TackleTour

Holy crap, how do you rig these? Surely not a wacky jighead, right? I'm thinking weightless on an 11/0 Owner oversize worm hook, but won't that kill the action? Only got 5, so I don't want to waste them just figuring out how to use them.

I can only speak for myself, but I'd definitely wacky rig it. Toss that sucker into some places where there's bound to be some big girls.

Well, the biggest wacky hook I use is the 2/0 green owner, and that worm just dwarfs it. I don't know, I'll just have to try a few different things. I've got some 4/0 Kahle hooks and some bigger circles to try. At least I can use an O ring with it.

Wacky rig with a 2/0 or 3/0 owner or decoy. Ive had some luck. Doesnt only catch big fish. Planty of dinks too sadly

Giqqo wrote:Wacky rig with a 2/0 or 3/0 owner or decoy. Ive had some luck. Doesnt only catch big fish. Planty of dinks too sadly

How long do you wait to set the hook? 20 count? Lol, I still haven't really tried them yet.

Just how big are the 9.8s??? I have some 6.8s (I think that's what they are) in my plastics bag, never used them much though. Are the 9.8s just like a long thin Zoom Trick Worm or are they a good bit thicker, I saw someone mention they work with O-rings fine...
Are these Flick Shake 9.8s like a 7" Senko size? I doubt they are like the Netbait Super T-Mac 9", they are pretty thin.

Yeah, they're fat. At least as fat as a 5" senko. Just think ENORMOUS flick shake. They look like the same proportions as the other sizes.

I think the "big/long worm fear" is that a bass will somehow miss getting enough of the worm inhaled to even get to the place where the hook resides, that the hook never makes it into their mouths. But, anglers use 12" and much longer worms, meaty worms, and throw them on 4/0 hooks that are T-Rigged. This leaves the actual hook point a mile away from the tail end . . . if that is the end a bass might grab on first. But, fishing them this way seems to be very productive.

Bass can inhale pretty large things, say 5" +/- bluegills (sometimes something much bulkier) so I think when they grab a big worm, they suck it in and it sort of rolls up into a wad in their mouths. Once the hook is inside, I think your hook-set will be okay with something around a 2/0 wacky jig head.

This plastic is designed with ends bent in different directions to create some flapping on the way down being dragged deeper by a weighted wacky hook. But, at least the pros covering these worms say they work well T-Rigged, too. I'd use a 4/0, maybe a 5/0.

The issue is often when a fish grabs the long end of the tail, bites down and takes off without ever getting the hook into its mouth. That happens, you go to set the hook, and the hook just isn't where it needs to be.

Finally, a Neko Rig might be an option. If so, I'd rig the hook point down so that the weighted end of the worm would position it so that a fish biting the wiggly top part would more easily get snagged.

I hope these work out for you. Generally, these big worms attract larger fish.

Brad

Thanks for the insight. It's just a conundrum. The baits must weigh at least 3/4 oz, so the rod I typically fish wacky with is out in favor of something heavier, which means heavier hooks and line, though the jackall flick-shake heads aren't the lightest wire, so I guess I'll start there. My medium extra fast Tatula/sv105/10# fluoro might actually be perfect for those. If not, my medium heavy fast Tatula/Zillion SV/12# fluoro will do the trick.

I just have to find a time and place when I expect it to actually work! I have a certain hawg laden farm pond in mind. Or maybe a trip to Grand lake is in order...

I like Brads idea of Neko. Just use the lightest nail weight available to tip the scale a bit. If fishing wacky, I'd opt for weightless. Hayabusa makes some heavier duty wacky hooks available at the Trap. Patience grasshopper. Make sure that fish has taken the whole 9. I use the 5.8 most every trip, and the pulling of one end happens frequently. My line will just taking off, but the hook is nowhere where it needs to be

I know it, I use those all the time too, and I've learned to really feel the weight of the fish before I put pressure on them and let that sharp @$$ hook do most of the work. I've got some 1/16th and 1/32nd oz W nail weights (about the only thing bass pro is good for,) and some heavier "neko style" type weights I could try. The great thing about these is that you can use o rings with them so you can experiment around without tearing them up. I've still got plenty of 2/0 Owner Wacky hooks and a couple sizes of Kahle hooks. I bet those Owner twist lock Shakey head hooks would work for wacky rigging too, since they're not too light and have that longer shank. Maybe just cut the twistlock off so it doesn't pick up weeds every time... Hmm....

No need to cut off a twist lock. Just spin it off.

I mean on the Shakey jig head. It's molded into the lead.