Texas rig: How to rig and why

This article was written by David Schaeffer (Fishbrain user /shiftyusmc)

One of My biggest regrets in my time spent fishing was how long it took me to branch away from simple cast and retrieve lures and learn other methods. The Texas Rig is by far my most used and the most versatile style of fishing. If you’re unfamiliar with this method or know it and don't use it, read on to understand why it has to be in your repertoire.

4.5 Lbs Bass Caught on a Texas Rigged Kaitech Fat Swing Impact

4 Reasons to use a Texas Rig

1. Simplicity

The Texas Rig may appear a little complicated for newer fishermen, but all it takes is an offset hook tied to your line, a bag of soft plastic baits, and a quick search for an instructional youtube video and you'll be rigged up properly in no time.

We recommend this video on How to Texas Rig a Senko

2. Versatility

Once you know how to rig up and the hook is attached to your line, you may not need to tie another knot for your entire fishing outing. This method allows you to fish every inch of the water column, at whatever speed you want, and allows for almost endless options of bait presentations. Most commonly used with Senkos or other soft plastic worms, it can also be utilized for anything from lizards, brush hogs, crayfish, swimbaits, flukes, and the list goes on and on. Check out hundreds of swimbait options at our store. My favorite and most successful swimbait is also provided. Standard Texas Rigged worms usually call for a bullet sinker on your line, but you can also go completely weightless, or offset hooks can be purchased with the weight attached to get you down to the desired depth of retrieve.

3. Weedless

This is one of the few methods that will allow you to fish anywhere. The thickest brush, downed trees, heavy weeds, fall foliage on the water; all of these things will disrupt lures with exposed hooks. As soon as your lure catches leaves grass or twigs, that cast has become ineffective. Rigging a Texas-style bait weedless will allow you to penetrate those obstructions that bass love so much and get right in the fish’s face...and hopefully its mouth. 

4. Control

The action and presentation are all on you. This style of fishing won’t do anything unless you make it, there’s no lip or bill to control height and create a nice uniformed wobble. As you start out this may be to your disadvantage, but once you get the hang of it you’ll love being in control of the bait and the catches will be even more rewarding for you. For example, worms will be slowly lowered and raised, lizards should be twitched, flukes jerked and erratic with pauses, and swimbaits can be a straight retrieve at any height desired. All of these baits can be influenced by different and subtle retrieval changes putting you in complete control of eliciting a bite from a stubborn fish.

offset hook and some type of soft plastic on one of them. It’s that effective.

Article written by David Schaeffer (Fishbrain user ShiftyUSMC) David is a member of our Pro Staff and also the moderator of the subreddit Fishing for Beginners

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