by Matthew Fulton

Created on: April 20, 2010

The Texas Rig is arguably one of the most effective ways to catch monster largemouths. Fishing the Texas Rig has many great advantages over other lures such as spinnerbaits or the lipless crankbaits that have become so popular over the years. It is a much cheaper option than these expensive baits, it is much easier to work in heavy cover where other baits would become stuck, and the presentation options are endless. What makes it even better is how easy it is to tie.

For the standard Texas Rig you will need three things: a worm hook (the ones with the curved shank), a bullet weight, and your plastic worm, grub, crawfish, or lizard. First, take your bullet weight and slip your line through the pointed end. Slide it through the wide end and then back through the pointed end and out again. This will allow the weight to slide up and down your line so you can slip it down to the hook.

Now, tie your hook in the same manner you would for any other hook or lure. A simple blood knot works best, just make a loop, wrap the line around itself four or five times, and pull it through the loop.

Now it is time for your worm, or whatever other plastic bait you are using. You will want to insert the hook into the top of the bait. For a standard plastic worm, it would be at either end. For a lizard, it would be at the head of the lizard. For a crawfish, it would be at the tail since crawfish swim backwards. Now push the hook through the bait until they hook is approximately one inch into the bait. Now push the hook point out through the midsection of the lure while you keep pressing the bait up the hook. When the bait has covered the eye of the hook, you are ready to bury your hook. Simply press the hook into the bait until it is firmly held in the bait. You do not want the hook poking through the other side, as it will be more likely to catch on a branch or other underwater obstruction. Fear not, when a fish bites it, a hard jerk back on your rod will still pull through the worm and into the fish's mouth.

There are variations to the Texas rig that can make it much simpler. Bullet weights with metal hooks at the back can be used to firmly hold the weight and the worm together. Most outdoors stores now sell hooks that are already weighted, making it even simpler.

The Texas Rig is a powerful way to catch bass, and is incredibly simple to tie. By using this setup in the right places with the right bait, you should begin catching more bass on a regular basis.

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