Forum | Wacky Rigging?

Bass Doctor said:

Hi everyone!

This is my first post and it just so happens that this is one of the topics I can speak about with some knowledge having been shown the secret of Whacky Rigging from the master himself!

I can only comment on the plastics that make this style of fishing so productive and they  are those manufactured by Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits.

I am sure other styles of Senko , Sticko, etc will work, but the results I can promise you will ONLY come from the Senko.

A common mistake that many anglers make when rigging this bait, is to bend the worm in half and stick a hook in the middle! That is completely WRONG!!!!!!

Take a look at a GYCB Senko and you will see that the bait is not the same at both ends! With that in mind, how can bending it in half give equal balance to the presentation????

I am now going to share with you the location of the center of balance. This was a best kept secret and I did not share this with anyone until I stopped fishing the tour and started giving seminars and lectures on bass fishing.

The center of a SENKO (4″ and 5″ sizes) is located two rings down on the long side of the worm, just below the "EGG SACK" or smooth section of the worm.

If you are using an "O" ring to save your worm, make sure the ring sits tight on that section.

I can promise you that the number of hits you get will increase and that the action you will gain from a perfectly balanced Senko will change your presentation forever!

If I can work out how to post pictures, I will try and add one to this post.

Tight Lines!

Charles "The Bass Doctor" Stuart.

Hi Charles, I'm glad to see you here on the forums.  I look forward to getting your input on topics fishing related.

I do realize that bending the stick bait in half and hooking it at the fold isn't exactly the balance point based on the weight of the worm, but I do it that way for several reasons.

• It's easy
• I use a hook much smaller and lighter than most people I see wacky rigging (1/0 octopus)
• I kinda like the way the lure will fall and slightly drift off to one side

But I will keep your points in mind when I get back out on the water.

I've found that many people can't catch fish on a wacky rigged stick bait because

• They insist on giving the lure "action" and not just letting it fall
• They use tackle that's too heavy
• They use hooks that are too large
• They insist on giving the lure "action" and not just letting it fall

What are your thoughts on that?

And, for getting pictures into posts, here's a link that should help you understand the process.

http://outdoorfrontiers.com/fo…..rum-posts/

Again, WELCOME ABOARD!

lilmule said:Hes aboslutely right that 10 pd power pro is good stuff,Ive been in the same boat using the same baits (rubber) using 20 pd and he gets more hits

LOL, that's cuz you're not holding your mouth right!  I keep telling you that!

Andy,

Good stick baits are made of soft plastic to get that seductive wiggle, consequently they are soft and tear easily.  It's not uncommon to lose one lure for each fish you catch!

In an effort to save lures and money, some people will roll a small o-ring to the middle of a stick bait, then slip the hook bend under the o-ring, never hooking the lure at all.  The thought is that if the lure isn't penetrated by the hook, it won't tear and go flying off.

I have tried this method and it does work to some extent.  However I also found that a good fish can shake the lure hard enough to fling it from the o-ring and often times the o-ring goes sailing as well!  Since the o-rings typically cost about three to five cents each, it now costs even more when you do lose a lure.

I've given up on using o-rings and if I find myself going through a lot of lures, I'll simple put a wrap of electrical tape around the middle of the stick bait and stick the hook through the tape!