Fishing a plastic worm or other soft-plastic bait remains the most popular way to catch bass among anglers. There are 5 basic rigs for bass fishing soft plastic rigs that every angler should know to give them the best chance to catch bass in various scenarios.
Click each image to see more in-depth explanations and tips for each rig.
Easily the most popular of all bass fishing soft plastic rigs, the Texas rig protects the hook point inside of the plastic so it can be fished through cover without fouling.
Similar to the Texas rig, the hook is protected in the plastic. However, the weight is set apart from the lure with a leader and a swivel and often a bead to protect the knot. It gives the bait more freedom of movement when dragged along the bottom over large areas.
The drop shot rig has proven to be one of the most effective rigs for pressured, clear-water bass that react better to more natural presentations. The weight is located at the bottom and the hook is up the line keeping the lure off the bottom.
The wacky rig presents the bait with a lifelike fall and a powerful twitching action that has proven very effective in both shallow and deep water. It is one of the best ways to present a soft plastic in clear, shallow water. It’s the easiest rig to skip underneath cover as well.
Similar to the wacky rig, the Neko rig utilizes an O-ring and wacky hook but is weighted in the head of the soft plastic by a nail weight. This gives the bait a stand-up presentation in the water but still has a unique twitching action much like a wacky rig. It can be fished a bit faster than a wacky rig.
