Rigged for success

There are a few techniques that stand out as consistently producing bass over the years, regardless of the location within the country. Soft plastic baits are incredibly good at tricking bass into biting, and they can be rigged in different ways to be very efficient at doing their job. 

The first that stands out is a traditional Texas rig, a bullet-shaped weight rigged above a worm or creature-style bait. Then there is the Carolina rig. It uses a larger weight above a swivel with a 2- to 4-foot leader between the weight and the worm hook. Next is the drop-shot rig. The drop shot involves a leader, but unlike the Carolina rig or Texas rig, the weight is below the bait, typically on a leader that ranges from 6 inches to a foot or more. Then the shaky-head worm comes to mind. It uses a simple jighead, but the worm is rigged weedless in a similar fashion to the Texas rig. The only difference is that the shaky head causes the bait that is rigged on it to stand up on the bottom when it lands and during the retrieve.