How to rig a jig head (or texposed) for fishing bait

A 0:30

So, you've mastered the knot tying process for fishing, and you already know how to catch live bait, so now what? You need to know how to use fake plastic bait... this animated tutorial from Marinews will show you how to rig a jig head for fishing bait. Catching bait might just be as hard as baiting fish, but using plastic is the easiest thing of all. You can learn by simply watching the bait rigging animation at a moderate speed, or if need be, click on "learn by steps" to get step-by-step fish bait instructions to rig a jig head (or texposed) for fishing bait.

As simple as this rig looks, it's critical to get it exactly right. Scrunched, bent or twisted tails don't swim properly, often spin in the water, causing line twist, and will deter fish from biting. This is the most basic of all rigs for soft plastics, and also arguably the best.

Begin by laying the jig/hook alongside the soft plastic, with the nose of the soft plastic held level with the back of the jig head. Note exactly where the bight of the jigs hook comes to on the back (top) of the soft plastics tail. This will be the exit spot for the hook point to exit. Push the point of the jig hook into the front of the soft plastic lure, in the centre of its head or nose. Thread the soft plastic lure onto and around the hook bend so that the point of the hook exits the back of the plastic exactly on the centre line and at that point you noted earlier. Snug the nose of the plastic up against the back of the jig head and glue if preferred.

If your lure looks neat on the hook and the point comes out dead on the centre line of the plastic's back, you probably have it right. If it looks in any way dodgy, slightly crooked, bent, skewed or bunched up, do it again! Drop the lure in the water and check its action. If the plastic swims straight on the test run, the tail wobbles or kicks enticingly, and the lure looks like something that might actually be alive, then you've rigged it properly.