Best Bass Fishing Rigs and the Gear You Need to Fish Them

The Texas rig is a go-to for fishing soft plastics in heavy cover. It's weedless, versatile, and ideal for working structure like brush piles and grass.

• Hook: Gamakatsu Nano Alpha Offset EWG Hook – Ultra-sharp and nano-coated for reduced friction and deep hooksets.
• Weight: FishUSA Tungsten Worm Weights – Pro Pack – Compact tungsten gets you through cover with maximum sensitivity.
• Soft Bait: YUM Dinger Soft Bait – A proven soft stickbait that bass inhale on the fall.

Perfect for finesse fishing and suspended bass, the drop shot rig excels in clear water or when the bite is tough.

• Hook Options: Owner Mosquito Light Hooks or Owner Cover Shot Hooks – Ideal for nose-hooking finesse baits.
• Soft Plastics: 6th Sense Glitch Baitfish or Roboworm Straight Tail Worms – Lifelike action that gets bites even in pressured conditions.

The Carolina rig shines in open water and along points, humps, and flats. It’s perfect for dragging soft plastics along the bottom with a subtle, natural presentation.

• Hook: Gamakatsu Superline Offset EWG Hook – Strong and perfect for larger plastics.
• Weight: VMC Tungsten Slider Weights – Tungsten profile increases bottom contact feel.
• Swivel: FishUSA Premium Rolling Barrel Swivel – Reduces line twist and ensures smooth rotation.
• Bead: Epic Baits Bead – Adds sound and protects the knot from weight impact.

The wacky rig offers a slow-falling, tantalizing action that's deadly around docks, shade lines, and shallow water.

• Hook Options: Gamakatsu G-Finesse Weedless Wacky Hook or VMC Wacky Hooks – Designed to increase hookups while minimizing hang-ups.
• Soft Bait: Strike King Ocho Stick Worm – Its eight-sided design produces natural flickering action.

Highly effective for pressured bass and tough bites, the Ned rig is a finesse staple with minimalistic appeal and maximum results.

• Jig Head: Z-Man Finesse ShroomZ Jig Heads – Ideal mushroom-shaped head for standing the bait upright.
• Soft Bait: Z-Man Finesse TRD – The classic Ned bait that kicked off the craze.

The neko rig presents a weighted worm with an enticing fall and natural bottom presentation, great for covering deep water structure and vertical targets.

• Hook: VMC Finesse Neko Hooks – Designed to lock in light-biters with precise hook placement.
• Nail Weight: Nako Tungsten Nail Weight – Adds front-end weight for a nose-down fall.
• Rings: VMC Crossover Rings – Keeps baits rigged securely and improves longevity.
• Soft Bait: X Zone Lures Pro Series Deception Worm – Excellent soft plastic with a subtle tail flick and natural appearance.

Mastering different bass rigs lets you adapt to changing conditions, water depths, and bass moods. Each rig above fills a unique role and shines when used in the right situation. With the right gear from FishUSA, you’ll be ready to fish more effectively and catch more bass no matter where you're casting.