The shaky head is a very popular worm rig that is usually made up of a straight-tailed worm rigged on a jighead-style hook. There’s really nothing complicated about this rig as it relates to rubber worm fishing, but its effectiveness is another story.
Shaky heads have a very attractive presentation on the bottom, allowing the tail end of the worm stick up. Any action applied to the jighead will transfer in to the body of the worm. Because the tail end of the worm is weightless it has a very natural-looking appearance in the water.
The name “shaky” comes from the way in which you work this rig; by shaking the rod tip. This type of rod movement makes the worm’s body “shake” lightly underwater. This kind of action is a subtle movement that appears very natural and is highly appealing to bass.
Best Shaky Rig Jig Heads
There are a couple different types of shaky heads to choose from, but the two most popular are ones with a keeper or ones with a screw lock. If you are going for a weedless rig then it’s really a matter of preference which one you choose, their presentation is about the same.
Most people prefer the ones with some form of keeper on the hook’s shank. This allows you the flexibility to rig it weedless or with a fully exposed hook. Some will also argue that the screw lock heads wear out worms faster when they rip out a few times.
Best Shaky Head Worms
Since becoming such a popular bass fishing technique, many companies have come out with their own version of a shaky worm. For the most part they are all finesse worms. But in reality you can rig just about any straight-bodied soft plastic worm on a shaky head.
For example, Zoom makes a shaky head worm specifically called the Zoom Shaky Head Worm, which is a small finesse worm. But they also make their well-known Trick Worm which is longer and bulkier worm but also very popular for shaky head fishing.
This can cause some confusion, for beginners especially. It leads them to believe that you only use a worm labeled a “shaky head worm” for shaky head fishing. It’s important to know that you can rig a large variety of worms on a shaky head. Some anglers will even use other style worms like a small craw trailer, but traditionally the rig is used with stick worms.
How To Fish A Shaky Head
Shaky heads are often considered a finesse bait because of how often they are used for finesse fishing. But this rig can be also be used with heavier gear, heavier weights, and bigger worms.
When fishing a shaky head worm you want to stay in contact with the bottom. The goal is to slowly drag the bait along the bottom by slowly raising the rod tip. At the same as you’re raising the rod you are shaking the rod tip to transfer that action to the worm.
Then as you lower the rod tip you will reel in the slackline. Try to lower the rod and turn the reel at an equal pace so that the line stays somewhat tight. Maintaining a tight line between you and the worm is essential for all worm fishing. This is going to allow for better sensitivity and make it easier to detect a bite.
As you work the worm along the bottom you’re going to get a good feel for what’s down there. Use this information to find rocks or anything else unique about where you are fishing at the moment. As you catch fish you can start to take notice as to what kind of bottom the fish are relating to.
