Bass Fishing: The Shaky Head

Here is one technique that really catches great numbers of fish. The Shaky Head worm should be in your tackle bag and here’s why.

This form of fishing a worm is not new to the bass fishing scene it has just made a strong comeback in recent years. This technique originated in the 1950’s when an innovative angler attached a plastic worm to his bucktail jig. Today this “Jigworming” presentation has accounted for thousands of dollars on the pro bass circuit. Here are some of the ways to get the most out of this awesome bass catching bait!

There are two basic ways to rig this bait depending on the structure you are fishing. You may leave the hook exposed when fishing areas where not much cover is present. The Shaky Head may also be used weedless for getting it into areas where cover and grass are present. This lets you cover the lake you are fishing no matter what the circumstances whether you are fishing deep, shallow or even dirty to muddy water. This technique has a place in every water type throughout the country making it one of the most versatile baits we have available today.

There are a wide variety of jigheads to consider also. These include the football jig, ball jig, mushroom jig, and the dart jig. Each of these jig types have different purposes and times to be fished. The hook types are also very important to your presentation, they include offset, extra-wide gap and straight shank. The preferred weight of the jigheads range from 1/16 to 1/4 oz. The great thing about the Shaky Head rig is that any worm can be used on it. The common worms used are straight or paddle tail worms in 4 to 8 inch sizes. Here are some of the more popular worms used for the Shaky Head technique. Berkely Gulp Shaky Head, Slider Worm, Strike King Finesse Worm, V&M Needle Worm and a Gitem’ Baits Warlock.

Fishing the Shaky Head is relatively simple, you just throw it out and get light tension on your line and shake your rod tip. This makes the worm quiver and bounce along the bottom in slow movements keeping it in the strike zone longer. This technique is very effective on bedding fish and in heavy cover. The Shaky Head is my personal go to bait when fishing pressure is high and the bite is sluggish. Strikes are usually subtle with the fish just picking the bait up and moving off with it. If you see your line moving set the hook.

Where and when to fish the Shaky Head is pretty easy. Anytime. This bait is good in great or adverse conditions. The only time it can be challenging is in high wind. If you are faced with a cold front situation this is a great bait to get lockjaw bass to react and strike. This bait also rules when fishing ultra clear water when fishing can be really tuff and fish are extremely wary. If you are faced with this condition look for ledges or deep brush structure to fish the Shaky Head in.

“Popping” is another way of presenting this lure effectively to bass and is normally used when bass are more active or competing for meals. I fish this technique when bass school and gang up on channel drops or ledges. I prefer a heavier jig when using this method, a 1/4 oz. will usually work great. “Popping” your lure means when it hits bottom to give your rod tip a quick jerk upwards making the bait jump off the bottom and dart back to the bottom. This creates a great action and will get bass to make a reaction strike.

Spinning gear is recommended for fishing a Shaky Head. I prefer a 7′ medium heavy rod and a good metal spinning outfit for feeling soft bites. I also use 6 to 10 pound test fluorocarbon line. I prefer the fluorocarbon due to the fact that it is virtually invisible and it sinks very fast.

Give this technique a try if you have not already and get prepared to boat alot of bass! Send us your tips on how you fish the Shaky Head rig.

Keywords: Shaky Head | Berkley Gulp