How to Setup the Texas Rig (video)

The Texas Rig is a tried-and-true system for fishing soft-plastic baits such as worms, lizards, tubes and creature baits. Since this rig is virtually weedless, it excels in and around heavy cover.

Rigging Up a Texas Rig

Gamakatsu EWG Worm Hook

Slide a worm weight onto your line and tie on the worm fishing hook of your choice. Insert the barb into the nose of your worm, lizard, creature or craw and push it about a 1/2 inch into the bait, then exit the body. Slide the body over the eye of the hook, turn the hook 180 degrees, and re-insert the point. Push it all the way through, then back it off so that the hook point lies just beneath the surface of your bait. This rig is weedless, and the hook is poised to penetrate.

Best Conditions to use a Texas Rig

Anytime you need a weedless, natural-looking bait worked slowly. You can allow the worm weight to slide freely to hold onto a light bite, peg it for better control in heavy cover, or fish the rig weightless.

Where Can a Texas Rig be Fished?

A Texas rig can be fished successfully through the thickest cover you can imagine — bulrushes, lily pads, grass, brush and timber. It performs best in shallow to moderate depths.

Suggested Fishing Tackle for a Texas Rig

Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series Squirmin' Worm

Bass Pro Shops Fishing Baits

• Squirmin' Worm (6-inch)
• Squirmin' Worm (4-inch)
• Squirmin' Super Worm (10- to 12-inch)
• Squirmin' Lizard (4- to 6-inch)
  
  

Bass Pro Shops Fishing Hooks

• XPS Offset Round Bend (2/0 or 3/0)
• XPS Straight Shank Round Bend (2/0 or 3/0)
• XPS SuperLock (2/0 or 3/0)
  
  

  XPS Tungsten Worm Weights

Bass Pro Shops Fishing Weights

• Lead Worm Weights
• XPS Tungsten Worm Weights
  

XPS Metal Worm Rattle

Bass Pro Shops Fishing Accessories

• XPS Metal Worm Rattles
  

Bass Pro Shops Fishing Line (10- to 17-pound test)

• XPS Signature Series Fluorocarbon Fishing Line
• Tourney Tough Monofilament Fishing Line
• Excel Monofilament Line-Jumbo Spool
  

Johnny Morris CarbonLite 2.0 Casting Rod

Fishing Rods and Combos (6- to 7-foot Medium-Heavy or Heavy Baitcast Rod)

• Johnny Morris CarbonLite 2.0 Casting Rod
• Johnny Morris Platinum Signature Baitcast Combo
• Bass Pro Shops Power Plus Graphite Trigger Rod
• Bass Pro Shops XPS Bionic Blade Casting Rods
  

Fishing Reels (Baitcast Reel)

• Bass Pro Shops Bionic Plus Low-Profile Baitcast Reel
• Bass Pro Shops Formula Baitcast Reel
• Bass Pro Shops MegaCast Metal Round Baitcast Reel
• Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite 2.0 Baitcast Reel
  

How to Tie the Texas Rig