Wacky Rigging and Tournaments

[pdryan0225]

Is it possible to win a tournament using a wacky rigged "whatever" (worm, craw, lizard, etc.)

My sense is that it a technique better suited for recreational angling?

True?  False?

Thanks in advance for your input!

Pat

[larrylargemouth]

Many of our small club tourneys(15-20 boats) were won this Summer using wacky rigged Senkos.

[OutdoorFrontiers]

Sorry dude, your sense is wrong....

I took first place as well as the Big Bass prize in a two day tournament fishing a wacky rigged 5" stick bait in 18 feet of water.  It was less than two weeks after my first heart attack and just about all I could do was throw a wacky rigged stick bait.  Anything beyond that wore me out.

I placed second as well in another tournament with a wacky rig.  My quide service partner won a two day tournament in 2008 while wacky rigging.

Why is one technique better for one application than the other?  After all, isn't it the intent of both tournament fishing and fishing for fun to put fish in the boat?

I'll continue to wacky rig in any situation where I think it's going to work, whether I'm fishing for $$ or fun.

Steve

[Baron49]

Have to agree with Steve 100% on this one.  For what ever reason wacky rigged soft stick baits and trick worms catch a lot of fish and catch a lot of BIG fish.  While in Florida last year most of the bigger fish I found were caught on a 5'' soft stick bait rigged wacky style.  I don't fish a lot of tournaments, but do fish several team events and both my partner and myself always have a rod on the deck rigged with a wacky worm setup.

[tmiller2]

i dont think you can strictly use just the wacky rig to win...but i have won tourneys using it....if im fishing docks i will use a jig along with a wacky rig....i will pitch the jig and skip the wacky up under anything that it will fit under....but it can definitely be a very productive way to help you win a tourney

[mohunter82]

the best thing to win a tourny is whatever puts the fish in the boat. if its a wacky rig than use it. like steve said i always have a wacky rig ready to go. if i cant get them on something else then im gonna start that wacky

[OutdoorFrontiers]

Active fish can be easy to catch, it's what you do when the fish are NOT active that is going to determine your place in the final standings.  And there aren't many baits better for getting an inactive fish than a good ol' weightless, wacky rigged stick bait.

I always have one rigged and ready to go.  They make a great throw-back bait too when a fish swirls on a spinnerbait or buzzbait.

Steve

[RonB]

My boating partner used a wacky rigged 5 inch senko to win our tourny last weekend. We were fishing 20plus feet of water and pitching the senko against a cliff and letting it fall vertically down the wall. He caught over 20 that way.  It was a 15 inch lake and only a couple keepers were caught but, he was pounds ahead of the other guys that caught a single weighable fish.

[calincalif50]

It just WORKS.  I used it at last years FLW STREN at Lake Oroville here in Calif, and finished 10th to cash a check, alot of those that finissd higher used it as well from the back of the boat it works, from the front it works, just depends on your confidence

[-Shawn-]

Depends, Wacky rigging definately isn't the fastest way to cover water.  BUT if you have done your homework and have the fish located Then wacky rigging can definately win a Tourney for you. 

[bigjim5589]

I've never fished in a tournament, but seems to me anytime you limit the number of techniques you're willing to use, someone else who is more versatile will likely beat you. Somewhere, I read a statement made by one of the pro's that the pro anglers who are most successful are the ones who are the most versatile, and the most prepared. I would think that versatility & preparation go hand in hand in tournaments. The more techniques you can use, the better prepared you should be for any situation.

The best analogy I can think of is a baseball pitcher who only has one or two types of pitches he uses. Sure, he's going to win some, but the pitcher who can throw more types of pitches will likely have a better chance of winning.

Doesn't make much sense to me to exclude a technique in a tournament if it can be used to catch fish on it rec fishing.

You have to use what works, and these others have stated it's worked for them!  

[loco]

i fished a tourney this past sunday.  i caught my limit before 9am and culled mutiple fish after that.  every fish i caught came on a wacky rigged senko.  tried cranks, rattle traps and tx rigged worms.  nothing else got a bite except throwing the wacky rigged senko into the center of structure and laydowns.

[Olebiker]

Our last club tournament on the Apalachicola River was won fishing a wacky rig.

[OutdoorFrontiers]

No, it's a well established fact that wacky rigging is ONLY good for recreational fishing, and should never be used in a tournament situation.   

At least, it shouldn't be used in any tournament I'm fishing against you in!   

Steve

[5ohhh]

Quick question related to this.

I've fished a wacky rig 5" senko (unweighted) in 2-3 of water along weed lines and the such.  I've never tried to get one down 20'.  Are you guys drop shotting it ?  Maybe a bullet weight above the hook eye ?  Carolina rig ?

Sorry ... just curious as to how you're presenting it in 20'

Thanks in advance.

Rich

[Jmill88]

I think the problem a lot of guys run into is that they have techniques they are comfortable with and sometimes they stick with those too long when the fish aren't biting.  You have to be willing to try anything to get the fish in the boat.

[OutdoorFrontiers]

Quick question related to this.

I've fished a wacky rig 5" senko (unweighted) in 2-3 of water along weed lines and the such.  I've never tried to get one down 20'.  Are you guys drop shotting it ?  Maybe a bullet weight above the hook eye ?  Carolina rig ?

Sorry ... just curious as to how you're presenting it in 20'

Thanks in advance.

Rich

Dropshotting it will work, as will using a ball-head jig in place of the octopus hook.  Or, you can simply add a couple split shot several feet up the line from the lure.

I won a tournament and took big fish with a wacky rig, fishing in 18 feet of water and just letting it fall.  It took forever (almost thirty seconds) to get to the bottom, but a lot of the time, it never got that far.  Part of the attraction to a wacky rig is that slow, tantalizing fall. 

Try several options as outlined above and post your results here.

Steve

[TrailerHook]

I don't fish tournaments (yet), but I dare say that there have been days when I could've won a tournament with the load of fish I caught on a wacky rigged senko.  It is easy to skip a wacky rigged senko or other worm deep under low-hanging cover that other baits can't reach and can land you some monster fish when you're on a dock fishing pattern on one of those hot sunny days that drive fish deep into the shade.

As for reaching depth, a wacky rigged worm on a drop shot can be deadly.  Definitely try it.

[RonB]

The only way we could get the bait down to 20 ft depth and stay tight against the vertical wall was slipping an O ring onto the senko and just slipping a Mustad impact 1/32 oz weighted hook under the O ring.  It took making a high arched pitch right against the wall and almost had time to eat a sandwich while the bait fell.  It seemed anything heavier than 1/32 and the bait would pull off the wall we wouldnt get bit.  The bites were very subtle and most of the time it was line watching to let us know the fish had picked up the senko.  This was a first for me and I was impressed with the productivity. 

[Baron49]

Have to admire your patience to wait for a soft stick bait to fall into those depths.  I can work a jig slowly all day long, but rarely can handle waiting for a soft stick bait to fall into 10 foot depths.