Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips

Over the span of his professional fishing career, Author and Outdoor Educator Joel DeBoer has authored many, many top-notch articles on the "How To's" of becoming a better angler. On this page you will find just a sampling of some of his articles and tips - we hope you enjoy!

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Plastics for Bass
Fishing Articles & Pro Fishing Tips >>

The "dog days" of August often finds many species of fish seemingly a bit more picky and temperamental, from panfish to muskies to bass.  I have found that on certain days when the bass don't seem to cooperate, there are two "go-to" rigs that more often than not save the day: the Texas Rig and the Carolina Rig.

These two rigs are some of the most successful patterns for catching bass (Largemouth & Smallmouth) that an angler can use just about anywhere and at anytime. Why does an angler need to know how to use these rigs? A carpenter wouldn't use a hammer to back out a screw, nor would he or she use a screw driver to pound nails.  The same goes with bass fishing, an angler should have the right tools-of-the-trade to do a specific job.

First, the Texas rig; this rig was the first plastic bait rig used by many of the early professional bass anglers when the sport of bass fishing really got started over 25 years ago. It is a simple rig to set up, and has arguably produced more bass catches than any other artificial bait ever used, even today.
 
To rig a Texas Rig you will simply need line, a hook, and a sinker. First, put your sinker (a bullet shaped slip sinker) onto the line with the smaller point of the weight going on first or facing up. Then tie an off-set worm hook to the end of the line after you put on the weight. It's that simple - you're now ready for your plastic bait to be put on the hook.

Next, the Caroline Rig; with this rig you'll need line, a barrel swivel, about 6' of leader line, a weight, glass or brass bead or rattle chamber, and a hook. While a bit more involved than the Texas Rig, Carolina Rigs are a "must" for any serious bass fisherman.

First, take your leader and tie one end of it to one end of the barrel swivel and then put it aside for a moment. Then, take your main line from your reel and first put on the weight, anywhere from a 3/8 oz. up to 1 oz. bullet or egg sinker. After the weight is on your main line, follow it with a rattle (rattle chamber, glass or brass bead) and then tie the end of the main line to the other end of the barrel swivel that you just put aside. After you tie to the swivel, tie your hook at the other end of the leader line giving you a 2' to a 4' leader. Finally, rig your favorite plastic presentation on the hook and you're ready to go.

If you fish bass and haven't tried either the Texas or Carolina Rig, I encourage you to do so - you'll be pleased with the results!  I'll see you on the water…

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