New School Weedless for Bass

We have all done it. You pass a bridge in your car and lean out the window in the hopes of seeing water below, super fishy bass water. The kind of waterway packed with fresh new lily pads and gnarly timber.

We all know that bass love to dig in to this heavy cover. Presenting a traditional bait to these buried fish can prove difficult as snags are almost guaranteed.

For most anglers the go-to weedless classic is a Texas Rig. This “T Rig” is a sliding bullet weight and an offset hook paired with a plastic worm.

While Texas Rigs work well for bass, there are some new school options that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Shaky Head

While bullet weights lay the bait flat on the bottom, shaky heads are designed to position the bait and hook upright.

Small twitches (or shakes) of the rod tip will instill action to the worm. This technique waves the bait right in the fishes face all the while remaining in same location.

This allows anglers to concentrate on specific areas. Shaky Heads perform very well in scenarios where finesse tactics win the bite.

Hinged Style Offset Hooks

Hinged style hooks allow additional freedom of movement. The bait will rise off the bottom to entice the fish especially when paired with a buoyant plastic.

EWG Weighted Shank

Weighted shank hooks can be adapted to a wide variety of sizes and styles of plastics. Usually extra wide gap (EWG), these hooks allow plenty of room for the soft plastic.

Weighted shank hooks excel when paired with swim style baits

Weighted shank hooks excel when paired with swim style baits for bass. Many recent tournament trail victories have been attributed to swim baits rigged weedless with a shiny underspin attached.

Tokyo Rig

A unique new offering quickly gaining popularity is the Tokyo Rig. This setup props the bait up off a silty bottom that would otherwise hide the bait.

The presentation also provides a snag free profile that easily penetrates even the densest of weed mats. Weight can be adjusted as needed using a bendable wire.

Don’t shy away from areas untouched by other anglers due to dense cover. Try using some of the examples above to dig those giant bass out.

Break out of your “T Rig” comfort zone today!

You just never know when that perfect cast will pay off and produce the fish of a lifetime.

Jim Morrissey | President – Chucktown Kayak Bassin’
CKB Angler of the Year 2018
Co-Founder of Yak-Bassin’ – www.yakbassintrail.com

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