How To

Wacky Rig Bass | Cox’s 4 Tips to Improve Success



Most of us want to power fish with moving baits, but success can be hit or miss. It’s a fact that bass love plastic worms like babies love nooks, and when the bite gets tough, few lures produce like a wacky-rigged worm. Florida bass fishing phenom John Cox discusses when to reach for a wacky rig, how to fish it, and his preferred tackle and rod setup.

TACKLE USED
• HOOK – Berkley Fusion 19 Finesse Wide Gap Hook, Size #1: https://wired2.fish/Fusion19-FinesseWideGapHook-Walmart
• WORM – Berkley Powerbait Maxscent The General Worm, 5in Green Pumpkin: https://wired2.fish/BerkleyTheGeneral
• ROD – Abu Garcia Fantasista X Spinning Rod. 7′ MH: https://wired2.fish/AbuFantasistaX-SpinningRod
• REEL – Abu Garcia REVO MGX 30 Spinning Reel: https://wired2.fish/AbuGarciaREVO-MGX-SpinningReel
• MAIN LINE – Berkley Fireline Ultra 8 Superline, Crystal 8-pound: https://wired2.fish/FirelineUltra8Crystal
• LEADER LINE – Berkley FluoroShield Line, 8- to 10-pound: https://wired2.fish/BerkleyFluoroshieldLine

Cox’s 4 tips to improve wacky rigging success:

1. Use a copolymer leader line. Cox wants suppleness and stretch in the leader material when fishing a no-stretch mainline. A fluorocarbon-infused copolymer delivers excellent handing, stretch, and abrasion resistance. These attributes increase bait action, and in turn, bites while reducing line breakage and hook tears.

2. Choose baits with scent. Yes, good action is essential but pressured bass has seen the routine. Cox is a huge believer in the triggering power of PowerBait MaxScent, especially when targeting conditioned fish.

3. Use a finesse wide gap hook. Cox has fished them all and now wacky-rigs nearly exclusively using a size #1, short-shank, wide-gap hook.

4. Make underhand casts. Long, underhand pitches keep your line-to-line knot in good shape (less stress) and deliver better accuracy when fishing around cover.

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26 Comments

  1. Why would you apologize for one of the most successful baits and techniques in bass fishing??? Geez I use it 80% of the time with high success and sizable bass!! Guess I should apologize guys!! Not, I thought fishing was about catching, and releasing. Not expensive bait and power fishing 100%. Disappointing apology. I’m proud to wacky!!

  2. Never apologize for catching bass on a wacky!!! I live in a state not known for huge bass and it’s a tougher catch. I catch 80% off my bass on a wacky and it’s changed the game for my smallie numbers-catching torpedoes!!!

  3. Will I catch fish with this if I am fishing a lake? It’s got a above average amount of weeds but for the most part just a normal lake

  4. I feel like you get MUCH better action using a smaller hook. The hook being so much smaller than the general you see a lot more of that natural wobble action.

  5. We live in such a high paced way of living in todays society we can lose sight of the value or benefit from slowing down. Lakes are so vast that we as fisherman see candy everywhere and want to try to explore the whole store in one shot but it is nearly impossible to do that. Most of the time I can spend all day picking apart and fishing in a small section of a large body of water and generate more bites compared to running/gunning trying to shop the whole store. Slowing down is key and to be honest quite enjoyable.

  6. Johnny, you know Dudley’s gonna poke you, especially when it comes to wacky rigging, and after he won AOY 😂😂😂 He’s coming out with his own Wacky Rig Kits 😜😎 I can’t wait for you to get this season started 2022🙌🎣🍀🔨

  7. I hate to see guys crank a bass to a horizontal position just by the lower lip. Either keep it vertical or support the fish with other hand under the tail area. Too many injured fish.

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