I'm really making an effort to learn this technique. I've never been big on spinning tackle, and I know I don't have to necessarily throw it on spinning tackle - but that seems to be the preferred set up.

So those of you that do fish the rig and have had good success - can you give me pointers? Such as...

Where you like to fish it...depth, cover/structure, time of year, etc.
Line size? If braid, do you splice a flouro leader?
Preferred hooks?
Favorite baits? Colors?

1/4oz shakyhead with a decent sized plastic(anything bigger than a Ned rig) is fine on a casting rod for me.

Because a traditional shaky head is not an exposed hook, even with lighter ones, you need some backbone in the rod and you set the hook overhead with force (not the finesse reel and lift up set you do with exposed hook presentations)
Probably fish the 1/4oz shakey head the most. But if fishing deeper than 15ft, I’ll fish those heavier pumpkin heads


5/16z and lighter. Medium spinning rod with fast action. Size 2500 reel 20-30lb hi vis braid to 6ft leader of 8lb test of your choice.

3/8oz and heavier. Medium heavy baitcaster with fast action. 40lb braid to 6ft leader of 12-15lb test of your preference

Fish it anywhere you’d fish a Texas rig, but from my experience, they really shine around docks, horizontal laydowns, gravel, and concrete (boat ramps/ bridges/etc). Set the hook with force.

The heavier ones are good in deeper brush and rock piles. Set the hook hard.

I’ve never fished shakey heads on spinning gear. My son fishes shakey heads all the time, always on a casting rig. I used to never use a shakey heads until I kept watching my son catch fish on them and I started trying it. We have had the best success around rocks and docks also.

I thought most shakey heads were thrown on 1/8 and 3/16oz jig heads? Sounds like you guys are fishing bigger stuff!

I fish a 3/16 oz. Owner Ultrahead, pins the fish really well. I fish it exclusively on a MH rod with a minimum of 15-16 pound test fluoro. Understand that this bait catches big fish so using a bait caster setup is my preference.

Great question, thanks for asking it and thanks for all the replies!

What’s the advantage over pegged Texas rig?

+1
I throw this same shaky head with a finesse worm or a trick worm on a Dobyns 683 bait caster with 15# test Invizx fluorocarbon line on a Daiwa Tatula Elite.

Well, for me I generally use the Texas rig for creature baits or craws. I feel like t-rig gives those baits a more natural presentation as you crawl it across the bottom. But that's just me...and I'm the guy who asked the original shakey head question, so I'm not sure I'm the best to respond. But wanting to start throwing more plastic worms is what made me switch to the shakey head - for whatever that is worth.

I use tungsten shakey heads they are very sharp and will hook a fish if he sneezes on it, I mostly use them for worms ribbon tail and trick worms but have used them for up to 13 inch manns also they work great.

I mostly throw 3/16 but go heavier if its windy and I cant feel the bottom.

I use a spinning rod primarily just because w braid to leader it casts so much further, but will use a medium or medium heavy bait caster also, especially in the wind since Ill have more weight and dont want the braid to leader just straight floro.

https://heavymetalfishing.com/collections/frontpage/products/tungsten-shaky-head

Shakey Head is a way to present a worm that is different from a texas rig. The "Spot Remover" shakey heads just about guarantee that the worm will point up at about a 45 degree angle from the head of the jig. Floating worms makes it even more enticing. I would rather fish a shakey head than a Texas rig. I also like fishing it with a spinning rig because as was mentioned before, you need to set the hook hard.. and I like doing that with my strong arm, my right arm vs my left.
I have also used a shakey head jig for pitching a creature bait around flooded brush, also on spinning.
Rig wise.. 7' Spinning MH, 30lb braid to 10lb Seaguar Invisix Flourocarbon. I like Owner Shakey Heads with the screw on keeper.

I used spinning gear when I first started fishing shakey heads because I was throwing tiny shakey heads. I had some luck, but not a lot. After buying a place on Lake Fork I decided to try bigger shakey heads (5/16 up to 5/8oz) and have had much better luck with casting gear and haven’t used spinning gear for shakey heads in a couple years. I prefer Santone Piglet Football Shakey heads and a 7-10” worm at fork. 5-7” worm elsewhere usually. Occasionally I’ll throw a ribbon tail which is longer than the trick worms I would’ve thrown, 10-12” on fork, 8-10” elsewhere. Santone Piglets are only made up to 5/16 so I use Papa’s baits football shakey heads for anything bigger. I rig straight 15-20 fluoro for Fork. 12lb anywhere else usually. I like to fish humps, creek bends, points, isolated clumps of trees(especially when related to humps, creek bends or points), and the occasional dock. Color really depends on when and where I’m fishing. Watermelon red, motor oil, green pumpkin/chart, June bug, black/blue and tomato red are what I usually keep handy. Sometimes I’ll try 3 different colors before I figure out what they want.

Most "shaky head" hooks are small (2/0 or smaller) and are light wire. The hooks are also "short" (point is not far from the head).
I primarily use them for what I call finesse fishing.
Very rarely use over a 1/4oz head. I target alot of spots and smallies with this rig. A heavier weight is more prone to be thrown on a jump.
Zoom finesse worm (4 1/2") June bug, Plum or baby bass in clear water (a spot killer). Skin hooked.
7' MH spinning rod w/ 10# fluro. The spinning rod does a fine job of driving a light wire hook home.
I use it in places where i dont have to worry (much) about grass, timber, brush, etc.
Depths to 30'+.

If i need a heavy casting rod or larger bait or heavier weight or line over 14#, i wont be using a short 2/0 fine wire hook.

My feel, control of the bait and hook setting ability with the spinning set up is excellent.
I've hooked and landed many fish over 5#s. Been doing it for 40 years, before the term "shaky head" was invented.
See "Charlie Brewer Slider".

Shakeyhead is a lure type not a lure size. I will throw them on casting gear down to an 1/8. Use a reel like Daiwa SV or Lews Custom Lite, Curado 50E. Those reels are designed to help throw lite baits. That being said there is nothing wrong with using spinning gear. I just don’t like spinning gear and don’t use it unless I have to.