In case you’ve been under a rock for a while, fuzzy baits have become all the rage. Fuzzy baits — that’s the term we’re going with as a catchall for the fuzzy dice, fuzzy stick baits, and all other fuzzy wuzzies. The OSP Dice and other baits like it have picked the bass fishing world up like a tornado and spun it on its head.
The effectiveness of these goofy-looking baits has left many of us scratching our heads and rethinking a lot of what we thought we knew about bass fishing. What’s next in this evolution of bass baits? Who knows. But one thing I know for sure, after walking the floor at ICAST this year, we aren’t in Kansas anymore. These fuzzy baits are here to stay, and here are five ways to rig them.
Drop Shot
Let’s first look at what’s likely the most popular way to fish a fuzzy bait, the drop shot. A drop shot is the perfect rig for a couple of reasons; the weight of the rig helps this light bait cast farther, and the separation between the bait and the weight allows the lure to move more freely.
To rig a fuzzy bait on a drop shot, just tie on a typical drop shot weight with a #1 rounded nose hook. Run the hook point all the way through the bait and leave the hook point exposed. It’s a really good idea with a drop shot to use a fuzzy bait that floats, like Z-Man’s Fuzzy NuggetZ, which are made with ElaZtech. This will help the bait stay up off the bottom better.
Weighted Wacky Rig
While you can fish a fuzzy bait on a plain wacky rig hook, you’re not going to be able to get much distance out of it, especially if you’re fishing one of the smaller dice ones. It’s about like trying to throw a fly on spinning gear. A weighted wacky hook is better suited for this. Something like the VMC Wacky Weedless Jighead will work, either with or without a weed guard, depending on the cover present. Run the hook through the center of the bait and you’re ready to go.
A heads up here though, if you’re fishing with baits made from traditional soft plastic materials, you can go through several baits really quickly. The stretchy baits that float, like Z-Man’s ElaZtech baits, will last a lot longer. And you can get by with a little more weight to aid with casting if you go with a bait that floats, since the buoyancy of the bait will slow the fall.
Neko Rig
A Neko rig is another great option if you want the look of a wacky rig with a little more castability. Take your favorite wacky hook, slide it into and through your fuzzy bait, and then take a Neko weight and shove it into the bait as well. With longer baits, put the weight in the end like a normal Neko rig. For the spherical and cubical baits, put the weight in the bottom, with the hook pointed up.
You may need to trim your weight down for smaller baits, since some of these weights are too long to tuck all the way in. Leaving a little nub of the weight exposed though can increase sensitivity, as the weight will occasionally make contact with the bottom.
This is an area where the ElaZtech material can be detrimental. Though Z-Man makes a few weights suited to anchor in this material, most Neko weights can’t be used with it. You’ll want a more traditional style of soft plastic if you have a standard Neko weight.
Ned Rig
Ned rigs really haven’t been all that well-suited for fuzzy baits until just recently. Most fuzzy baits have been spherical or cubical, but now some longer, cylindrical baits are emerging from the likes of Z-Man (Fuzzy TRD), Gary Yamamoto (Fuzzy Senko), and others.
These baits are perfectly suited for a Ned head and give this otherwise inconspicuous rig a little flair. The gentle and slow movements and pauses used to fish a Ned rig combine perfectly with the subtle action a fuzzy bait brings to the table.
Free Rig
Rigging a fuzzy bait up on a free rig is another great way to utilize the effectiveness of these subtle baits on pressured fish. A free rig in general is a super subtle deal. Sliding a bell weight onto your line as opposed to a bullet weight converts what looks like a Texas rig into something different, a system that allows a little more movement and separation between the bait and the weight.
If fishing a free rig around cover, you can rig a smaller dice-style fuzzy bait up with either a hook with a weedguard or with the tip of the hook barely exposed. Or you can move to some of these longer baits, which can be rigged weedless with a traditional or EWG hook. Again, the buoyancy of ElaZtech will help create separation between the bait and the hook, so it’s worth considering.
Tokyo Rig
A Tokyo rig is yet another great option, whether fishing the smaller dice-style bait on a miniature Tokyo rig with either a Neko, wacky, or circle hook or fishing a longer bait with one of the larger Tokyo rigs with a worm hook, flipping hook, or EWG.
Similar to a dropshot, a Tokyo rig frees a fuzzy bait up to drift around, allowing the subtleness of the dozen or so tentacles to shine. For this rig, there are lots of baits to choose from, but the Yamamoto Fuzzy Nuki, Geecrack Imo Kemushi Floating Stick Worm, and Z-Man Fuzzy BugZ all look like solid options.
Final Thoughts
However you decide to rig them, it’s likely best you jump on the fuzzy-bait bandwagon at this point. These baits have proven themselves to be extremely effective the last few years on the pro bass tours. And it seems like a dozen or so industry-leading companies are now pumping new baits into this market. With so much buzz around the fuzz and plenty of options soon to be readily available, it’s time to learn how to rig them. Hopefully this piece helps you do that.
