T.T. Hellgrammite

Welcome to this weeks tackle Tuesday. All I know is we're going to be talking about some tackle on some Tuesdays.

Topic of this weeks discussion on tackle Tuesday is the Hellgrammite soft plastic. One of my favorite lures I have ever used.

Key Points

• Ways to Rig

• Tips on how to fish and the bait itself

• Where to fish

• Types

The hellgrammite in my opinion is an underused lure. I think it should be in every bass anglers tackle box just because of the versatility and finesse it brings to the table. Speaking of, let's talk about how to rig the hellgrammite. Most commonly for me I used a small size EWG hook, Texas rig the bait, and finally tuck the hook. It can all fish very well on a ned rig bouncing around on the bottom. Depending on the time of the year you may need to slow and lighten the bounce and maybe go to a drag for colder water or super hot water. Patience is key. Lastly, the drop shot is another good way to rig. It allows you to keep the bait above the bottom and keep valuable action without necessarily moving the bait. This also is very finesse and helps not disturb things but sometime that disturbance can be the key to a bite so try and explore options and see what works.

Moving on to tips on fishing the hellgrammite and reactions. The hellgrammite itself gives a good presentation. All the legs move around in the water and it looks like a real one(personally did not know they were real until 2 years ago). Smallmouth absolutely tear them up and can fish them almost however when they are hungry and biting. Texas rig dragging is my favorite. Working it slow or even down stream using the current getting over rocks and structure. Using weights can drastically change the water presentation it brings. If the slow drag bite is not working, maybe try going to lighter weight and drifting in the current a bit above the bottom. This could be what they are looking for. Also a key factor could be the size of the hellgrammite. They tend to range from 2 inches to 4 inches and possibly the color could go lighter or darker according to the water.

Commonly the hellgrammite is used for smallmouth and in the river. This is where I would say it shines best and does it best work. Real hellgrammites naturally live in rocky areas where its clean and has flowing water. With that said, do not underestimate this lure in lakes. I have had a couple fish chase this bait all the way to the surface then eat it and also use it to finesse fish in lakes as well. You can throw it around structure really anywhere and could get a bite. That's the great thing about this lure.

To finish things off we will get into the different types of hellgrammites and how they are best used. Obviously you can rig them however you feel and try whatever for yourself. Most commonly used i would say if the regular plastisol with or with salt and a round hellgrammite. Many brands offer good ones in many colors. Next we have the thin hellgrammites and they almost flow in the water(would be great for a dropshot). They are more like a super finesse way to fish but it is a great technique. Last but not least we have the elastic hellgrammites. These are my favorite and they last forever. As said they last forever and that is because the elastic plastic(not sure of actual name) and can stretch like 10x their length if not more. One notable brands is Nikko and they make great elastic hellgrammites with many colors. Hellgrammites are the first Tackle Tuesday because I have slammed so many smallies on it and want you guys to get on the juice. PB smallie was on a Nikko 4inch \

As Always, thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed a like would be appreciated and enjoy your fishing. Always going to try and improve and bring you guys what you want.

Tight lines.

-OneMoreCast

PB Bait Nikko 4" Southern Junebug

Tackle HD Thin Hellgrammite

Yum Hellgrammite