Types of soft lure (worm) tackle (various rigs)

In lure fishing, the term “00 rig” refers to equipment or tackle, just as the English word “rig” means.

When using live bait or fake bait (lure), it is important to make sure that the hook reaches the target fish, but since lures are things that fish may not think they can eat, it means operating the equipment so that the lure moves similarly to live bait.

In addition, in order to increase the probability of catching a fish, it is important to give it action, and especially when using a worm, it is important to choose the most suitable tackle, so we are currently conducting a lot of research and new tackle methods are continuously being developed.

Each rig is developed to suit the field environment and target fish species, so beginners may not have the ability to make their own rigs, so it is recommended that they first learn the rigs that have been developed and widely used.

Many of the rigging methods using worms originated in the United States, but some of the methods currently used domestically include the down shot rig developed in Japan, as well as those developed in Korea.

So, let’s take a look at some of the most commonly used methods among the various methods.

Table of Contents

◉ Jighead rig

It is widely used when targeting rockfish, and is a method of using a jig head with a sinker attached to the hook so that even beginners can easily use it. The jig head rig mainly uses a retrieve motion, but it also tempts fish by adding action.

Especially when targeting sea bass or hairtail, the wind action is used to make the lure jump greatly from side to side, which can be seen as similar to the shark action in eging fishing.

The advantage of a jighead rig is that it is easy to handle because the worm and sinker are attached, but the disadvantage is that it is prone to snagging because the hook is exposed outside the worm.

◉ Texas rig

It is a method widely used in bass fishing, but it is also widely used when targeting rockfish that live in areas with heavy snags. I think it will be easier to understand if you know the motivation behind its development.

The Texas Rig was developed by a Texas angler in 1960. In the United States, many dams were built in the 1940s and 1950s to increase power supply. Lake Tyler in Texas was also a lake created by these dams. Fishing gear often got caught on trees in the submerged area, and the Texas Rig was designed to avoid this.

The difference between a Texas rig and a jighead rig is that while a jighead rig’s hook is connected to a sinker, a Texas rig puts a bead on top of the hook and connects a sinker on top of it.

◉ Carolina rig

As the name suggests, the place of origin is Carolina, USA, and when a light sinker is used, it is called a “North Carolina rig,” and when a heavy sinker is used, it is called a “heavy Carolina rig.”

The difference between a Carolina rig and a Texas rig is the gap between the sinker and the worm. This allows the worm to sink slowly under its own weight even when the sinker settles on the bottom.

◉ Split shot rig

Even beginners can easily make this by combining a worm and a clam shell at a certain interval, but you should be aware that the line may be damaged by the shell.

So, there are sinkers on the market that have rubber attached to the interlocking part.

◉ Down Shot Rig

This is the most commonly used tackle, and even beginners have heard of it at least once. It is a method that is often used when catching flatfish.

Developed in Japan, it is called a drop shot rig in English and is also known as an “under shot rig.”

The biggest difference from other rigs is that the sinker is positioned below the worm and hook. There is a lot of detailed information, so I will skip over it, but one thing to keep in mind is that the length between the sinker and the hook (commonly called the step) should be short when the sinker is light, and long when the sinker is heavy to reduce the foreign body sensation when the fish bites.

◉ Zika League

It is ironic that although it was developed in Korea, it is used more in Japan, and is called the Jika League, using the Japanese pronunciation of Jika, which means “straight” (直: じか).

It is simple to make by directly connecting the sinker to the eye of the hook, so it has the advantage of being able to be accurately vertically placed at the target point compared to the Texas rig, and reflecting its popularity in Japan, dedicated equipment is also sold separately.

Above, we briefly looked at rigs using worms, but there are many other rigs, such as the “Florida rig,” the “Alabama rig” for targeting multiple fish at once, and the “float rig” and “free rig” that use buoyant floats. However, we looked at rigs that can be used for sea bass lures and are suitable for use in the ocean.