Little-Known Paddletail Lure Rigging Secrets (That Increase Strikes)

When most people rig a paddletail on a jig head or weighted swimbait hook, they just rig it the same as everyone else…

But what if there’s a better way to rig them?

What if you rig them upside down?

Or what if you manipulate the lure to better resemble the baitfish your target species is going after?

Could that help you catch more fish?

In this video, I’ll show you a few unique ways to rig or change your paddletail to get more strikes.

Enjoy!

Paddletail Rigging Secrets [VIDEO]

 Click here to claim your FREE pack of Slam Shady paddletails

 Click here to join the Insider Club

And if you’re an Insider, you can click here for the discounts on the hooks and jig heads.

Now, let’s get into some of the little-know ways you can rig or manipulate your paddletails for more strikes.

Tip #1: Cut off the tip of the paddletail to help the jig head stay better

Some paddletails (like the Slam Shady 2.0) have a narrow nose.

If you cut the nose off so that where the jig head now goes is thicker, it will help the jig head stay better.

Note: don’t do this if you’re using a weighted swimbait hook because it will make it less hydrodynamic, plus it’s not necessary.

Tip #2: Cut up to an inch off of the paddletail if the baitfish are small

You want to match the hatch, and if the gamefish are feeding on two-inch baitfish, but you have a three-inch paddletail, then cut the first inch off of the paddletail to make it smaller and match the baitfish.

However, make sure to not cut too much off of the front because then the hook could end up coming out too close to the tail and give it less action.

Tip #3: Cut the tail off of the paddletail if the baitfish are small and the gamefish are deep

This is something that Luke has been doing often and it’s been working very well for him.

The tail slows the lure down in the water, and if the fish are deeper than three or four feet, then cutting the tail can help the lure quickly get down deep to where the predators are.

In this case, you’d work the lure just like a jerk bait.

Also, if a pufferfish bites the tail off of your lure, you can work it like a jerk bait instead of throwing it away.

Tip #4: Rig the paddletail upside down

Rigging a paddletail upside down doesn’t seem to have too much of an effect on the action of the lure… if anything, it might even give it more action (see how they compare in the video).

Just like rigging it right-side-up, you can clip the front off of it if you’re using a jig head, but the main difference here is that you want to insert the hook a little lower so that it doesn’t come right out of the slot on the bottom (now top) of the lure.

And the advantage of rigging a paddletail upside down is that the slot allows more clearance for the hook to get into the fish’s mouth.

Tip #5: If you put the hook of the jig head too far back in the lure, pull it back to fix it

If you place the hook too far back in the body of the lure and the lure is scrunched up and crooked, you can pull the tail of the lure back, which rips the lure, but allows it to sit straight on the jig head

This is better than taking the lure off because that will rip the front of it and will keep it from securely staying on the hook.

How To Get 20% Off Of These Hooks & Lures

Because our Insider Club has been growing so much recently, we’ve been able to negotiate some pretty amazing discounts for our Insiders.

If you want 20% off of these hooks, lures, and jig heads, plus most other fishing gear (including expensive stuff, like rods, reels, and sunglasses), click here to join us in the Insider Club.

And if you’re already an Insider, click here to access these discounts.

If you’re an Insider and you have already claimed your free pack of Slam Shady paddletails, click here to get 20% off of your next pack from our shop.

Conclusion

Hope you enjoyed these out-of-the-box rigging tips!

Which one are you going to try?

Let me know in the comments below!

And if you know someone who would love to try some of these rigging tips, please TAG or SHARE this with them!

P.S. To get our best fishing spots, tips, and strategies, plus discounts on the gear mentioned in this video and more, click here to join us in the Insider Club.

Related articles:

• How To Maximize Your Results With Slam Shady Paddletails [Rigging, Retrieving, & Size Selection]
• How To Catch More Redfish, Snook, & Grouper With Just ONE Lure
• The Best Fishing Knots Of All Time [Ranked Strongest To Weakest]