Last updated on January 24, 2023
The best bass anglers are always looking to improve their game and learning new bass gear is a surefire way to do that.
The Texas kit is the most common bass kit because it is versatile and can be used in combination with many other styles.
I see many professionals who are also successful with drop-shots.
If you are serious about bass fishing and want to catch more, you should learn as much as possible.
With a combined 100 years of experience passed down to me, these platforms were hammered into my brain throughout my childhood and early adulthood.
I have some new ones, some old ones, but they're all good.
We'll see!
If YouTube videos are more your style, Yourbassguy.com writer Wesley takes a look at these platforms.
table of contents
- types of bass equipment
- caroline equipment
- texas platform
- drop shot equipment
- crazy equipment
- aparejo neko
- down rich
- nodding
- Common components of a bass system
- final thoughts
types of bass equipment
There are many reasons why it is important to learn to line up and attract.
Each team has a different purpose.
Some are weed-free, which means you can throw them close by or in dense cover and you won't get much green in the back.
Other bass gear is for performance.
They create a natural look to the bait, which helps make the bass more likely to be curious about what it is.
Regardless of which rig you prefer to use for bass, knowing the most popular bass rigs will give you more gas in your tank when fishing a long day.
caroline equipment

fish orcarolina platformfor largemouth bass it is as common as fly fishing for trout.
If you're not sure how to properly handle a Carolina worm, don't worry. This team's goal is to spread the weight of the worm because it can disrupt your presentation.
If your weight is holding the worm, it will ruin the action, signaling the bass to stay away.
How to put it together?
First, you want to take a bullet sinker and slide it into your line with a pearl or brass fitting behind it.
Attach a swivel to the end.
Now you want to get a four foot leader and attach it to the swivel.
The leader end is where you will attach your hook and likely set up Texas worm style.
As you can see, a Carolina tackle has a lot less to do with how you set your lure and a lot more to do with how you set your line. It is important to understand that a Carolina rig has nothing to do with soft plastic bait.
Why do we like it?
It's like a drop shot (more on that later) because the goal is to keep your weight in constant contact with the bottom of the water.
What ends up happening is that the weight is dragged along the bottom and the four-foot leader suspends the lure above him.
This way you get the most natural presentation of the worm because it looks like it's swimming.
Plus, you also have a weed-free presentation because you're using Texas equipment. It's a great platform for fishing for weeds and testing the waters for stumps and rocks.
You don't want to fish anywhere that's too rocky because you're looking for a softer base to glide naturally.
texas platform

Hetexas platformIt is one of the most popular bass tackle and you can fish a wide variety of soft plastics this way. You'll use this weedless rig to help cover thick mulch without bringing a ton of vegetation onto your boat.
How to put it together?
You will do this by taking the hook and turning it towards the worm.
Push about a quarter of an inch of the hook into the worm so it is on the other side. You want the hook to be at a perfect 90 degree angle.
Keep pushing the hook until you reach the eye. You don't want to expose it.
Remember that the most important part of this equipment is to protect the hook tip from exposure to vegetation.
Therefore, you must push the hook tip back into the worm if it leaves.
The first few times you do this it will likely crack the worm, so I'd suggest trying it out on something you might miss.
Why do we like it?
I like the Texas equipment because it has no weeds.
It's a great choice for anglers who like to fish in danger zones and get closer than they should to tall grass.
The good news is that this is where you find the big bass. If you see an opening in the grass, you can't just throw anything in there, because it will get stuck and you'll end up having to cut your line.
With a Texas rig, this shouldn't happen if you've installed it correctly.
You have the option of adding a sinker or fishing it weightless. If you throw it directly into dense vegetation, it will make it light.
drop shot equipment

Everyone should learn to use onedrop shot kit for bassbecause this is the equipment most professionals use.
It has some similarities to the Carolina rig in terms of lure presentation and weight function. The main difference is the location of the weight.
With a drop shot, your weight is at the end. The way you present your bait with a cast is also very different from a Carolina's "bottom drag" strategy.
How to put it together?
To start, you'll start by threading the needle as you normally would. You want to leave about five feet of line at the end of the hook.
This will vary depending on where you are fishing.
If you are fishing in very shallow water, you can reduce the size to a foot if you find it necessary. I almost always leave about five feet and it worked great for me.
Then you will tie the hook and now you have that extra line at the end.
Attach a drop shot or a plumb bob to the end and boom; you have a drop shot.
Simple truth?
Why do we like it?
There are many different strategies for fishing drop shots.
I would set it up like I said, use a Texas worm and leave it near bush beds and rows of tall grass.
The weight will be on the bottom and you can drag or fish it vertically by pulling the end of the rod back and looping the spool and repeating this process.
Regardless of the presentation you prefer, drop shots are very popular with professional anglers, and many have caught some amazing ones.record size fish.
crazy equipment

Hecrazy platformIt's one of my favorites for open water fishing because I think it creates the most natural presentation, but it does have some drawbacks.
This method of fishing is not weed-free by any means, so you need to be much more careful when fishing near weeds and stumps.
However, it is easy to handle and does not require as much equipment.
How to put it together?
To equip the crazy style, you'll need a grappling hook and an O-ring.
You will take the O-ring and wrap it around the auger and push it towards the center. It doesn't have to be perfect, but I think right in the middle is the ideal place.
You also have the option of going through the worm, but I've found that this strategy causes worms to crack and break prematurely.
I suggest using the O-rings and hooking them together.
I would suggest using a Yamamoto Senko or some form of Berkley Powerbait soft plastic lures for this rig. These are my favorites.
Why do we like it?
The presentation is simple. It's a smooth jerking motion and you want to fish it vertically. You will expel the worm and let it sink.
When you are almost at the bottom, you need to tighten the thread, bring it back up and down again.
You will repeat this process several times.
Some people prefer to put a weight in the middle to help it sink faster. I like a slower presentation with these.
aparejo neko

I was never a big fan ofneko platformpresentation because I never really achieved the purpose.
With that said, I know many anglers who are killing it with this bass fishing tackle setup.
It's essentially a fancy platform with a weight at the end instead of the middle, that's all we're doing.
How to put it together?
It's simple. Drill the auger in the middle or use a sealing ring as we did with thecrazy platform.
Take a lead-weighted nail and insert it into the blunt end of the worm's tail.
So, when you introduce this worm, it will stay vertical, but with each movement, it will pull horizontally and return to vertical when you let it sink.
Why do we like it?
What I like most about this team is the fact that you can buy special weights for Neko teams, which doesn't make it much easier.
They come with a nail, you insert it into the top of the worm and you're done.
As I said, I don't have much experience with this equipment, but I know a lot of people who trust it. It's also very similar tochicken platformwhich is another popular choice for bass fishing.
Try it!
down rich

The ned rig is one of the simplest types of bass fishing tackle, and chances are you've fished this before without even knowing you were rigging soft plastic.
It's a great strategy for when the bass doesn't bite during thecold winter months.
Your metabolism slows down during the winter, so you should implement this strategy towinter bass fishing.
How to put it together?
Take your soft plastic and insert a jig head into it.
Be sure to downsize if you are fishing during cold weather months because bass is not a challenge during this time. Many people prefer a mushroom jig head.
Then you want to connect that setup to a six foot fluorocarbon leader.
Tie it off with your favorite knot and you have a perfect outfit.
See, I said it was simple!
All you really have here is a typical template setup.
Why do we like it?
It is an excellent option for cold water fishing because it is simple, small and ideal for fine line fishing.
You will want to work up and down like a standard jig and make sure you fish in shallow water with a ned rig because the bass will retreat there when the water temperature starts to drop.
nodding
If you're not sure whether to go with a Shaky Head or a Texas rig, this YouTube video by Yourbassguy.com Community Coordinator Wesley Littlefield will help!
Swing head rig for bass fishing is similar to ned rig but uses a different type of head.
The presentation is still for when the bass does not bite, but you can use it at any time.
Instead of using a mushroom jig, you will use a round head and assemble it Texas style. Create a natural performance that the bass can't resist.
How to put it together?
This one is super simple.
The platform consists of a soft plastic worm like a Senko. They even have dedicated "wobbly head" worms now that you can buy.
Any choice you make doesn't really matter.
Take your jig head and go into the worm and wrap the hook all the way around so you can stick the end back into the bottom of the worm for a while.texas platform.
Why do we like it?
I like it because it has no weeds and the presentation is impeccable. Note that you can also modify this staff with a drop shot to create an even more natural action.
Common components of a bass system
So if you're sitting in front of your computer staring at the screen or reading this article at the hardware store, you might be wondering what equipment you need for all that equipment. Here's a full breakdown of all the things you'll need to buy for each platform on this list.
- Fluorocarbon leader (approximately eight pounds)
- monofilament line
- Bullet or egg sinkers
- Bead weights or brass clackers
- spin
- 1-2 hooks, drop shot hooks, crazy hooks
- Variety of soft plastics including Senko worms and powerbait of different sizes.
- Shaking head jigs e cogumelos jigs
Stock up on all that gear and you should be good to go!
final thoughts
Think you know everything about bass gear? You're pretty close to that. These are the most effective and common bass equipment currently available. You will see many professional anglers use drop shot, Texas and Carolina equipment on a regular basis. Combine these teams with the bestbass fishing techniquesand get lower!
About the author of the post
coty perry
For Coty, he didn't love bass fishing in the first cast. It took a few (thousands) of throws for him to become obsessed with mastering every possible fishing style, technique, and lure. As a third generation fisherman, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience on the water and loves to share what he knows.
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