3 Presentations Made Better With Split Shots

With all the fancy tackle out there, it can be easy to overlook the tried and true methods that the founders of our sport relied on for years to put bass in the boat. It’s not that the old school techniques stopped catching fish; it’s just that they’ve fallen out of favor due to our obsession with the latest and greatest.

One technique that fits this category is the split shot rig. It was a staple for many anglers for decades, and we can assure you – it’s still dynamite anytime finesse tactics are appropriate.A split shot sinker, like the Mr. Finesse Tungsten Hotshot is still one of the best (and most overlooked) ways to add a little weight to a finesse presentation, without affecting the action of the bait at all.Here are three split shot rigs you need to try this month:

1. Wacky Worm

The weightless wacky worm like the Savage Gear Armor Tube Worm is dynamite when fished around shallow cover, but it becomes tedious to fish in water deeper than about 5 feet. That’s where the split shot comes in. Pinch on a small split shot about 6 inches above the hook, and you’ll easily and quickly be able to fish out to 10 feet or more. The weight doesn’t affect the shimmy of the worm, and it is killer around deep docks, bluff walls, and other deeper cover.

2. Weightless Tube

There really isn’t a bad way to fish tubes like the Whiskey River Bullhead Tube, but one that’s certainly overlooked is on a split shot rig. Tubes have a great gliding profile when rigged weightless, and adding a split shot in front of one creates an erratic twitch on top of the otherwise enticing glide. A tube on a split shot rig is something most bass haven’t seen, and it’s deadly around docks on lakes that get a lot of dock pressure.

3. Soft Plastic Jerkbait

Known for their crazy, erratic action while twitched – soft plastic jerkbaits like the Castaic Jerky J are a top choice any time the fish are feeding in shallow cover. Unfortunately though, they lose a ton of their action when fished on a weighted hook, or on a jig head. Sliding a split shot above a soft plastic jerkbait creates the best of both worlds, because it can be fished deeper while maintaining its crazy action on the retrieve.