Whether you’re fishing flooded cattails, laydowns, or shallow rock patches, the way your swimbait moves can make or break your success. Most anglers run their Magdraft Freestyle on a screw-lock hook, which works, but it limits the bait’s ability to bend and swim.
By using a line-through system, you eliminate the rigid hook shank inside the body. That means more tail wag, more freedom, and more realism in the water. And when it comes to drawing reaction strikes, that natural side-to-side motion is everything.
How to Make a Line-Through Rig for the Magdraft Freestyle
This hack doesn’t require any fancy gear—just a few key components:
Thick-walled straw (the kind that comes with spray lubricant cans)
Sharp scissors
Small tungsten bullet weight
Your preferred hook (like a Decoy Quattro or VMC Redline treble)
Optional: bobber stop for structure fishing
Step-by-Step Rigging Process
Start from the back of the bait: Use the straw to pierce through the body from the tail section toward the nose. Cutting the straw at an angle makes it act like a syringe, avoiding clogging with soft plastic.
Exit near the nose: Where you exit determines how the bait tracks in the water. Exiting higher on the head makes it swim deeper. For shallow cover, aim to come straight out the nose.
Trim the straw: Once you’ve created the path, trim the straw and reinsert it. This is now your line-through channel.
Thread your line: Feed your fluorocarbon (20 lb test is ideal) through the straw, then add your tungsten bullet weight in reverse (flat end facing back).
Add your hook: Tie on your preferred treble or Quattro-style hook. The reverse weight placement acts as a buffer during casting and keeps your bait from tearing.
Bonus Tip: Use a Bobber Stop
If you’re skipping under docks or through flooded timber, adding a bobber stop right in front of the bait helps keep your hook and bait together mid-cast, improving accuracy and keeping your hook from flying loose.
Why It Works: More Action, Better Hookups, Longer Bait Life
Traditional swimbait rigging can limit the bait’s movement. The internal hook shank stiffens the bait and can limit that fluid tail wag we all want from the Magdraft Freestyle.
With this line-through method, your bait maintains full flexibility. The result? It swims naturally, even at slower speeds, giving you more time in the strike zone and a much more enticing profile.
You’ll also get:
Improved hookup ratio: Free-swinging hooks mean better hook penetration
Increased durability: No more ripping your bait in half every time you hook a fish
Custom weight control: Adjust your tungsten size to fish deeper or shallower
Best Situations to Use This Line-Through Rig
Shallow structure fishing (like laydowns, cattails, rock seams)
Skipping under docks or overhanging limbs
Clear water where fish are visual feeders
When targeting pressured bass with more natural action
Pair this rig with a slow retrieve and keep your rod tip up to let the bait swim just above cover. Let that tail wag naturally.
Customize Your Magdraft for Maximum Performance
The Magdraft Freestyle has allowed anglers to cover nearly all depth zones with the signature profile that has continued to make the Magdraft series effective across the globe.
Tune in with Kyle Peterson and our friends at Wired2Fish to get the scoop on a unique line-through rigging method that has produced more bites due to its ability to allow the bait’s body to move freely with very little rigid points.
