The Texas rig is one of the most common methods of presenting fish with a soft plastic lure. This setup is perfect in grass, around docks, and brush piles, as bass will hang toward the bottom of shallow water. And trust me, these locations are where a Texas rig worm will excel. The streamlined body of the worm allows it to slip in and out of grass and causes bass to become unhinged! But first, it’s important to have an understanding of how to set up a Texas rig worm.
How To Rig A Soft Plastic Worm
A Texas rig worm is easy to learn and easy to fish. First, select the appropriate hook, either a straight shank or an extra wide gap (EWG) hook. What’s the difference?
A straight shank worm hook works well when thrown around grass. Having a streamlined profile allows your bait to get in and get out clean. The EWG allows for a better hook set. It’s up to the angler to decide which hook will work best in the situation. I like to use a Size 4 VMC EGW hook for most straight-tail worms and Senkos. On occasion, when throwing a ribbon tail worm, you can increase it to 5/O.
Start by pushing the hook through the top of the worm, curve it, and push it out.
Your hook should slide through and look similar to the image below.
From here, push the rest of the hook down to the eye and turn 180 degrees and push the barb back through the body of the worm ( pictured below).
Finally, you can either hide the hook in the body of the worm or push it straight through and bury it on the backside.
Your result should be weedless (pictured below). This is what makes a Texas rig so deadly. 
Worm Weights
Your weight really depends on the depth of water you’re fishing in. An offshore angler might use anywhere from a 3/8 oz to a 1/2 oz. An angler fishing up shallow may only want a 3/16 oz. I like to go off the cover I’m fishing. Near docks with grass, I’ll stick to a 3/8-1/2 oz weight. I like to use bullet weights, flipping weights, or worm weights. Each one has a streamlined body and slips through the cover well.
Where To Fish A Texas Rig Worm
A Texas Rig Worm can be fished in most places. However, targeting cover is a popular method used by most angels. Look for isolated grass patches, docks, or cast-along banks. Try looking for areas that stand out. By that I mean, find water with grass and small pockets along the shoreline. Or tree limbs sticking out of the water surrounded by surface vegetation. Try casting at grass lines, or grassy points – anything that really stands out.
These areas often hold fish – they make great ambush spots and bass will hang there most of the day. It provides shade, safety, and a place to conceal themselves. Remember, if you’re fishing in cover, you may want to consider using a braided line for power and better hook sets. Other areas include secondary points before spawning such as rocky points and drop-offs.
How To Fish A Texas Rig Worm
Using a pitch or flip technique, cast to your desired spot and let your bait fall, and watch your line, most bites will happen on the fall. For example, if your line begins to fall and suddenly stops short of where the bottom really is, you’ve either landed on a stump or rock pile, or a bass caught it.
Basically, anything that looks or feels different, just give it a good hook set. When retrieving it, lift your rod tip allowing the bait to rise and fall but maintain contact with the bottom as often as possible. Another technique is to drag it across the bottom imitating an easy, slow-moving meal. Give the worm intermittent hops between dragging it along and vary your retrieve. Alternatively, you can shake your rod tip the way you would work a drop shot.
Hookset
Don’t set the hook right away. Let the fish grab it for a few seconds, especially a Senko. Aim your rod tip down and reel in the slack (if any) and sweep back. This applies as long as your rigging style is weedless or tex-posed.
Best Time To Fish A Texas Rig Worm
A worm is perfect for when bass are lethargic, during spawning, and right after spawning when bass are recovering. Try casting or flipping around shade, grass, and hard bottoms or wood in mid-day, after cold fronts, and after storms. Midsummer is a perfect time as well to flip around weed lines and grassy islands either mid-day or after rain.
Early Summer Grass
Late spring and early summer can produce heavy grass in lakes and ponds. These are great areas to throw a weightless senko either texas rigged or wacky style.
Many anglers will throw this setup on a spinning rod with a 10-20 lb braided line with a lighter fluorocarbon leader. Having the extra power of a braided line like Suffix 832 will help you manage retrieving fish out of thick cover.
Off Shore
When fishing offshore, find rocky bottoms like main lake points and ledges. Many anglers will switch to a larger weight like a 1/2 oz worm weight for the purpose of getting their bait to the desired depth. Unlike flipping up shallow, when offshore, use a larger profile worm with greater action like a ribbon tail worm (Pictured Below). The purpose here is to increase visibility through movement as less light tends to make it to the bottom.
Final Thoughts
All in all, the Texas rig worm is a set-up you can fish year-round. Whether you’re fishing up shallow, or offshore, you can target any area, and work your bait using any method that appeals to the fish on your water. I like having a texas rig worm on my boat for any particular occasion, whether up shallow or out deep.
