A Tip To Get More Use out of Creature and Beaver-Type Baits

Soft-plastic baits come in all shapes and sizes and with every conceivable type of tail and appendage, so there's a bait that will work in nearly every situation. There's just one flaw: their softness.

While this characteristic gives the baits great action, it doesn't last long once a fish eats the bait and you set the hook. The top of the lure often splits as the hook tears through it. It's not a big deal if you happen to be fishing a 10-inch worm. Just cut off a half-inch of plastic, and you're back in business. For a lot of lures, though, such as creature and beaver-type baits, a torn head instantly renders them worthless.

Thanks to bass pro Tom Redington, there's an easy fix for this problem. You just use an O-Wacky Tool to put an O-ring on the upper end of the bait, approximately one-quarter inch from the head. On a ribbed bait, such as a beaver-type, slide the O-ring to about the second ring down from the head, then run the hook through the lure as usual.

For any flipping-style hook with a keeper, the keeper should be just below the O-ring, resting against it. With EWG and offset-style hooks, the bend should rest against the O-ring.

Now you're ready to go, and your lure usually will last for several more fish than normal. The O-ring protects the nose of the bait, so the head won't tear out as easily. And even if the head does tear, the O-ring keeps the plastic together enough that you still can fish it without the bait sliding down the shank of the hook every cast.

The O-Wacky Tool only costs a few bucks, and O-rings are super cheap. This trick not only saves you a lot of money by extending the life of your baits, it also saves the day when the bass are locked on a certain color, and your supply is running low.

The best news is you'll also snag less because the bait won't slide down and expose the hook, plus there's usually not any difference in the hookup ratio while using an O-ring.

Try this on anything from Texas rigging weightless soft-plastic jerkbaits to punching beavers and craws through grass mats. For a better look at how to rig, watch the video, using this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtOkBXxPhyU.