Page 45 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine June 2023-Revised

I use is a 5/0 and it is used with bigger baits like a full-size brush hog or 10-inch worm. I prefer to use the
smallest hook possible, because it is easier to get the hook to penetrate than the larger, heavier hooks.

For weigh selection, consider the following things. The lighter the cover, the
lighter the weight. The heavier the cover, the heavier the weight. You may also
need to use heavier weights on windy days to help your bait fall and so you can
feel the cover as you are working it. Some other considerations are if the weight
is too light, it will not go through the cover and it is hard to feel. If it is too
heavy, it will require you to add extra action to work it through the cover. Nei-
ther is optimum. In short, the factors that determine sinker size include depth,
cover thickness and fishing conditions. If you are looking for greater sensitivi-
ty, consider using tungsten weights. Tungsten also provides you with a smaller
profile weight. Another consideration for our Texas Rig weight is whether to peg
the weight. I prefer pegging my weight to keep it in contact with the hook. I use
bobber stoppers. Place these on the line above the weight before tying the hook.
they can be slid up and down the line as needed.

Rod selection is another factor. The best rod to use is one with a 20/80 action, or a fast action rod (20% tip
and tapers into 80% backbone). This gets you the sensitivity to feel the bait as it is being worked along. Once
the bait is in the water, you want to work it from about the 10 o’clock range to the 12 o’clock range. As you
are working the bait up, you are feeling it. As the bait drops back down over the cover, you drop your rod tip
and let it fall. Then repeat the process of 10 o’clock to 12 o’clock, feeling what it is always doing. When the
bite occurs, you want to drop the rod down to about 10 o’clock, reel up the slack and then set the hook with
an upward jerk, right in front of your chest. The further the bait is away from the boat, the less force you can
apply on the hookset. Conversely, the closer the more force that you can apply on the hookset.

Line size is another consideration for use with the Texas Rig. My line size choices range from 10-15 lbs. Most
commonly, I use 12lbs for most Texas rig applications. Understand, that is my preference. If you talk to
someone else, they may use nothing less than 15 lb. line.

There are multiple ways to utilize the Texas rig.

Weightless: Cast the soft plastic with no weight and allow it to sink to the desired depth. At that point, you
can lift and drop the rod tip or twitch it. In either case, you can include a brief pause to let the bait drop back
down. Stick baits and flukes are two possible options for this.

Dragging: As the name suggests, cast the bait out and once it hits bottom, drag the lure a few feet by raising
the rod tip. Take up the slake and repeat. This is perfect for fishing steep banks, gravel, or rock bottoms espe-
cially when bass are feeding on crayfish.

Flipping/Pitching: These are reaction techniques with relatively close targets such as docks, brush and weed
edges.

Lift/Drop: As the name suggests, you cast out and let the bait fall to the bottom. Lift the bait and allow it to
fall back to the bottom. Maybe consider a few shakes of the rod tip to entice bass to bite.

Swimming: Cast the bait out and begin to retrieve it after a short pause through weed flats and other vegeta-
tion. The rate of the retrieve can vary and depends on the mood of the fish. The best baits for this are those
that will have some type or action such as a ribbon or a paddle tail.
Hopefully this will give you some options on your next fishing trip!

Lady Bass Anglers Association 45