@@nathanquincefishing7122 I don't think it has a name and it doesn't get talked about a lot. Sometimes they eat the grub. Sometimes they eat the DShot bait. It is weird how they both work on the same day yet they are completely different presentations. You can get creative with it too. Using Ned, Fluke, or even full bass jigs as the weighted bait. Grub has given me the most success. I usually use drastically different colors.
So I definitely fish the Free Rig a little differently than you do, not saying your way is wrong. I tend to fish it with an OSP DoLive Stick. I lift it off the bottom sharply and at the apex of the lift the sinker will separate from the bait. The sinker moves to the bottom quickly while the DoLive Stick swims it’s way back to the bottom. I also use a smaller sinker, typically a tungsten (less water resistance and quicker drop). After the bait settles to the bottom then I slowly twitch it back to the sinker. Once I feel the bait come to the sinker and get a little resistance I repeat the lifting motion. Oh, and make sure your line is semi slack and you have a sensitive rod as they will more often than not hit it on the drift back down. So you want to feel that slack line bite. For instance, I use a medium spinning rod with a fast tip, but a soft tip. As for baits, I’ve never had much luck on something like the zoom craw. It doesn’t get the slow drift down I’m looking for. Another bait that gives you good separation from the weight is the Deps Bull Flat or the Bull Slide. As for line, I tend to use light fluorocarbon, around 8 lbs 15 ft or less, but with a 1/4 oz sinker I switch to a ten lb leader. Run braid as the main line for the float and also for the sensitivity, and since I’m using a medium action spinning rod I have plenty of give. I typically wouldn’t throw the free rig shallow up against a bank like that. Water is to shallow. I have better luck with the jig just like you did. I like the free rig when they are suspended out in deeper water. Pulling that thing up off the bottom puts that bait right in the face of those suspended fish and with the Bull Flat they seem to like to hit that hard on the fall. For me, I wouldn’t even compare the Free Rig to the Jig as they serve two different purposes, at least here in AZ where I fish. It would almost be like comparing a jerk bait to a shallow running crank bait imo. Oh, and when you get that separation and the fish are nailing it on the drift down the weight is too far away to matter and doesn’t get in the way of the hook set, which is nice. Also, don’t forget that twitch along the bottom when the bait settles as it looks like a shad feeding on the bottom.
One of the best things about the free rig is that when the fish takes the lure they don't feel any weight. I believe it's one of the best presentations ever.
My opinion is it does work, but like any rig it has it's idiosyncrasies. You need dropshot style weights with an eye instead of the clip. The baits that work best are ones that float, glide, or are flat. Your favorite wacky worm would slay in a free rig. I like using craws with flat arms, flukes, and trick worms. A ZMAN frog on a 5/0 hook is deadly. It looks like a real frog diving in to eat bugs then slowly floats back up to the surface 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I started using the free rig 2 years ago. I use the vmc ewg with the ring and do not use a bead. My knot always holds. Also I have been fishing it with a bandito bug gets bit consistently. I will be trying the Berkley gilly on it this season and a lizzard. I’m to the understanding that a flat sided bait is crucial to the action. Also not sure if a worm is quite right to use.
For myself, the free rig lets the bass swallow your bait, and it doesn't feel the weight. Your pole must be sensitive enough to feel the bait being swallowed, and your line has some load, and is the fish being stationary or starting to swim away slowly. The fish tends to swallow the bait whole and isn't spooked or feels something that isn't natural. The hook set is all together differently while using a jig head or ned rig. The bite is totally different, and the hook set must be done immediately. The free rig works well if you know that feeling when the bass has swallowed the entire bait. I know that from experience when I can feel that my line is actually loaded with a fish. The free rig has gotten more fish in the boat than a bait that is attached to a hook with a weight. The free rig works very well on suspended bass in deeper water or shallow water, so that increases the area of the water column to find the bass that are biting. I have had fish, actually swim towards the boat and isn't even aware that the bait they have swallowed in their mouth is actually soft plastic. Their mouth is already closed and isn't even suspicious when I reel in the slack line. It also helps when your bait has buoyancy and not some buoyancy. It should never sink to the bottom.
Free rig is a finesse rig design to fish from shore casting into deeper water. Using this rig from a boat to shore is silly, not making the bait free fall.
The Free Rig is designed for the lure to go STRAIGHT to the bottom followed by the lure, preferably something that displaces some water for a slower fall rate (not to say that a Roboworm doesn’t works very well on a Free-Rig) while the Texas Rig when tossed the lure pendulums down to the bullet weight. And the hook-set is almost a sweeping set once you reel in the slack, unlike a Texas Rig or a flippin jig when you’re just jackin em!
You don't know how to set the hook. You need to take up the slack! It's not the same as a jig. It's more like a soft jerkbait or a top water bait. You have to feel the fish or watch your line.
Not much different besides a TX rig bullet weight pulls the bait down more then the free rig. The free rig has a bit slower fall rate especially when using the smallest hook you can thus giving more action before hitting bottom. Also the nose of your bait should be slid over your knot anyway.
I that the stinker on the bottom of the line and the hook slides on the line with a stop 3feet up the line. Thas how I free rig. This is the opposite way 🤔 Japan. Is just different stills all over the world. But is all the same thing to the fish.
This rig looks more or less like an attempt at mimicking an actual Texas rig. Good intentions, poor execution. No thanks, I'll stick with the conventional Texas rig.
Dude I feel like you’re just shutting the free rig without really giving it a try, or actually researching about it and trying it how it’s meant to be fished. Not only that your hookset are abysmal. Not trying to come off as a hater but when people don’t take the time to learn something new and say it doesn’t work it’s really infuriating.
Maybe also more clear water presentation to get flutter if the bite is tough to change it up. I think of it is a similar principle to the senko. it's worked for me but I know guys that are a lot better fisherman than me that say they've never needed it to catch fish.
What rig would you like to see me test next!
Drop shot with a jig and grub as the weight.
Never heard of that one!
@@nathanquincefishing7122 I don't think it has a name and it doesn't get talked about a lot. Sometimes they eat the grub. Sometimes they eat the DShot bait. It is weird how they both work on the same day yet they are completely different presentations. You can get creative with it too. Using Ned, Fluke, or even full bass jigs as the weighted bait. Grub has given me the most success. I usually use drastically different colors.
Nice I’ll look into it!
Anything you show seems to work. How about anything that will catch something at raystown
So I definitely fish the Free Rig a little differently than you do, not saying your way is wrong. I tend to fish it with an OSP DoLive Stick. I lift it off the bottom sharply and at the apex of the lift the sinker will separate from the bait. The sinker moves to the bottom quickly while the DoLive Stick swims it’s way back to the bottom. I also use a smaller sinker, typically a tungsten (less water resistance and quicker drop). After the bait settles to the bottom then I slowly twitch it back to the sinker. Once I feel the bait come to the sinker and get a little resistance I repeat the lifting motion. Oh, and make sure your line is semi slack and you have a sensitive rod as they will more often than not hit it on the drift back down. So you want to feel that slack line bite. For instance, I use a medium spinning rod with a fast tip, but a soft tip. As for baits, I’ve never had much luck on something like the zoom craw. It doesn’t get the slow drift down I’m looking for. Another bait that gives you good separation from the weight is the Deps Bull Flat or the Bull Slide. As for line, I tend to use light fluorocarbon, around 8 lbs 15 ft or less, but with a 1/4 oz sinker I switch to a ten lb leader. Run braid as the main line for the float and also for the sensitivity, and since I’m using a medium action spinning rod I have plenty of give. I typically wouldn’t throw the free rig shallow up against a bank like that. Water is to shallow. I have better luck with the jig just like you did. I like the free rig when they are suspended out in deeper water. Pulling that thing up off the bottom puts that bait right in the face of those suspended fish and with the Bull Flat they seem to like to hit that hard on the fall. For me, I wouldn’t even compare the Free Rig to the Jig as they serve two different purposes, at least here in AZ where I fish. It would almost be like comparing a jerk bait to a shallow running crank bait imo. Oh, and when you get that separation and the fish are nailing it on the drift down the weight is too far away to matter and doesn’t get in the way of the hook set, which is nice. Also, don’t forget that twitch along the bottom when the bait settles as it looks like a shad feeding on the bottom.
Thanks for the feedback! I will check it out!
Very helpful explanation.
Ye
Yea grey is absolutely right I love fishing the free rig with a dolive beaver 3.5 it’s all about the fall and I use a different weight
Epic commentary
One of the best things about the free rig is that when the fish takes the lure they don't feel any weight. I believe it's one of the best presentations ever.
That is nice about it!
That's what I've noticed. I've only fished stained water so no bites on the fall, but when they pick it up, they gone! 8:1 barely kept up.
Solution to a problem that doesn't exist. You nailed it
That’s the way I saw it
My opinion is it does work, but like any rig it has it's idiosyncrasies. You need dropshot style weights with an eye instead of the clip. The baits that work best are ones that float, glide, or are flat. Your favorite wacky worm would slay in a free rig. I like using craws with flat arms, flukes, and trick worms. A ZMAN frog on a 5/0 hook is deadly. It looks like a real frog diving in to eat bugs then slowly floats back up to the surface 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I started using the free rig 2 years ago. I use the vmc ewg with the ring and do not use a bead. My knot always holds. Also I have been fishing it with a bandito bug gets bit consistently. I will be trying the Berkley gilly on it this season and a lizzard. I’m to the understanding that a flat sided bait is crucial to the action. Also not sure if a worm is quite right to use.
For myself, the free rig lets the bass swallow your bait, and it doesn't feel the weight. Your pole must be sensitive enough to feel the bait being swallowed, and your line has some load, and is the fish being stationary or starting to swim away slowly. The fish tends to swallow the bait whole and isn't spooked or feels something that isn't natural. The hook set is all together differently while using a jig head or ned rig. The bite is totally different, and the hook set must be done immediately. The free rig works well if you know that feeling when the bass has swallowed the entire bait. I know that from experience when I can feel that my line is actually loaded with a fish.
The free rig has gotten more fish in the boat than a bait that is attached to a hook with a weight. The free rig works very well on suspended bass in deeper water or shallow water, so that increases the area of the water column to find the bass that are biting. I have had fish, actually swim towards the boat and isn't even aware that the bait they have swallowed in their mouth is actually soft plastic. Their mouth is already closed and isn't even suspicious when I reel in the slack line.
It also helps when your bait has buoyancy and not some buoyancy. It should never sink to the bottom.
Free rig is a finesse rig design to fish from shore casting into deeper water. Using this rig from a boat to shore is silly, not making the bait free fall.
Exactly my thoughts
Precisely and using a 60 year old lead bell sinker is also silly, especially when fishing from your 60 thousand dollar boat.
Try a grande bass worm it floats
I will!
I watch just for the jig fishing keep up the good work 💪🇺🇲🎣
Thanks! Will do!
NATHAN- HAVE YOU USED THE DROP SLIP, ALL YOU DO IS USE A BOBBER STOP ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HOOK,THIS WAY YOU CAN USE AT ANY DRPTH, SEE IF THAT WORKS,
I have not
Have you tried the Tokyo rig yet ? Would love to see your thoughts on it ?
I have not but I can!
I would just add a bobber stop instead of a bead…but I agree it’s a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist!😎
What if you put a rubber bobber stop on against the knot would that help protect the knot from the bead some?
It might!
My limited experience is it's a weightless presentation that gives you more control.
Wouldn't it make more sense to use a floating bait?
You could!
It’s really the only way the bait will truly rise.
Did ya use glass bead or plastic bead on this video brother?
Honestly don’t remember!
Is that the missile mini flip jig?
Yep! My favorite
Nathan-I like your videos.
Can you revisit this one? I have had no luck with the free rig either but everyone is using it.
Be well my friend
I might look into it!
my tip take a white pearl /glass bead
Interesting!
what’s the difference between it and the Texas rig besides thet Texas rig is 10x better
Exactly what I said haha
The Free Rig is designed for the lure to go STRAIGHT to the bottom followed by the lure, preferably something that displaces some water for a slower fall rate (not to say that a Roboworm doesn’t works very well on a Free-Rig) while the Texas Rig when tossed the lure pendulums down to the bullet weight. And the hook-set is almost a sweeping set once you reel in the slack, unlike a Texas Rig or a flippin jig when you’re just jackin em!
You may want to fish the free rig on 8 to 15 feet off secondary points. You'll have better luck.
You don't know how to set the hook. You need to take up the slack! It's not the same as a jig. It's more like a soft jerkbait or a top water bait. You have to feel the fish or watch your line.
Not much different besides a TX rig bullet weight pulls the bait down more then the free rig. The free rig has a bit slower fall rate especially when using the smallest hook you can thus giving more action before hitting bottom. Also the nose of your bait should be slid over your knot anyway.
I agree
Downsize the hook size and the wire size is too big. Take it easy.
I that the stinker on the bottom of the line and the hook slides on the line with a stop 3feet up the line. Thas how I free rig. This is the opposite way 🤔 Japan. Is just different stills all over the world. But is all the same thing to the fish.
NATHAN ON THE FREE RIG, YOU TIE THE WEIGHT ON THE BOTTOM AND THE HOOK SLIDES, I HAVE NOT USED IT YET, GOOD LUCK ON THAT RIG.
Dudes setting the hook like he’s catching a shark and wondering why they are coming off 😂😂 maybe because they have a huge hole in their lips.
Totally agree with ya bud
My money is on the jig
Good bait!
I wish this video had 1MM views - everyone should watch this and avoid fishing the free rig!!
This rig looks more or less like an attempt at mimicking an actual Texas rig. Good intentions, poor execution. No thanks, I'll stick with the conventional Texas rig.
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Try not to set hook so hard
Dude I feel like you’re just shutting the free rig without really giving it a try, or actually researching about it and trying it how it’s meant to be fished. Not only that your hookset are abysmal. Not trying to come off as a hater but when people don’t take the time to learn something new and say it doesn’t work it’s really infuriating.
Maybe also more clear water presentation to get flutter if the bite is tough to change it up. I think of it is a similar principle to the senko. it's worked for me but I know guys that are a lot better fisherman than me that say they've never needed it to catch fish.
It definitely has a place to catch fish!
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