Fort Lauderdale, Fla. ? It’s the wacky-rig secret that the lure manufacturers don’t want you to know.

It catches bass and saves you money.

It’s a rubber O-ring that you slip around the middle of your plastic stick worm. Then you put your hook under the O-ring. When a bass bites, you are able to set the hook, which is unencumbered by plastic, securely into the fish’s mouth.

Best of all, because the hook isn’t in the stick worm, the worm is less likely to break in half when the bass bites or shakes its head as it jumps. That means you can catch several fish on one worm, which is why the lure makers prefer to keep this secret a secret.

Stick worms have revolutionized bass fishing the past few years. For proof, all you have to do is look at all the stick worms that have suddenly appeared on tackle store racks.

Gary Yamamoto is the man behind the revolution. A Texas bass pro and lure designer, his company, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, is highly regarded for its innovative soft-plastic lures.

One day, he was trying to draw a picture of what he wanted for his plant manager when he looked down at the BIC ballpoint pen in his hand and realized that was the shape he was looking for.

The rest has been bass fishing history.

Senkos catch bass from the Everglades to the Great Lakes to the California Delta. Numerous imitations have popped up. Among the more effective are the Gambler Ace, the Yum Dinger, the Bass Pro Shops Stik-O-Worm and the Berkley Gulp! Sinking Minnow.

Anglers absolutely love them.

“That’s probably our No. 1-selling worm,” said Pat Fitzsimmons of Everglades Pro Bass Center in Davie of stick worms.

Paul Garland has come up with an easier way to rig the stick worm of your choice. Garland, who owns a tackle store in New Durham, N.H., invented the Wacky Rig’r.

The Rig’r retails for $9.99. A pack of 10 O-rings for $1.99. The items will soon be available at tackle stores and online at www.hotspotsoutfitters.com.