Field Guide

Texas Rig

Weedless soft plastic — the most versatile worm rig in bass fishing.

Confidence

SpringSummerFallWinterDragSide-DragHopSlow Crawl / Swim

Gear

Rod

7'3" Medium-Heavy / Fast casting (Cashion ICON Worm & Jig or equivalent)

Reel

7.2:1 baitcaster (Shimano SLX 150 DC class)

Line

15–20 lb fluorocarbon (20 lb braid → 15 lb fluoro leader in heavy cover)

60-Second Refresher

Rig it straight: If the bait is kinked or bowed, it spins. Re-rig until the worm sits dead-straight on the hook.

Lightest weight you can fish: More natural fall = more bites. Heavy weights are for cover, depth, and wind — not the default.

Watch the line: Bites often show as sideways movement or slack before you feel anything.

Be thorough: Change angles and work the whole target before moving on.

When to Throw

Good Water

Fish tight to cover — grass, pads, brush, laydowns, docks. Pressured fish or tough bite. Post-front, high sun, shallow cover.

Bad Water

Fish chasing bait aggressively. Need to cover water fast. Fish suspended away from cover. Chunk rock that wedges the bullet weight constantly.

Bait Selection

Worms · Sticks · Speed Worms · Creatures

Zoom Trick Worm 6.5" + Yamamoto Senko 5" + Zoom Brush Hog 6"

Match bait profile to cover and mood: straight-tail finesse for pressure, stickworm for slow fall, swim worm for grass, creature for flipping, magnum worm for summer big bites.

Zoom Trick Worm 6.5"

Finesse / Straight Tail

Tough bites, clear water, pressured fish, docks, sparse grass — slow dragging

Subtle profile, all-around

Yamamoto Senko 5"

Stick Worm

Slow fall around shallow cover

Most natural fall in soft plastic

Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed Worm 7"

Swim Worm

Grass, pads, swimming lanes

Reel through vegetation

Zoom Ol' Monster 10.5"

Magnum Worm

Summer / big-fish bite

Step up for quality

Zoom Brush Hog 6"

Creature

Wood, brush, docks

Bulkier profile in cover

Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver 4.20"

Flipping Beaver

Bonus flipping bait — heavy cover, mats, pads

Compact creature for punching

Confidence Colors

Natural · Dark · Craw

Three color families cover almost every Texas-rig situation.

Green Pumpkin / Watermelon Red

Natural Default

Clear water, natural forage, pressured fish, daytime shallow cover

Most-used color family

Junebug / Hematoma

Dark Silhouette

Dirty water, low light, shade, thicker cover

Stronger contrast when visibility is low

Green Pumpkin Red / Magic Craw Red

Craw Tones

Crawfish tones, summer grass, brush, bottom-feeding fish

Warm-water crawfish bite

Weight Selection

1/8 · 3/16 · 1/4 · 3/8 oz

Pick the lightest weight that still gives you bottom feel and cast control.

1/8 oz

Shallow / Slow Fall

Shallow water, slow fall, pressured fish, sparse cover

Most natural presentation

3/16 oz

All-Purpose

Best general-purpose weight for most Texas-rig worm fishing

Default starting weight

1/4 oz

Wind / Contact

Wind, moderate depth, slightly thicker cover, better bottom contact

Step up when feel goes

3/8 oz

Heavy Cover

Heavier cover, deeper water, faster fall, sparse grass to punch through

Use peg when needed

How to Fish It

Drag · Side-Drag · Hop · Slow Crawl / Swim

Match cadence to mood: drag for tough bites, hop for active fish, swim through grass lanes.

Drag

Cold Fronts / Tough Bites

Reel tight, pull rod 9 → 11 o'clock, pause, repeat

Best bottom contact

Side-Drag

All-Around

Drag sideways to keep bottom contact and stay ready to set

Easier hookset angle

Hop

Active Fish

Two small pops, let it fall back — active fish, creatures, warm water

Bite often on the fall

Slow Crawl / Swim

Grass / Pads

Crawl through cover with short pulls, or slowly reel a Speed Worm through grass

Steady contact

Common mistake — Fishing too fast. Slow down, pause more, and keep it in the strike zone. If you're not snagging occasionally, you're not on the bottom.

Where to Throw Each

Lily Pads

Pitch to holes, edges, and shade pockets.

Grass Edges

Let it fall into pockets, lanes, and outside edges.

Laydowns

Work from outside limbs toward the trunk.

Dock Posts

Skip or pitch tight to shade and posts.

Brush / Isolated Cover

Crawl slowly and make multiple casts from different angles.

Cheat Sheet

Default / unknown

3/16 oz + 6.5" Trick Worm Green Pumpkin — slow drag.

Slow fall around docks

1/8 oz + 5" Senko — let it fall on slack line.

Grass swimming lanes

3/16 oz + 7" Magnum Speed Worm — slow reel.

Summer big bite

1/4 oz + Ol' Monster 10.5" Plum or Junebug.

Wood / brush / docks

3/16–1/4 oz + 6" Brush Hog Green Pumpkin.

Heavy mats / punching

3/8 oz pegged + Sweet Beaver 4.20" — punch and shake.

Crooked bait

Re-rig until straight — a kinked worm spins and won't get bit.