeTheBassFisher