The Game-Changing TWIST On a Wacky Rig - Underwater Footage

This is a great alternative to the traditional wacky rigged stickbait. Watch the action underwater when a weighted jig head was used. Links to components are listed below.
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#bassfishing #bassfishingtipsandtechniques #largemouthbass #smallmouthbass #bassfishingtips

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

My new Bass Behavior Bundle is active. You can join here or find out more by following this link: www.steverogersoutdoors.com/bass-behavior-bundle-info Thank you! Have a blessed day!

[@jasonray3901]

I don't usually comments but I had to on this. I used this technique yesterday in a tournament in texas and caught 2 back to back on 2 different docks. One was 5.5lb and the other was 4.5lbs. I had never done this before but remembered your video. THANK YOU Steve!!! Your videos are great!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That is so awesome to hear! And those are some great fish. Congratulations! And thanks so much for letting me know. I really appreciate it.

[@Rooster0529]

Wow, I’d eat that caffeine shad. Great looking presentation.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It took a lot of tinkering but I am pretty happy with it!

[@cherokeelakeguy2386]

You deserve at least 1 million subs. Exceptional content!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thank you! I really appreciate you watching!

[@Samurai-em4zr]

What i love about wacky riging a fluke is that they last way longer than senkos

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That is so very true!

[@edpoints1127]

Samurai 3008 - that's the problem with 95% of soft plastics out there... They don't last too long

[@seanp9157]

Use an O-ring

[@aldos9553]

@@seanp9157 personally i got a low hook up ratio with the rings

[@joepworther2284]

Thanks, Steve !!!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@kennyhilton4605]

Good stuff Steve

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks!

[@kevindunn3883]

Thank God for another older fisherman with "challenged" vision! 😅 I've been watching your videos for several weeks now and believe you've earned your honorary degree in marine biology!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks! I keep my cheaters in my boat all the time. Those knots and eyes on the hooks keep getting smaller and smaller.

[@kevindunn3883]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors Agreed! Perhaps we should start the OG Lure Co with oversized hook and line ties! 😂

[@shannonkirby9295]

Great to see ya, Steve. Great info. Be safe

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

You too! Have a great weekend and I hope you’re getting to enjoy some nice weather!

[@Lsmoe]

Love it OG Gonna try that this weekend !!! Stand By

[@danielmckeen2465]

Nice tips 👍 hope to see more like this🤠 you doing it🤓

[@kenjarvis2123]

Good stuff Steve, new subscriber, can't wait to try the coffee too. Two things in life that will get my attention,great fishing how to's and great coffee, you have covered both.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks so much! I appreciate it.

[@bradystroman7475]

Gonna try this today on docks

[@turtlepoi]

Hoping to give back a lil here on the channel. FWIW the Z shimmies WAY more than the Z-Too does on a slack line drop. Doubling the weight on the tail really restricts the Z-Too.

[@Nate_Higgins]

Man, I love the caffeine shad. Just weightless t rig ewg has a great shimmy and can fish like a too water. Tail is like a worm. I love the versatility of that bait.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It’s a solid design for sure. Was really pleased how it performed on this rig too!

[@ADKyakman]

Steve… you put the weighted hook on through the belly first so the bait fell straight up (back side up-like its supposed to) but you didn’t do that with the weightless baits- although I can’t see it being too effective weightless. The caffeine shade is dynamite 🧨 on a Core tackle hover rig. It has literally all the action you were “looking for” in the wacky rig style, minus the big weighted jig being exposed under it… it’s much more natural, hey give it a try, and if you or you know someone looking for a presentation like this, try the hover rig.. I think you’ll enjoy it

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I just did a video on the Hover rig with the Caffeine Shad. Looks so good! Thank you for adding this. I appreciate it.

[@richthompson3326]

Great info! Thanks Steve!

[@gregchilders7643]

Great tip. Plus this is a good way to extend the use of the bait cause usually the head or the spot where you put the hook through gets worn out after a couple of fish

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Yes, this should definitely last longer. Thanks!

[@garyong2499]

Here's another bait to use on the weighted wacky, the sluggo. Use a 3/16 or 1/4 weighted wacky hook for the 6 inch sluggo and rig it so the flat side is down when the bait falls. This gives the most wiggle of any bait I have found when wacky rigging. Best use for your sluggos that you never use any more.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I love this! There was a time when my tackle box was jammed with slug-gos. Wasn’t that the package that also said something like “made with lard.” If I am remembering correctly. Thank you for sharing!

[@gregchilders7643]

​@@SteveRogersOutdoors you are referring to bass assassin

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

@@gregchilders7643 gotcha. You are right. Now I remember. Lol

[@secretbassrigs]

Also try the Spunk Shad. It's such soft plastic and the pin tail has so much action when Wacky Rigged. Especially when you can "LINE THROUGH" it too! It will swim on the retrieve! 😲 I'm in Southern California and have been using it this way for a couple of years. I always wanted an improvement on the standard wacky rig because of the way it folds unnaturally on the retrieve. But a couple of years ago, suddenly, it seemed everyone abandoned their drop shots for wacky rigging, and the fish caught on and stopped being as aggressive towards it. I'm the only one that I know that uses this technique because I kept it a secret until a few weeks ago, and have been sharing it on YT comment sections the past couple of weeks. Another tip: use a hitchhiker, with shrink tubing covering the eye under your soft plastic bait, as an anchor point for your wacky jig. It keeps the hook point just enough away from the body of your bait to keep it from interfering with the hook point. Combined with a line through rigging, it becomes fairly weedless also. It worked so well for me in the most pressured waters.

[@secretbassrigs]

@@gregchilders7643 yup, Sluggos were the original soft jerkbaits. I believe they coined the term. They were my favorite in the 1990s. I couldn't understand how they could be so easily replaced by the "fluke" design a couple of years later. They didn't have the squirmy hunting and searching ability the sluggos had.

[@rocketsurgeon1746]

Great video as usual

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Appreciate that

[@eddyd.105]

Love it! I just got back from my local lake and was killing it on Ribbits running them across the tops of the lillypads caught 8 in a 2hr span. It doesn't get much funner than that.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That is hands down one of my favorite ways to catch 'em. Those explosions are very addictive. I always cross my fingers every year to have some great frog fishing trips.

[@zipzapzoom111]

The lunkerhunt versa fish is outstanding for a weighted wacky. It is also naturally buoyant, being elaztech.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks for adding this!

[@Fugettaboutit]

Caffeine Shad is already my go-to fluke. But I'm definitely giving this a try...makes total sense that it's essentially what the original Senko wacky rig achieves but with an even better bait profile and some extra 'swim'.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Good luck with it! It’s a great lure for sure.

[@Tbowie13]

Love that caffeine shad to get deeper when I want to fish a fluke. I typically donkey rig when fluke fishing, but had wondered about whacky. Great tip, I'll be throwing this for sure, especially on suspended fish if they won't bite anything else. That slide is great!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It definitely has that added weight and casts a mile. Good luck with it!

[@Fishing_with_Bas]

In Italy we use to call that rig the 3/4 👍🏻 it’s been years helping us to catch big bass in Alps waters

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That is awesome! On a side note, I would love to fish there. On my bucket list to get there.

[@LowBrowFishing]

I burned through my last pack of caffeine shad baits just yesterday. Now I really have a reason to buy a bunch more packs. Hands down, my favorite fluke-style bait! I am definitely giving this a try next time I head out.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It took some real messing around to get the fall I liked, but now I have a lot of confidence in it. Was just out now and the swim jig was the ticket.

[@secretbassrigs]

LowBrow, I shared a more advanced similar set up on your channel a few days ago, when you asked people to share their tips on wacky rigging. I'm sure you remember. You deleted it Twice! The second time was when you asked me to repost it, only for you to delete it again! 🧐 SMH at ya, Low Balling Simp....pro bass imposter. Is it simply because I humbly asked you a sincere question a week ago; whether or not you used Fluorocarbon for the Slobber Knocker you commented on using regularly, on another channel? You replied, you couldn't remember if you used Fluorocarbon with it or not. Only to follow it up with, "probably, I use fluoro a lot" LOL! 😂

[@secretbassrigs]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors try it using a line through! You won't regret it. Looks great on camera too. And you can also stab the weighted Wacky's weed guard through the fluke to keep it more stable and balanced. I pour my own weighted Wacky Rig hooks, and only use the almost useless, syringe thin, Do-It wire weed guards for that purpose.

[@drakes1515]

Great video. Nice seeing something new. Will give this a shot at my Wednesday night tournament next week. Hope none of my competitors see this video. Lol.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Good luck!

[@funkymojo111]

Great idea! Thanks for sharing. I have been challenged at the local, highly pressured lake with new and different presentations from the bank.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Hopefully the pressure will slow down some in a month or so. Around here it really changes around July 4th

[@secretbassrigs]

Don't forget to use the "Dead Stick" technique. In Southern California, it doesn't get any better in regards to the crowds shutting the bite down. The deadstick is something most people do not consider. It also has no action that the bass can recognize as moving in an artificial manner. Add some quality scent crawfish or shad scent to it and use a small bait with a natural profile and color pattern. My "go-to" is an Aaron Magic patterned Reaper/Leach style finesse bait. I prefer 12 to 16 inches for the leader, on a drop shot rig. When the bass picks it up, it won't feel the weight. Keep an eye on your line. When it starts moving and the rod isn't in your hands, you know it's been picked up. Wind down on the slack, then set the hook.

[@TWC6724]

Good video. Always love underwater proof of what baits actually do. You should check out the “spine rig”. I use that one a lot. Came out pre hover rig and has a dying bait dive action.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I will do that! I haven’t heard of that one. Thank you!

[@F1REMAN317]

Finally used a wacky rig & caught a good bass on it.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Nice! It is a fun presentation.

[@thomasosteen6027]

Thanks for the video. Take care

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

You’re welcome and thanks!

[@davidwilliams1805]

Nice video! Appreciate you sharing something different on the wacky rig. Makes me think about how we should think outside the box on different techniques. #SteveRogersOutdoors rocks!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It is something I definitely plan to use a lot when those weekends this time of year are so pressured.

[@secretbassrigs]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors I've been using a weighted Wacky Rig Hook, line through hybrid rig, for the past couple of years. It's deadly! I always considered it my personal secret, but started sharing it the past couple of months. It will kick like a swimbait on the retrieve too! What gave you the idea?

[@secretbassrigs]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors try using a Spunk Shad. It has more action than a fluke.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

@@secretbassrigs I will! Thank you.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

@@secretbassrigs The first time I used it was when I was fishing a lot of current on the Mississippi River. I wanted something to help the rig not get swept away too fast and then started playing around with it on lakes too. Been a big fan.

[@Steve-ev6vx]

You can get the unweighted action you are talking about with the Yum Swim Dinger. It is basically a skinny sienko with a swim tail.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@pmm422]

You need to try the Yamamoto 5" D Shad. it has some ribs on the tail and as it sinks the tail wags just like a senko maybe even more.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thank you! I will have to check that one out.

[@roberts.2413]

cool idea, I need to try that

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I’ve been quite pleased with it so far. Good luck with it!

[@eyeintheskiesdavid9277]

Great video Steve and thanks for the tips on how to rig it right going to give it a go later on let you know how I get on and thanks for sharing big like from me bud tight line's Steve 🎣👍🤝

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Good luck out there!

[@nickstayman2358]

I saw another video that someone wacky rigged a zoom fluke with a nail weight in the nose and it had a slide and shimmy action to it.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That is awesome! Thank you for sharing this.

[@michaelshoffner6584]

check out the hover rig hook by Core tackle

[@secretbassrigs]

💯!

[@secretbassrigs]

I highly recommend the Lunker City "Fin-S" flukes for Core Tackle's Hover Rig jig hooks. They don't have a hook slot, so they work perfectly. I like to cut a groove on either side past the midpoint, to free up more flexibility. It shimmies better on the glide downward and allows it to tail kick on the rise and retrieve. I made YT "SHORTS" with one rigged that way.

[@soevasive]

You can get thr drop dead hooks and they do this.... its the tail. Because the yamamoto d-shad does the same thing.

[@kawishiwib9776]

I think I am gonna rake this year

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Good luck this season!

[@kerryschallon8879]

Thanks Steve. I'll definitely try this.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Good luck! I have been quite pleased with it so far. And thank you for watching.

[@neolancer005]

I wonder if the yamamoto fat ika would be good for wacky rigging

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Great question! Definitely worth a try.

[@adamstreetboyzz]

Is there any way to get a smaller hook like that. I would love to try this on panfish.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That one is a VMC weighted wacky. Not sure how small they go.

[@johnm2617]

Dose the strike king hat * Have anything to do with the caffeine shad being the better one ?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Lol. I have lots of them obviously with my affiliation with them, but that tail is pretty special. That is why actuality showing real underwater footage is important to me. I just don’t want to say something without showing it.

[@B.A.Bassangler]

I always love a new way to fish baits I already own. Thanks for the tip, and one of the most informative channels on the KZbinses!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks! I was very happy the way it turned out.

[@secretbassrigs]

Try it on a Spunk Shad. Also try line through rigging it. When using finesse class lines and braids, it will still shimmy like a traditional wacky rig on the way down. The added benefit is that you can retrieve it so it swims nose first, like a swimbait. Depending on where you rig it, it will kick like one too. It's deadly when it can shimmy down, shimmy back up, then back down again in the same strike zone.

[@calfontenot4583]

You think 1/16 weighted hook would limit shimmy or would it work well?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I would definitely give it a try. The real key is having a lure that has that nice thin taper towards the tail. The salt-impregnated plastics have a decent weight to them before the weighted hook is added, so I would bet it will work well for you.

[@KissmyBasss]

It looks good, just no luck with it.

[@joestrummer9507]

How well does this come through weeds, wood, rocks, etc.? Also, was the jig rigged in the exact same spot on the fluke as it was on your sponsor's bait?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It will work nicely in all the same places you would use a traditional wacky rig. And also be challenging to use in the same places a normal wacky would. For the fluke, I tried to rig it where it had the most efficient or best action as well. So I would reposition the hook trying to get the best result I could with it. Thanks for watching!

[@catchofthedave8681]

OSP dolive stick. Japanese bait-It’s essentially a senko front half with a caffeine shad tail. It was built to shimmy weightless or otherwise. Or a little secret tip that I have learned, The best fluke style bait in existence to me is the 6th sense FLUSH. When you rig it weightless with an ewg hook or a gfinesse hybrid worm hook (my fav) and throw it out…..it sinks perfectly upright and horizontal, and it does a shimmy as it falls. The side fins, tail fins, and ball at tail fin cause it to shimmy. Its an amazing bait.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That is all great stuff! Thanks for sharing this.

[@questor_xl]

Another awesome video. The action on that caffeine shad was amazing. What type of line and test did you use in your testing?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Great questions! I had a 20lb braid mainline and then used a 12lb fluoro for leader.

[@davidbartley1798]

What size rod and reel are you using

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

The reel is a size 20 and the rod is 7’2” medium power rating with a fast action.

[@MrJohnB-qs6dp]

Awesome video!!! Hey Steve was wondering if you texas rigged the fluke then put a nail weight in the middle of back similar to the way Lobrow did the wacko rig? Just a thought. Stay Safe & God Bless!!!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I didn’t on this one, but that would definitely something to try. I really liked the way he did that rig.

[@MrJohnB-qs6dp]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors 👍👊

[@aldos9553]

what's that worm brand at 0:09?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That's a regular Yamamoto Senko.

[@aldos9553]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors thank you, I will try this rig

[@samuelstrickland3678]

Will this work with a 4" caffien shad.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I didn’t test a 4”, but I would sure think so.

[@samuelstrickland3678]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors thanks as always fir thegreat content.

[@mikefromoh2925]

The 4” caffeine shad is actually exactly as long as a regular zoom 5” super fluke!

[@mikefromoh2925]

It must be destiny! The only lures/ tackle I picked up so far this year is a pack of 4” caffeine shad- ghost shad, and a pack of Berkeley 1/16 wacky jigs! I love the stupid tube and the rigged backwards tube with a nose weight.

[@samuelstrickland3678]

@@mikefromoh2925 thanks.

[@iamalemontree]

Does this mean using 3/16 is too heavy?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

3/16 should be a good size. Especially if there is clearer water, that can be a really great fall rate.

[@iamalemontree]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors thanks Steve! What brand of wacky jig do ya recommend?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

@@iamalemontree i use a lot of VMC

[@iamalemontree]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors thanks much Steve! How heavy should i go if fishing deep like more than 20ft of water?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

@@iamalemontree I usually use a 3/8 to start and adjust from there

[@codycantrell2780]

Nooooo, dont give this info away. Ive been using this bait in place of a senko for years

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

You have definitely been onto something!

[@codycantrell2780]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors it’s wiggle is just deadly

[@courtneykachur9487]

Why do bass fishermen stand on the platform instead of rhe bottom of the boat. At 0:39 he easily could have landed that if he was standing on the bottom of the boat and he would not have needed to crawl around on all 4’s

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That is a great question. It has to do with the pitching technique. While anglers don’t pitch all the time, when they do the rod tip is lowered to make the presentation and distance is needed to clear the movement of the rod. And in my particular boat the bottom area was full of camera gear and there wasn’t much floor space. Lol. Once again, great question.

[@JamesJones-cx5pk]

Steve doesnt mince words or speak with forked tongue.👍😁

[@johncoopes1056]

Have you tried this in the winter ?

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I have not. It would be interesting to give it a go.