Lots of people have been asking me this morning, "What is a Split Shot Rig?"
It’s not a new thing but, it’s my thing.
| Hag's Tornado F4 in Real Shad |
I have used this
little setup to put a lot of fish in the boat in some of the toughest
conditions. Lots of people look at me like I am crazy but it is versatile and
it works year round. I’ve been using a setup similar to the one I describe
below for 25 years. I came across it one afternoon while fishing with minnows.
I ran out of bait and put a 4” Ringworm on my hook. It started catching fish
and I’ve been using it since. I feel I have it to near perfection with more
purpose and a better worm.
So, what is it? Simply put, I tie a 1/0 Gamakatsu hook on
6-8lb copolymer or mono line. Then I look at my depth finder. If I am fishing a
rock, mud or sand bottom that is clean, I’ll pinch a 1/16th oz split
shot 18 inches above the hook. If I am fishing in submerged weeds I try to put
the split shot at the height of the weeds. When it’s windy (above 15 mph), I’ll
bump up the weight to an 1/8th oz.
That seems pretty simple but that’s not all. Now you need a
worm to put on that hook. Most soft plastics sink when on a hook. There are a
few that are buoyant but most of those are very plain. I don’t use those. I
need maximum fish attracting movement in my bait. That’s why I use the Hag’s
Tornado F4. It’s a 4 inch ribbed worm with a hollow rattle chamber. It floats
but also sends vibrations through the water when it moves. It’s the best
finesse worm on the market for what I am looking to do.
Some of you may be wondering why I change the position of
the split shot when fishing submerged weeds. If you have a reasonable growth
off the bottom (less than 5ft), you set your weight at that same depth. Then, when
the weight falls, it will be on the bottom and the worm will be floating right
at the top of the weeds just like the natural baitfish in the habitat. It’s
been working for years for me and those I have shared this technique with.
All in all, I suppose you could call it a finesse Carolina
rig or reverse drop shot or others. But, when you need to catch fish and your
confidence is wearing thin, try a Split Shot Rig. You might be surprised!
For further proof, check out the new video “Split Shot
Rigging…” on the Videos page or on this page. I had to try six different colors before I found
something they would eat but once I tied on the F4 Real Shad, the bite was on. The
last time out on the same lake it was a completely different color they wanted so make sure
if you are going to buy some Hag’s Tornados, you get multiple colors. I get
most of mine from Tackle Warehouse.