The T-Rex is one of the most “under-the-radar” baits from Culprit, but also one of the best and most versatile.
It is a straight tail worm with finely etched grooves for both vibration and looks. It’s a little thicker and heavier than a standard straight tail worm, but not as thick as a “Senko” style worm. I like to fish it year round in a variety of situations.
Whether shaky head, wacky, Neko rig, weightless floating worm style, Texas or Carolina rig, this worm works well. I prefer to fish this worm where bigger fish are present since it is not a small worm. T-Rex will catch bigger than average size bass when they are lightly feeding or neutral.
In clearer water I like to fish it wacky style or wacky style with a weight in one end which is now referred to as Neko rigging. This works well year round; the warmer the water then generally the heavier the weight. I like a size 1 Neko rig hook and weights ranging from 1/64 to 1/8. I really like Tungsten weights that are small per size of weight made by Eco-Pro. Fish this on 15-lb. braid with 8-lb. fluorocarbon leader in general.
In multiple situations, it works well on a shaky head jig. I specifically like skipping it around docks. The body size makes it ideal for skipping. Generally I prefer stained water, but when it gets a bit muddy, I choose red shad. My preference is to stick with natural colors when the water is stained or clear.
For weightless style, I Texas rig with a 4/0 offset hook, but with no weight, then twitch my rod resulting in the bait “walking” underwater. This is great in the spring or anytime you want to cover shallow water.
If you want a different presentation with a Texas rig, this worm flips great. So if you go down a bank with a jig or creature bait and get some bites, going back through with a T-Rex can get you more bites on a second pass. Also if fishing pressure is up, then just start flipping the T-Rex right off the bat.
And finally the C-rig, obviously made for off-shore fishing, but I like to lighten up to a 1/4 and fish it down banks as well, especially flatter banks where the cover is more scattered and it is more difficult to predict where to cast.
Incorporate the T-Rex into your arsenal of soft plastics and it will have you catching more bass.
by Dustin Wilks