There is no question, crazy rig is as simple as it gets when it comes to bass fishing techniques. The lows that have been put into live tournament pots are a testament to the performance of wacky teams. This past weekend alone has been an amazing display of his ability to catch Bass when other techniques failed.
My partner and I witnessed two boats fishing in a clear reed bed which we deliberately targeted by studying our maps earlier. One of the boats was definitely a tournament fisherman, probing the reeds like a torpedo. They were obviously pre-fishing for the next day’s tournament. They must have had their bow rig set to high output because they were moving around, obviously on site before fishing, but fishing just the same nonetheless! We did not witness a single Bass taken with their efforts and without warning another ship sounded the same waters, but with such a roar it would carry the Bass should have scattered into oblivion.
Now let me give you some parameters of the situation. The water was two to five feet deep with medium density pencil reeds scattered in gin clear water conditions. Just to prove a point, my partner and I proceeded right into the heart of the previous boats road of travel and sailed not one, but two beautiful largemouth bass that weighed over five pounds each! Now, how did we achieve such a feat you ask? Pretty simple really; the crazy platform!
The crazy rig consists of three main components that, when combined, form a lethal weapon for bass fishing. The bait itself is normally a Senko worm with a Gamakatsu grassless hook in the midsection of the Senko. The bait does not necessarily have to be weedless, but having weeds in the mix is a prerequisite. And to top it off we have a ten or twelve pound fluorocarbon leader or main line. The line that shines for me is the Spider Wire Invisi-Braid in ten pound test. He has shown his unseen qualities and superior strength in my outings. So when the crazy rig is ready I have a black Senko Worm with a black Gamakatsu weedless hook and Spider Wire Invisi-Braid line. When this setup is in clear gin water all Bass sees is ‘black’ and that is the important ingredient.
A good Senko Worm impregnated with salt is ideal because it helps in its fluttering to the bottom. On initial release, I like to give the crazy platform a lot of slack. This is of the utmost importance because you want it to look as natural as possible for the bass. After the plaster is set to the bottom, glue it down by letting it sit for as long as you can stand it. Then, by shaking it while retrieving it, it will bring it to life by making it look like the bait is swimming away due to the ends bobbing back and forth. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get the bass going. A full belly bass prefers the dead punch of the crazy rig and that is how eight out of ten of my basses are normally caught. It works, period!
Fancy rigs with a Senko worm and hook alone are effective in relatively shallow water, but in deeper water this same rig can be improved for deep-dwellers such as Smallmouth Bass. Largemouths generally like deeper water because they like cooler temperatures. But deeper staging fish can also be had with the wacky rig by adding spike weights to each end of the Senko. Adding enough weight to it for a long drop is the ticket. Nail weights can be purchased at your nearest tackle shop or cut yourself at your nearest hardware store. Throw the crazy rig with the spike weights as far as you can and let it fall on its own merits. When using the Spider Wire Invisi Braid, one only has to keep an eye on the slack line to spot a bass. The slightest nudge will be felt and seen, so be prepared because Smallmouth is known for the infamous ‘grab and go’ in the blink of an eye.
An ideal outlandish platform combo would consist of a spinning reel setup. I’m partial to my 6’8″ Diawa Steeze medium action rod paired with the Shimano Sustain 1000. Spinning is a good way to go with fancy rigs, but any spinning reel will work as long as it has a good sturdy drag system to handle the hook sets.To get largemouth out of cover or smallmouth dancing water on the end of your thumb and forefinger, you need to have a good strong backbone on the rod.As far as length goes, a 6′ A 8″ or 7’2″ medium shaft will do the trick. We need the springiness of the toe to bring out the madness and for long casts, the length helps along with the action.
When you think you’ve tried everything and you’re about to give up; Have you tried the crazy platform? All I can say is that when handled correctly, the wacky platform can greatly increase your odds. I am living proof of that because in a single day I put this rig to a vigorous test with the Steeze, Sustain and Invisi-Braid combo and dropped over 40lbs of bass. That’s what, my fishermen friends, it’s all about. The wacky rig alone caught many, even a ruckus caused by boat traffic was not enough to turn the Bass away from the effective wacky rig! I can guarantee you first and second chance anglers surely went wild when I posed for the camera with both five pound plus prizes!