Smashing Seabass – Heavy Texas Rig in Murky Waters

When autumn rolls in, rivers change. Cooler mornings, fresh rain, and a little extra colour in the water create perfect conditions for chasing bass. On this particular session, the plan was simple: pack the creature baits, tie on a heavy Texas rig, and see if the seabass were in the mood for a scrap.

Table of Contents

Setting Up for the Session

The morning began early, with a quick pit stop to grab some essentials, FiTU 7g bullet weights, weedless jig heads, and a few trusty soft plastics. With the gear sorted, it was time to hit the river. The air was cool, jumper weather at last, and the recent rainfall promised a murky, fishy system.

A quick cast or two with a topwater bait confirmed what the eye already suspected, too much colour in the water. That meant one thing: time to switch to subsurface creature imitations.

The Heavy Texas Approach

The rig of choice for this kind of session was a 7g tungsten bullet weight on a Super Lock XP hook, paired with a 3.6-inch Crazy Flapper. Weedless, compact, and heavy enough to punch through the current, it’s a presentation tailor-made for dirty water.

Leader choice is crucial in these snaggy, shell-covered rivers. A 20lb fluorocarbon leader provided the abrasion resistance needed, backed up with 16lb braid for direct contact. The rod was a no-nonsense fast-action Nebula rated to 30g – perfect for driving hooks home and bullying big fish in heavy flow.

Working the Water

One golden rule when bass fishing rivers: always fish the shallows before charging in. Bass will often sit right on the edges, especially in coloured water. Casting ahead and gently bouncing the Crazy Flapper along the bottom immediately stirred up baitfish, a good sign.

A few tentative taps hinted at interest, but it wasn’t until a mid-river cast that things lit up.

The Slam

The take was unmistakable. A brutal mid-river slam had the rod arched and the drag screaming. The fish surged into the shallows, thrashing with all the power you’d expect from a chunky seabass. After a tense battle, the prize came to hand: a pristine 50cm bass, broad across the back and in perfect condition.

The Crazy Flapper was nailed, proving once again why crayfish-style baits are so effective in coloured water. A quick photo, and the fish powered back into the flow – the best kind of release.

Confidence is Everything

That first bite changes everything. Beforehand, doubts creep in, is the water too murky? Are the fish even here? But once you connect, confidence floods back, and every cast feels alive with possibility. A couple more bites followed, confirming the fish were active and feeding in the conditions.

Final Thoughts

This short autumn session showed exactly why the heavy Texas rig is such a deadly tactic in murky rivers. The combination of weedless presentation, bottom contact, and lifelike crayfish action is irresistible to bass holding in coloured water.

The winning setup:

Rod: 30g fast-action spinning rod (Nebula 774)
Reel: 3000 size (Shimano Vanford/Stradic)
Line: 16lb braid to 20lb fluorocarbon leader
Rig: 7g tungsten bullet, Super Lock XP hook
Lure: 3.6” Crazy Flapper (Delta Craw)

Sometimes it’s not about endless bites, it’s about one proper slam that makes the whole session worthwhile. And when that hit comes mid-river on a Texas-rigged craw, there’s no better feeling.