[zaqxsw]

I'm a "mature" plastic worm fisherman and just love my Texas rigged, purple white tailed, curly tail 6"-8" worms! I read all about "finesse", "drop shot", and "wacky" rigged worms, but am not sure what they are, how to fish them, or when you would use them. Here are my opinions and would appreciate any clarifications, corrections:

Finesse - Same as Texas rigged, but just uses a jig head instead of a hook and bullet weight. Guess I could imitate this with just pegging my bullet weight?

Drop Shot - Weight at the end of the line with a hook above it 18"-36", but still on the main line (no side leader). You hook the worm though the head and have an exposed point. Man, I tried his once and hooked every weed or piece of wood there was. I get the different action this gives you, but how the heck do you fish it where the fish are?

Wacky - Uses a stiffer worm that you hook through the middle. Use a little rod action to make it wiggle up and down. Same issue with weeds, snags as above. Mainly fish it vertically or short range flipping?

Thanks for any replies!

 

[Shad Rap]

I'm a "mature" plastic worm fisherman and just love my Texas rigged, purple white tailed, curly tail 6"-8" worms! I read all about "finesse", "drop shot", and "wacky" rigged worms, but am not sure what they are, how to fish them, or when you would use them. Here are my opinions and would appreciate any clarifications, corrections:

Finesse - Same as Texas rigged, but just uses a jig head instead of a hook and bullet weight. Guess I could imitate this with just pegging my bullet weight?

Drop Shot - Weight at the end of the line with a hook above it 18"-36", but still on the main line (no side leader). You hook the worm though the head and have an exposed point. Man, I tried his once and hooked every weed or piece of wood there was. I get the different action this gives you, but how the heck do you fish it where the fish are?

Wacky - Uses a stiffer worm that you hook through the middle. Use a little rod action to make it wiggle up and down. Same issue with weeds, snags as above. Mainly fish it vertically or short range flipping?

Thanks for any replies!

You don't have to leave the hook exposed on the dropshot...you can hook it right back in just like you do in texas rigged...you can actually bury the tip of the hook when u have it wacky rigged too...that way no snags.

 

[Bassbme]

Finesse usually just means smaller baits, and lighter line. A Texas rig can be just as much of a finesse presentation as a shaky head jig or a drop shot can be. Like Shad Rap said, you can Texas rig a bait on a drop shot rig. I've fished a drop shot in thick weeds. Some people call it a Power Shot rig........ but it's just a drop shot that uses heavier line and at times, a heavier weight. For a wacky rig you really don't want to use a stiffer plastic worm. You want to use a soft worm. Soft worms wiggle better on the fall and provide more action with softer rod tip movements. A soft worm will tear easier if you put the hook through the body of the worm. A lot of people use a properly sized O ring slipped around the body of the worm and then slip the hook between the O ring and the worms body. I use something called a Wacky Saddle. it's two O rings connected by a flat piece of rubber. You put the hook point through the rubber. It works great, and the two O rings hold the worm better. Below is a link to what the Wacky Saddle looks like.


http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Wacky_Saddle_Kit/descpage-WACSAD.html

 

[jeepin_85]

FLW magazine had a great article 3 or 4 months back. It was all about what finesse means to individual anglers. And compared power techniques to similar "finesse" techniques.

I use 6" worms on shaky heads all the time. I also know a guy that has success tying a 1/4" oz or 3/16 oz jig on to the bottom of a drop shot. The baits don't have to be smaller, its all about presentation to me.I'll see if I can find the article, definitely worth reading.

 

[zaqxsw]

I really appreciate the feedback! I've got a better understanding now.

Thanks folks!

 

[JignPig Guide]

I'm a "mature" plastic worm fisherman and just love my Texas rigged, purple white tailed, curly tail 6"-8" worms! I read all about "finesse", "drop shot", and "wacky" rigged worms, but am not sure what they are, how to fish them, or when you would use them. Here are my opinions and would appreciate any clarifications, corrections:

Drop Shot - Weight at the end of the line with a hook above it 18"-36", but still on the main line (no side leader). You hook the worm though the head and have an exposed point. Man, I tried his once and hooked every weed or piece of wood there was. I get the different action this gives you, but how the heck do you fish it where the fish are?

Thanks for any replies!

If you don't mind. I'll comment on the drop-shot rig...

I understand your frustration. And you are correct when you say it will get hung in the weeds and wood. But if you can manage to get this presentation within 10ft. of a bass, they'll hit it. Now I certainly am exaggerating when I say that. But sometimes, it seems true.

The drop-shot is not necessarily a big-fish bait, like the jignpig or the frog, or even the weedless worm technique that you normally throw. But it will catch big ones occasionally. The best thing about it is the fact that the sheer number of bass that an average bass angler can bring to the boat increases dramatically when this presentation is put to use.

I suggest to most anglers who want to learn a new technique. To keep fishing the techniques that they normally do when they're on the water. And then, periodically try something new. In your case... the drop-shot. Maybe you could work in 15-minutes per outing for a while.

Maybe just try to get it close to the cover that you're getting hung up in. Or better yet. Try it out on a deep drop off.

 

[Buzzking]

I suggest to most anglers who want to learn a new technique. To keep fishing the techniques that they normally do when they're on the water. And then, periodically try something new. In your case... the drop-shot. Maybe you could work in 15-minutes per outing for a while.

Maybe just try to get it close to the cover that you're getting hung up in. Or better yet. Try it out on a deep drop off.

Could not have said it better myself. I'm learning this technique over the last two years and continuing. What I'd like to add is: use flourocarbon line for sensitivity and get some 3" Gulp minnows, #1 DS hooks, & 3/16 weights and go to a pond where your're going to get bit. Basically it's a catfish rig-kinda. Flip cast it out and tightline it. Try NOT to move it, but hold your line tight.
Tightlines!-BK

 

[Nubes]

I love the techniques you mentioned. Finesse for me is going lighter and slowing it down a bit. I don't think of TX rig as finesse so much because you can fish it a little faster and go heavier than say a drop shot, wacky rig or shaky head. If your trying to get it through cover you may have a 1oz weight and 20lb test. When I fish a drop shot, wacky rig or shakyhead, Im usually fishing 6lb-8lb fluro and rarely go heavier than a 1/4oz on the drop shot and usually not longer than 12-14inchs on the leader length. I have a 6'8 ML rod that is perfect for these 3 finesse styles because the tip is flexy enough to create the action I want but has the backbone to set the hook but its a little too flexy for most of my TX rig applications so I usually TX rig on my 7ft MH with 8-12lb fluro. I love the wacky rig when its on and have become a huge fan of the Gamakatsu weedless hooks and using a gasket on my Senkos instead of hooking right through the worm. Saves your bait and they last much longer. I figure a weightless senko on a wacky rig falls at about a foot a second so I'll go to a weighted version if im fishing this is 10-12ft or more. Some of the biggest bass Ive ever caught were on a wacky rigged senko! I found a round weight the senko can slide through at BassPro, to get it down to the bottom quicker and it still maintains the action of being unweighted. I also like to use jig heads that have a flat bottom for shaky head, that way the worm is standing up and pointing down when your working it. Ledge hopper jig heads work perfect for this. Finesse for me is lighter line and a slower retrieve

 

[Nubes]

BASSBME...I love the idea of the wacky saddle. saves the worm but still lets the hook sit like it would if it were actually in the worm. the O-rings I use work great but the hook sits in the same direction as the worm. I think Im going to have to give those a try!

 

[lordofthepunks]

. If your trying to get it through cover you may have a 1oz weight and 12lb test.

don't do this... anything you need a 1oz weight to get through will require far heavier line then 12lb test line...

 

[Nubes]

don't do this... anything you need a 1oz weight to get through will require far heavier line then 12lb test line...

I was really trying to make a point about TX rig not really being a finesse tactic for me. I just currently have 12lb test on that rod and don't even use a weight that heavy. Yes I would certainly go heavier on the line with a weight that big. Nothing gets by you! Good eye captain

 

[zaqxsw]

OK, I fished a drop shot for an hour or so today. Rigged it weedless with a worm hook about 14" above the weight. I probably got more bites, but lots of little fish were just nibbling. Overall, nobody was doing any good where I was fishing.

I get the unique action you can get by not moving the weight. Another question I have is do you jig it or just use slower sweeps to move the rig?

Thanks again for all of the info.