THE INU RIG
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What is the Inu rig ?
Even in researching sources for this article , this was the question many top pros asked us , and it ’ s probably the question you ’ re asking , as well .
Basically , the Inu rig ( often seen as “ inurig ” online ) is a straight worm rigged so the line runs through the body in such a way that the worm can lie straight at rest but can be compacted it into an ‘ S ’ shape when twitched . Why is this important ? Well , the rig is typically cast out and fished like you would a wacky rig , letting it sink slowly with its body straight and fluttering like any other straight worm ( of course , due to various rigging options , there are other ways to fish it , too ). However , because of how the worm is rigged , upon twitching your rod , the straight worm suddenly coils into an ‘ S ’ and then darts forward , creating the profile of something trying to escape a predator .
Because of its relative newness , how the worm is rigged continues to vary and be tinkered with . Even Stefan says he ’ s still toying with all the different ways to rig it in order to maximize hook-up percentage , action , etc . There are some standards , though . Pieces of surgical tubing or even stirring straws are inserted into the worm three times at specific places and at 30-degree angles that will allow the line to run through the body of the worm so it can coil into the ‘ S ’ shape . Before the line is run through the tubes , you slide a single hook on the line , which will then sit on the nose of the worm when rigged .
Once the line is run through the three tubes , at the bottom needs to be a “ stopper ” – something on which to tie the line to stop it from going back through the worm . Some use an O-ring ; others have toyed with a single or treble hook , and still others using swivels with blades for a whole different look and new presentation .
Set to explode … or fizzle ?
Timing can be everything , and in the case of the Inu rig , that seems especially true .
Fall seems a terrible time for a new rig to become widely known because it ’ s the time anglers tend to fish the least – or are quite distracted by hunting .
However , in the digital age , it ’ s also the perfect time to maximize the potential exposure from anglers wishing they could be fishing , trying to figure out the new tool to add to next season ’ s arsenal or killing time waiting to get in a deer stand .
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Hence why the initial video Stefan discovered went from just a few thousand views to more than 2.1 million only a couple months later at the time of writing this article . And it ’ s by no means the only video now . A quick search yields dozens ( if not hundreds ) of videos , tutorials , underwater views and more .
In a matter of months , and despite little actual time to use and play with it , suddenly everyone is an expert wanting to share their knowledge on this new rig .
Stefan admittedly was among them , posting a video shortly thereafter on how to rig it on his YouTube channel . That said , he didn ’ t try to proclaim being an expert – just someone who had tried it out and wanted to share . After watching the initial video , he says he rigged up a dozen of them and immediately went fishing at a gin-clear local lake to test them out . The results were by no means conclusive , but they were encouraging .
“ I ended up catching some decent fish on it casting it up to fish I saw cruising the bank ,” Stefan says . “ I can really see that ( scenario ) and bed fishing as the two times it could really excel .
“ The thing that got me excited , though , was how the fish reacted to it . With a wacky rig , they either commit to eat it quickly or swim off when it hits the water . With the Inu rig , even if they started to swim off from it , when I ’ d twitch it , they ’ d turn around and come look at it . They wouldn ’ t eat it , but they ’ d just watch it . Eventually , they ’ d watch it long enough they ’ d finally eat it .”
Stefan has had numerous similar experiences since , but he says he ’ s still very much toying with different setups to try to maximize hook-up percentage , action , etc .
Being that this rig takes a lot more effort than your typical wacky rig , though , it ’ s probably more on par with setting up a Carolina rig . Plus , the fact the rig can burn through soft-plastics at a world-record pace , Stefan wonders if it will be too much for the average weekend angler to toy with for it to ever really catch on in the mainstream .
Then again , when you ’ re a top-level pro , it ’ s worth investing the time and energy into something that might be a pain but can pay off , literally , in tournament checks . He ’ s even adapting the concept to other presentations .
“ It ’ s such a unique concept with the potential to excel in certain situations ,” Stefan adds . “ I don ’ t know if it will ever be a huge thing . You might see it have an underground following for a while before it really blows up , if it ever does .
“ I ’ d be surprised if the concept doesn ’ t spur new baits or techniques you ’ ll see in the future .”
MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2022