The Good Ole Texas Rig
By: John R. Pulliam

Over the years, there has not been a lure rigging method that has been nearly as effective as the Texas-Rig. A myriad of lures can be utilized with this method; however, there are a lot of anglers that do not realize that they may be rigging their lures incorrectly.

Most anglers that I have witnessed simply take a lure from their bag or tackle compartment, and impale the poor lure on the hook, and let her go. Many anglers do not realize that they can get quite a bit more action from their lures, here's a few ways I found to get the most out of time fishing.

The most common mistakes that I have found are with a worm that has a curly tail, or has a tail that imparts some type of action. Most worms I have fished have lines from the mold in which they were created, that goes directly down to the tail. If that is not the case, most worms have a "flat spot" where the tail starts.

In order to get the most action from a worm that is Texas-rigged, you must rig the worm so that the tail is on the opposite side from which your hook will sit, when completely rigged. That is, find the "flat spot" on the worm, and line it up so that your hook is dead even with that area. Once this is done, the action you get should be much greater than rigging it incorrectly.

Another place where mistakes could be made is when rigging a Texas-rigged lizard or salamander. Most bass have never seen a lizard swim upside down. However, there are anglers that make the mistake of rigging lizards so that when they are coming through the water, they swim up-side down. In order to rig a lizard properly, look at the lizard, and determine which side is the top side. That is, determine which side has eyes, scales, etc. Anything that differs from the other side, which in most cases, is smooth.

Take the lizard, and insert your hook, and rig is to that when finished, the hook sits on the "top" side of the lure. This will guarantee you that your lizard will look natural coming through the water. Anglers want their lures to look as natural as possible. Having natural looking bait will not only get your more strikes, but it will also equate to more bass in the boat.

Finally, I would like to discuss rod and reel setups for Texas-rigging. In my opinion, a 7-7 ½ ft. rod is best, with a medium-heavy action. Combine this with a reel that has a high gear ratio, 6.1:1 or 6.2:1, which is spooled with nothing less than 15 # test. Often times, fluorocarbon is best, because of less stretch, higher abrasion resistance, and greater feel.

When choosing a lead, allow the conditions to dictate that for you. With heavy winds, heavy current, or heavy mats of weeds, go with a heavier sinker. In lighter conditions, go with the opposite.

As for hooks, I use nothing but an Extra Wide Gap (EWG) hook. There are several manufacturers that produce EWG hooks. Experiment until you find which hook best suits you.

I hope that this gives all anglers a greater under of some concepts behind a more efficient and better Texas rig.

Until next time, tight lines and be safe.

John R. Pulliam