When it comes to technical bassin’, it’s all in the rigging

Like many hobbies, fishing can be as complicated as we make it. Most trips can be successful with just a few hooks, some worms and a handful of trusty lures. But fishing also provides plenty of avenues to geek out and dial in methods for specific species. From ice fishing to trolling for walleye to chasing big king salmon, each kind of angling provides opportunities for specialization.

For anglers who want to nerd out, bass fishing is the undisputed king. At least half of the tackle in any shop is bass gear—oftentimes, the soft plastics alone dwarf the selection of lures available for other species. But what’s what, and how do you use it? No column could cover it all, but let’s get in the weeds and look at some of the most popular rigs. And speaking of in the weeds…

Texas Rig

My personal favorite way to fish soft plastics, the Texas Rig allows anglers to pull bass out of even the heaviest cover — and oftentimes, that’s exactly where the fish are.

There are two key elements of a Texas Rig. One is using a large, offset hook that makes a soft plastic worm or creature bait weedless. The second is a sliding bullet weight fished directly in front of the lure, which allows it to punch down through weed mats. Be sure to size up your tackle — including your rod and line weight — when fishing extreme cover. Texas Rigs can also be fished weight-free when targeting weed edges. The weight of the hook and plastic is plenty to cast with, and bass often can’t resist a slowly sinking worm or crayfish.

Carolina Rig

Closely related to the Texas Rig, the Carolina features a slip sinker fixed a foot or two in front of the weedless lure. This creates an ideal setup for fishing flat-bottomed, rocky structure, which is abundant in desert lakes like C.J. Strike and Owyhee Reservoir. The weight sinks first and the lure follows behind, allowing you to creep creature baits along the bottom for prowling offshore bass.

Wacky Rig

A weightless and (mostly) weedless approach, the wacky rig features a plastic worm fastened to a hook right around its middle with a rubber band. Worms — especially fat, flexible presentations like the Senko — bounce and wiggle on both ends as they fall through the water, making them lifelike and difficult for hungry bass to pass up.

Drop Shot

A staple of deep-water bassing, the drop shot features a soft plastic lure suspended (usually a foot or two) above the titular drop shot weight, which sits on the bottom. Drop shots can be useful in many situations, but they are particularly effective when the fish have moved into deeper water and/or are relatively inactive in colder temperatures. A fish finder helps, but once you have a drop shot technique dialed in, you can fish it with confidence anytime bass are present.

Ned Rig

Relatively new to the scene, the Ned Rig has taken bass fishing by storm. It involves a small, flat-topped finesse jig fished in tandem with a buoyant soft plastic worm or crayfish. The jig head sits on the bottom and, without much movement from the angler, the plastic wobbles, wiggles and sways. Bass love it, particularly smallmouth in the Snake River system. The jig heads also pair nicely with more traditional soft plastic swimbaits and crayfish.

For a deeper dive on bass rigging, check out my bass fishing class next spring. Tight lines!

Jordan Rodriguez has been fishing Idaho waters since he was a teen. Share your fish stories, adventures, tips and tricks with him at tightlinesboise@gmail.com or visit www.tightlines208.com.