Straight tail worms rigged on jigheads have been around since the plastic worm was first invented.  In recent years, pro bass anglers have won hundreds of thousands of dollars fishing worms on a new generation of jigheads specifically designed for this application.  Termed “shaky heads” because of the way they are fished, these rigs excel at catching limits of keeper sized bass, especially in pressured waters or after cold fronts.  Moreover, when Kevin Van Dam caught an 11 lb 13 oz lake record largemouth on Lake Lewisville during a 2005 tournament, anglers quickly realized that shaky heads can produce lunkers too.

 My epiphany with shaky heads came a few years ago at an Everstart tournament on Lake Texoma.  The water was high and muddy in many areas and bass were relating to shallow flooded wood.  During practice, I was repeatedly pitching traditional Texas rigged tubes and creature baits to likely looking areas and catching some good bass.  To my amazement, my practice partner would pitch a shaky head worm into the muddy waters behind me and he caught more bass than I did, from wood cover that I’d already pitched to a couple of times.  Seeing is believing, and I certainly can testify to the catching ability of the shaky head rig, even in heavy cover and muddy water.

Rigging a shaky head requires a few specialized components.  There are dozens of new jigheads designed to fish shaky style, and most work quite well.  A good example is the Screw Ball jighead from Lake Fork Trophy Lures, with a sharp Gamakatsu hook and a wire keeper on the shank that holds your plastic worm in place once you wind it on. Once the head of the worm is attached to the jighead with the screw lock, simply rig the worm over the hook point the same way you would rig a Texas Rig.  Pay careful attention to keep the worm straight or the worm will roll and cause line twist.  I go with 1/8 oz jigheads most of the time, going as heavy as ¼ oz when it gets windy or if I’m fishing deeper than 10’.  Like most anglers, I started using trick worms as my soft plastic worms and they still work well in many situations.  Lake Fork’s Hyper Finesse Worm has a segmented body and quivering tail section that gives a very subtle action even when the lure is stopped, making it my go-to bait for shaky head rigs, especially when the fishing is really tough.  When I’m around bigger fish or in stained water, bulkier plastics that move more water often work better.  A 4” Hyper Worm has a wide throbbing tail and works great on shaky heads.  And don’t forget creature baits if you’re looking for wary lunkers.  Baby Fork Creatures, Hyper Freaks and similar bulky action baits give bass a nontraditional look on shaky heads and trigger fish that have seen dozens of TX rigs and jigs.     

With small worms on light jigheads, choose a quality spinning rod with medium power and a fast tip to cast these little baits and still feel the soft bites.  If I’m fishing around docks and shallow cover, I throw a 7’ Dobyns Champion 703SF rod.  In open water, I extend to the 7’4” Dobyns Extreme DX743SF rod because it allows me to make longer casts and the longer rod keeps even pressure on light line, reducing breakoffs with big fish.  To maximize sensitivity while maintaining enough power to land good fish from cover, I normally fish shaky rigs on 10 lb braided line with a 6’ leader of 6 to 10 lb fluorocarbon.  In general, the clearer the water and the lighter the cover, the lighter the leader I’ll use. 

Fishing a shaky head is really quite simple, although the best way to retrieve it varies by the day.  Basically, work it the same way as you would a Texas rig or a jig.  Some days the bass prefer it worked quickly with aggressive hops, while other days slowly dragging it with long pauses or “dead-sticking” works better.  And as its name implies, bass can often be triggered by gently shaking the worm while it sits in place.  To make your rig dance, gently shake your rod tip with a semi-slack line.  This trembling motion will make the worm’s tail pulsate without moving forward.  When a fish does strike, a powerful slack line hook set can easily break your line.  Rather, reel your line tight and make a smooth sweep set with your rod to get the hook point started and the pull of the bass will drive the thin wire hook the rest of the way through.    

When the fishing gets tough and bass stop chasing your lures, slow down and try a shaky head.  It’ll help you catch a limit, and maybe a lunker too.  Here’s hoping you catch the lunker of your dreams.  If I can be of assistance, please contact me at 214-683-9572 or e-mail me through my website, www.LakeForkGuideTrips.com.