Why the Texas Rig Rules
The Texas rig is the most versatile setup in bass fishing. A bullet weight, an offset worm hook, and a soft plastic — that's it. It's completely weedless, works at any depth, and can be fished slow or fast depending on conditions. If you're only going to learn one bass fishing rig beyond the Ned rig, make it this one.
Slide a tungsten or lead bullet sinker onto your line, point facing down. Tungsten is denser and gives better bottom feel.
Tie on a 3/0 or 4/0 offset worm hook with a Palomar knot. The offset bend is what allows the weedless rigging.
Thread the hook through the nose of the bait 1/4", rotate, and bury the point just under the skin of the plastic.
Choosing Your Weight
| Weight | Best For | Fall Rate | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 oz | Shallow finesse, clear water | Very slow | Calm, clear, pressured |
| 3/16 oz | General shallow fishing (2–8 ft) | Slow | Most conditions |
| 1/4 oz | All-purpose, slight wind | Medium | Everyday standard |
| 3/8 oz | Deeper water, flipping cover | Fast | Wind, current, depth |
| 1/2 oz+ | Heavy cover, deep flipping | Very fast | Thick mats, 15 ft+ |
Best Baits for a Texas Rig
The all-time standard Texas rig worm. Straight-tail design falls slowly and naturally. Deadly in open water on a light weight.
More appendages means more action and more displacement. Great for flipping heavy cover where bass need a bigger profile to trigger.
Craw profile triggers bass keyed on crawfish — especially in spring on rocky bottoms. The claws kick on the fall.
The legendary stick bait. Nose-hooked Texas style and weightless, it falls in a slow, tantalizing shimmy that drives bass insane.
The Retrieve
The Texas rig is primarily a bottom contact bait. Cast it out, let it hit bottom, and move it with a combination of hops and drags. The most basic retrieve: lift the rod from 9 o'clock to 12 o'clock, let the bait fall back on a semi-slack line, take up slack, and repeat. Most bites come on the fall.
In heavy cover like laydowns and dock pilings, pitch or flip the bait directly into the strike zone and let it fall. Don't move it much — the fall is the presentation. When it hits bottom, a small shake in place is often all you need.
When to Fish It
The Texas rig is a year-round producer but it peaks in summer when bass are buried in thick cover. Any time you see heavy vegetation, laydowns, dock pilings, or matted grass — reach for the Texas rig. It's also the premier spawning bed bait, dropped on a nest and left to aggravate a guarding bass.
Rod, Reel & Line Setup
For most Texas rig applications, a 7'0"–7'3" medium-heavy fast action baitcasting rod is ideal. You need backbone for the hookset and enough length to move fish out of cover. Pair with 15–17 lb fluorocarbon in clear water or 30–50 lb braid in heavy cover.