LEARN HOW TO FREE RIG & CATCH MORE FISH! by Fresh Baitz

To be simple, the free rig is just a hook at the end of the line and above that is a weight that slides up and down the line. The weight will hit the bottom first while the bait slowly makes its way to the bottom. This allows the bait to move freely in all directions with a more lifelike look. A change in direction and speed is something fish do not see often so they’ll strike at it every time. Instead of using a stick bait, you want to lean toward a bigger bait like our Beetle.

We recommend our Fresh Beetles because they not only have a 4-inch profile that screams “EAT ME”, but also include hyperactive swimming claws that are designed with thin non-salt plastic to make them come alive with the slightest movement! Its slim yet wide-body and four claws are engineered to naturally glide and wobble as it moves through the water making it perfect to free rig.

We also recommend our Fresh Scorpions to all anglers because they’re truly designed like no other soft plastic. The action on these things is incredible and the high-grade non-salted plastic provides superior lifelike action that triggers MORE strikes. The revolutionary and exclusive 3-axis tail design allows the Scorpion to look as if it’s swimming in the water naturally when it’s free rigged.

Fish will see the Scorpion swimming fast toward the bottom and at this point, the fish will be skeptical about biting until the weight lands and the Scorpion begins to slow down. The fish will then be determined to strike once it notices the Scorpion is changing direction. If you’re fishing in deeper waters then you’ll want to keep in mind that your bait is going to take a little longer to flutter down toward the bottom.

All of our Fresh Scorpions are scented with Zee Bait Co. Bass Syrup Anise and are great for Smallmouth, Largemouth, Pike, and even Walleye. Perfect for fishing in any condition all year round! All of the big Bass simply can’t get enough of our Fresh Scorpions.

The line and rod you choose to use is important when you’re free rigging. The best place to cast into is around cover or into weeds so you’re going to need sturdier equipment. A general 15-pound fluorocarbon line is ideal and will hold up perfectly. You don’t want to use a braided line because it will break down easily in the rocks. The rod you want to use needs to be a 7-foot all-purpose fast action tip rod. The reel doesn’t need a high-speed gear ratio so you get away with using a reel that has a 61:1 gear ratio up to a 71:1 gear ratio.

Most people think that it’s okay to use a drop shot weight for a free rig, but that is actually incorrect. The drop shot weights have an ultra-tight hold for the line that almost pinches it to ensure that the weight does not move. The drop shot weights do not work for free rigging because the weight needs to be able to slide up and down the line freely. You preferably need a cylinder weight that has a nice and wide loop at the top so that the line will be able to slide through it very easily. We recommend a cylinder-shaped weight over a bulky casting weight because the bigger weights will catch a ton of debris and are more likely to get caught up in rocks which is never fun to deal with.

The best hook you can use is our Owner All Purpose Hooks. The lightweight of it allows the bait to look more natural when it’s falling toward the bottom and it’s hard for fish to see it. Using a jig would not work because it defeats the whole purpose behind the free rig. 

Pay close attention to how deep you’re throwing and know that the deeper you throw it means the more line/ slack you’re going to have to pick up before you set the hook. It can be very easy to lose fish this way if you’re not aware and have a ton of slack on your line.

It’s a good idea to find some clear water nearby and practice free rigging without trying to catch any fish. Get a good feel for the speed at which the bait falls and how it reacts when falling. Free rigging is a whole lot of fun once you get the hang of it, so master it now!