Old tip from a crazy Texan

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Fishhawk
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Old tip from a crazy Texan

Post by Fishhawk »

Hi everyone,

I got this email from Dusty Adkins, requesting that I post this tip. Its about a technique of plastic worm fishing he calls "Whacky worm". At first I thought I wasn't going to be reading anything new, but I was wrong. This is not the "Whacky Rigging" that any hardcore bass fisherman around here knows. This is really different. It's kind of tough to for me to even picture in my mind, but I might have to go rooting around in the garage to see if I can put this together...

Here's Dusty's email...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Howdy fishhawk.
Thought I would put you on to a technique I used to get me in the top ten in most tourneys I entered, back in my days of bass fishing. Now that I have retired, I quit "work fishing" (bass tourny's) and mostly go for crappie, cats and walleye.....depending on where we go while traveling (ah the life of a retired military man).
Now, enough of the BS and down to business.
Back in the mid 70's, I learned a kind of plastic worm fishing known as "Whacky Worm". If you have heard of this, go ahead and just delete this from your mail box and pay me no mind, but if you havn't heard of it.....I want to just say that it works.

First thing you do is go by a hardware store and get an assortment of cotter pins. Anything from real small ( 1/2" long) to larger/thicker ones up to 1 1/2".
Throw those in your tackle box with your different colored favorite plastic worms, and go fishing.
To rig up....Tie on your favorite size worm hook. Everyone uses different sizes....I prefer the size of a crappie hook, but heavier so it will not straighten out on hook set.
Next...select what color/scent worm you want to use.
Next...select a size cotter pin that will make the worm go to the bottom. Small for a slow swimming effect and larger for a faster drop or thicker weeds.
Next..insert the cotter pin in the head of the worm, pushing it in from the head toward the tail, until the pin is completely inside the worm. This makes the worm "head heavy".
Next...insert your hook into the band of the worm from front to back leaving the point just under the skin of the worm.
Now that your rigged, the best way to fish this rig is flipping to weeds, brush or boat docks.
Let the worm go to the bottom, then raise the rod tip a couple of feet and let the worm drop keeping the slack out of the line so you can feel the bump of a strike....when you do, set the hook.
If you try this in clear water you will see that when you raise the rod tip, the worm bends in the middle on the way up. When you let it drop, it kinda "swims...at an angle....looking like a fresh water eel back down to the bottom or weeds.

Hope you can make sense of this tip. It really has put some big bass in the live well, and has helped me win a few tourny's too.

the name is Dusty Adkins
the handle is Centerdriver ( cuz I have a Kenner vision 1902 w/115 opti)
the object of retirement....fish in as many states and catch as many different kinds of fish possible before I cant do it anymore.
Region fished so far, North Carolina to California, Yuma to Anchorage, Idaho to the Keys, now in Syracuse till august for some walleye's and perch.

Thanks for your time.

Sheryl and the Dust....traveling and fishing.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'm guessing his handle is a CB Radio handle?

Thanks Dusty, and safe travels!
Fishhawk
"gotta run like a madman bye thanks see ya good luck"
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Centerdriver
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Many thanks Fishhawk.

Post by Centerdriver »

I really do appreciate your posting my tip and letting me know of this forum. If anyone has a question, would be more than happy to help out any way I can.
Know that I am new in here, and some of the subjects and topics may be strange to me. Right up front I want to apologize for any stupid questions I may ask.....but as my grandpa said, the stupidest question is the one not asked, so I may become a nuisance now and then.
REAL new to this northern type of fishing, but wanting to learn the right way....and the right way is what you learn from people with experence.
They call me centerdriver cuz I drive a center console boat, of which, I have not seen too many up here yet. Yall can call this ol redneck anything ya want really. I just like to have fun, fish, meet people and enjoy life to the fullest.
Well, this ol redneck will hush for now. Thanks for letting me in here and will try my best not to make a pest of myself.
Dusty
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Crunchy
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Post by Crunchy »

I am sorry, I got lost at this point, can somebody explain, or post a picture?
Next...insert your hook into the band of the worm from front to back
I have a worm with a cotter pin in its head, how/where do I stick the hook in? Like i do regular wacky style?
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YakAttack
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Post by YakAttack »

I think what he means by the 'band' is that part of the worm that is a bit thicker than the rest -- I think it's located nearer the head of the worm.

"From front to back" probably means that the hook is inserted parallel to the length of the worm, entering nearer the head side and exiting nearer the tail side. So, it seems that this is a bit different than what we usually do for whacky, where the hook is perpendicular to the length of the worm. Perhaps that is what makes the worm swim on the drop?

I suspect that the hook is inserted nearer the head to evenly balance the worm. Since the cotter pin makes the head-end heavier, to get proper balance, the hook needs to be closer to the cotter-pin end of the worm.

Perhaps Centerdriver could confirm or correct my guesses :wink:

Thanks for the tip Centerdriver, and welcome to Fishhawk!
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Centerdriver
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It's me again.

Post by Centerdriver »

YakAttack is on the right track. Wish I could draw a pic for yall. May try to do some kinda fancy cut and paste and put in here later, but, this is a bit of clarification.
The "band" I am talking about is the raised portion of the worm that is normally about a 1/4th of the way down from the head of the worm. Placing the hook from front to back does help stream line the rig and almost makes it snagless, since you don't push the hook point all the way through. When you raise the rod, do it kinda quick, but not so quick the hook point pulls through. That makes the worm sorta jump up in a arched shape. When you let it fall, give it enough slack so it "free swims" back down. I used a "Mister Twister" tailed worm, and on the way down (where most of the strikes occur) it looks like it is swimming back to cover. This will make even the most lathargic fish want to take it. As you all know, most fish hit when the lure/bait is falling, so just keep enough slack out to let it fall natural. Watch your line where it enters the water and look/feel for a stop....or a slight bump, then rear back on it.
Hope this helps. Like I said, I will try to do some illustrations and put them on here.
Good luck and tight lines.
Dusty
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Post by RJ »

This is the original "wacky" rig....

Grab a 10 year old copy of Bassin magazine and I'm sure you'll come across it...

Ribbed nails were designed for this rig specifically...

An old friend of mine and I hammered largies on this rig about 10 years ago.....

Haven't used it since... :lol:

RJ
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Post by MattSymons »

I'm with RJ on this one... sounds like a slight variation of the traditional wacky rig we all know and love (or hate).

Cotter pin is simply a replacement for i) a roofing nail with the head cut off or ii) lead insert weight (nail-weights) such as those manufactured by Lunker City for use with soft plastic baits.

The front to back hooking is a little different but I've read where Andre Moore of Reactions Innovations wacky rigs tubes with weedless hooks in a similar manner, although our Texan friend (or one of his buddies) may have been the originator of this style of hook placement.

And yes, the wacky rig catches bass. No doubt. Been around a long time. Works without weight too, but weighted in this manner the tail tends to stand up off bottom, a temping treat for a passing fish.

Matt
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