The Free Rig and How to Use It
The free rig is a hybrid rig that shares some aspects of the ultra-popular Texas and Carolina rigs. Using a weight with a hole at the top (free rig weight), anglers thread their line through the hole, add a rubber stopper then tie their hook, and then rig their soft plastic bait. As the rig is cast out, the weight falls first and the soft plastic falls slowly behind it in a free-flowing and unpredictable way. this falling action is what makes it so deadly.
It can work all year round, but the toughest fishing times are the best, It works around weed beds, snags, reef bottom and when fish suspend under pontoons. Most of the time, it's done between 5 and 25-feet of water.
Fishing the rig is similar to any soft-plastic rig, but letting it fall on a slack line is vital.
Having slack in your line is very important to get the right fall because as the weight falls first, you want the plastic to free fall behind it. The fish will bite it as the bait falls and you will see your line swimming away, or with forward-facing sonar, you can see the fish eat the bait. I let the bait fall to the bottom, shake it a few times, and make another cast. You make a lot of casts with it because the fall is when you get the bites. It is a slow but methodical way of fishing, generally getting the larger shy Bream to bite.
Baits and Weights
This finesse techniques with downsized baits, i prefer creature baits fore sure, the profile with outward legs, antenna, feelers etc cause the lure to fall slowly and naturally, plenty of appendages are a bonus. This helps add time for the bait to fall and attract fish.
I like baits like the Damiki rush craw, Ecogear bug ants, OSP Do live craw 2" and Do live Shrimp 2.5" to name a few, pretty much creature bait with a lot of appendages to slow it down, You want the bait to grab water and fall slowly. Lures like a single tail grubs or paddle tails sink too fast since they have straight tails. I also don't like anything over 3" for bream
A simple free rig weight sinker Is not only snag resistant but does not empede the action, 3.5 to 5gr are perfect for estuary work.
I also use a float or rubber stopper, adding one or two of these just above his hook. Without those, the weight can get stuck on the knot sometimes or can damage the knot with constant casting.
The free rig just might be the next big thing in bream fishing in australia. It's already proved its worth in Japan for tricking difficult high pressured fish and has slowly been making its way onto the radar of Pro's around the globe. The rig is simple and gives anglers yet another effective way to rig soft plastic baits for bass and bream
Recommended to get you started.
Mixture of Free Rig Weights in 3.5, 5gr to suit conditions
Rubber Stoppers
Gamakatsu #4 #2 #1 EWG Worm hook to suit the Lures
Any questions feel free to Ask the team!
