Texas Rig
The Texas rig is a soft plastic bait on an offset hook with a sliding bullet weight in front of it. The hook point is buried in the plastic, so it slides through grass, wood and brush without snagging. If you learn one bass rig, learn this one.
- Skill levelBeginner friendly
- Best forLargemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass
- Where it shinesGrass, wood, docks, brush
- Depth1 to 25 feet
- SeasonAll year (water 45°F and up)
- SpeedSlow, on the bottom
What a Texas rig is
Three parts: a bullet-shaped weight, an offset worm hook, and a soft plastic. The weight slides on the line ahead of the hook. The hook goes in through the nose of the bait, and the point is tucked back into the body. Nothing sharp is exposed until a fish bites down, which is why you can throw it into places that would hang up almost any other lure.
The rig is generally credited to East Texas anglers in the late 1950s and 1960s, who buried the hook point in the then-new plastic worm so they could fish flooded timber. It has caught bass everywhere since.
What you need
| Item | Start here | Step up for heavy cover |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | 3/0 offset worm hook (EWG, “extra wide gap”) | 4/0 straight-shank flipping hook |
| Weight | 1/4 oz bullet weight | 1/2 to 1 oz tungsten, pegged |
| Bait | 6 to 7 inch plastic worm or a 4 inch creature bait | Compact craw or “beaver” style bait |
| Line | 12 to 15 lb fluorocarbon | 40 to 65 lb braid in thick grass |
| Rod | 7 ft medium-heavy, fast action | 7 ft 3 in to 7 ft 6 in heavy |
| Reel | Baitcaster, 7:1 gear ratio or faster | Same |
A 7 ft medium spinning rod with 10 to 15 lb braid and a 10 lb fluorocarbon leader handles a light Texas rig (1/8 to 1/4 oz) fine. It is a good way to start around ponds and docks.
How to rig it in 6 steps
- Slide the weight on. Thread the bullet weight onto your line with the pointed end facing the rod.
- Tie on the hook. A Palomar knot is strong and easy with fluorocarbon or braid. Wet the knot before you pull it tight.
- Go in through the nose. Push the hook point straight into the center of the bait’s nose about a quarter inch, then bring it out the side.
- Slide and turn. Slide the bait up the hook to the eye, then turn the hook halfway around so the point faces the bait. The bend near the eye locks the nose in place.
- Measure, then hook the body. Lay the hook along the bait and note where the bottom of the bend falls. Push the point through the body at that spot.
- Tuck the point. Push the point all the way through, then slide the tip just back under the surface of the plastic. Anglers call this “skin hooking.” It keeps the rig weedless and makes the hook set easier.
Hold the line and let the bait hang. It must be dead straight. A kink or bunch makes the bait spin, which twists your line and looks wrong to fish. If it is not straight, back the point out and hook the body again.
Peg or no peg? A peg is a small rubber stop that holds the weight against the bait. Peg it in thick grass, brush and mats so the weight and bait go through together. Leave it sliding in open water and sparse cover, where the bait falls more naturally.
Hook and weight sizes
Match the hook to the bait and the weight to depth and cover. The usual rule: use the lightest weight that still lets you feel the bottom.
| Bait | Hook size |
|---|---|
| 4 to 5 inch finesse worm, small craw | 1/0 to 2/0 |
| 6 to 7 inch worm, 5 inch stick bait, creature bait | 3/0 to 4/0 |
| 10 inch worm, bulky creature or beaver bait | 4/0 to 5/0 |
| Weight | Use it when |
|---|---|
| 1/8 to 3/16 oz | Water under 6 feet, sparse cover, calm days, or fish that want a slow fall |
| 1/4 to 3/8 oz | The all-purpose range: 5 to 15 feet, light grass, wood and docks |
| 1/2 oz | 15 to 25 feet, wind, or thicker grass |
| 3/4 to 1 1/2 oz | Punching through matted grass. Always pegged, on braid |
How to fish it: three retrieves
Most bites come while the bait is falling or sitting still, so slow down and watch your line.
Drag
Cold water, tough daysCast, let it reach bottom, then sweep the rod sideways a foot or two so the bait crawls. Reel up the slack and pause 3 to 10 seconds.
Lift and drop
Spring through fallLift the rod from 9 o’clock to 11 o’clock so the bait hops, then let it fall back on a slightly slack line. Be ready as it drops.
Pitch and soak
Visible coverDrop it next to a stump, dock post or hole in the grass. Let it fall straight down, shake it twice, wait, then move to the next target.
What a bite feels like
Sometimes it is a sharp “tick.” More often the line just feels heavy or mushy, goes slack before the bait should have hit bottom, or starts moving sideways. When anything feels different, reel down until the line is tight, then sweep the rod up hard. The hook has to drive through the plastic first, so a firm hook set matters.
Season by season
| Season | Where | Bait and weight |
|---|---|---|
| Winter (below 50°F) | Steeper banks, creek channel bends, deeper wood | Small craw or finesse worm, 1/4 to 3/8 oz, dragged slowly |
| Pre-spawn (50 to 60°F) | Points and the first drop outside shallow flats | Creature bait or lizard, 1/4 oz |
| Spawn (60 to 70°F) | Protected pockets, around any shallow cover | Lizard, creature or stick bait, 1/8 to 3/16 oz |
| Post-spawn (70s) | Docks, shade, and near bluegill beds | Straight-tail worm, 3/16 to 1/4 oz |
| Summer (80°F and up) | Deep grass edges, brush piles, ledges. Shade early and late | 10 inch ribbon-tail worm, 3/8 to 1/2 oz |
| Fall (cooling) | Creek arms with baitfish, docks, fallen trees | Craw or creature bait, 1/4 to 3/8 oz |
Start with a 6 inch worm on a 1/8 to 1/4 oz weight. Cast along the bank instead of straight out, and work the grass edge, the corners of the dam and any wood in the water. On small waters this is one of the most reliable first casts you can make.
Color: keep it simple
| Water | Colors that work |
|---|---|
| Clear | Green pumpkin, watermelon |
| Stained | Junebug, green pumpkin with a chartreuse tail |
| Muddy, or at night | Black and blue, solid black |
Common mistakes and the fix
- Too much weight. A heavy weight falls fast and looks unnatural. Drop down a size until you can only just feel the bottom.
- Bait is not straight. It spins and twists your line. Re-hook the body until it hangs straight.
- Fishing too fast. Count to five between moves. In cold water, count to ten.
- Soft hook set. Reel the slack out first, then set hard. A fast-action, medium-heavy rod helps.
- Hook too small for a bulky bait. The plastic fills the gap and the point never reaches the fish. Go up a hook size.
- Torn nose. Once the nose tears, the bait slides down the hook. Bite off a half inch and re-rig, or change baits.
Watch it done
Video: Texas Rig Tips and Simple Tricks To Catch More Fish, by TacticalBassin on YouTube.
Common questions
What is the best all-around Texas rig setup?
A 3/0 offset hook, a 1/4 oz bullet weight and a 6 inch green pumpkin worm on 12 to 15 lb fluorocarbon. It covers most ponds and lakes from spring through fall.
Do I need a bead between the weight and the hook?
No. Some anglers add a glass bead so the weight clicks against it and to protect the knot, but the rig works well without one.
Lead or tungsten weights?
Lead is cheaper and fine for learning. Tungsten is smaller for the same weight and harder, so you feel the bottom better. Some states and waters restrict lead tackle, so check local rules.
What is the difference between a Texas rig and a Carolina rig?
On a Texas rig the weight sits right at the bait. On a Carolina rig the weight is held 1 to 3 feet up the line by a swivel, so the bait floats and glides behind it. Texas rigs are better in cover. Carolina rigs cover open bottom faster.
Can I use it for fish other than bass?
Yes. Scaled down with a small hook and bait, it catches crappie and panfish, and catfish and redfish anglers use the same weedless idea.
Keep learning
General guidance, not a guarantee of a catch. Follow state fishing regulations and your host’s lake rules. Sizes and line weights are common starting points used by bass anglers; adjust for your water.
