Floating Worms

Some plastic worms are manufactured with extra extenders to make them float higher. A floating worm is a sight fishing lure that, to a bass, resembles anything from an injured baitfish to a small watersnake to a caterpillar. It's fished unweighted around shallow cover, especially in clear water.

WHEN TO FISH FLOATING WORMS: Floating worms work best in cool to warm water from approximately 65 to 82 degrees. Most anglers fish them from the prespawn through summer.

WHERE TO FISH FLOATING WORM: Floating worms are tremendous lures when bass are in clear, shallow water, holding in or around various types of cover. Here are some places to try them: 1. Flooded Bushes. In the spring, lake levels rise, inundating shallow willows and buckbushes. Bass gravitate to these shallow bushes and can be pulled out of the cover with a floating worm. 2. Shallow Rocks. In clear highland lakes, bass may move to the shallows in the spring to spawn in sandy pockets around large, flat rocks. Long casts may be essential to avoid spooking fish. 3. Boat Docks. In clear lakes, bass use the shade under docks for concealment, especially on sunny days. Skipping a floating worm under the dock can draw strikes. 4. Over Grassbeds. When bass are cruising or holding at the top or edges of submerged grassbeds in clear water, a floating worm can be effective. 5. Under Overhanging Trees. This is a viable late spring pattern, and works from spring through fall in small natural lakes and ponds. Skip or pitch the worm close to the bank and work it slowly. 6. Around Spawning Beds. Locate bass beds in shallow bays or creek arms protected from the north wind. Watch for staging bass cruising the area as well.

FLOATING WORM TACKLE: Because it is best used in clear to superclear water, experts fish this lure on spinning tackle. A 6 foot heavy action rod is recommended. Longer rods may prevent you from working the lure properly in tight places, such as around flooded willows in the back of a creek arm. Avoid soft action rods; a hard hook set is required when the bass takes the lure. Use abrasion resistant monofilament lines testing from 8 to 12 pounds.

RIGGING THE FLOATING WORM: 1. As its name implies, a floating worm is designed to float on or just under the surface. Fish it unweighted. The primary considerations when rigging this lure are maintaining a lifelike, erratic action and reducing line twist. 2. To reduce line twist and help guard against break offs around shallow cover, fish this lure on a short ( 12 to 16 inches ) leader. The leader should be slightly heavier than your main line ( example: 8 pound test main line, 10 pound test leader ). Tie a lightweight swivel between the leader and your main line. 3. With a 6 or 7 inch floating worm, use a straight shank 3/0 light wire worm hook. The hook weight can be increased slightly to sink the lure a bit when bass refuse to take it on the surface. 4. The floating worm may be rigged Texas style, with the hook point buried in the worm body. Run the hook point all the way through the plastic and back it in to facilitate penetration on the hook sets. 5. The lure may also be skin hooked. Begin with a typical Texas rigging, but after poking the hook point through the lure body, stick only the point into the skin or outer layer of plastic on the side of the lure. This works especially well when bass are tentative when striking. 6. For more erratic action, the worm may be bent or rolled in your fingers before reinserting the hook. This produces a crooked broken back effect and gives the lure a strong resemblance to a writhing caterpillar.

FLOATING WORM COLORS: The sky is the limit when choosing colors for floating worms. No color is deemed too outrageous by experts favoring this lure. They believe hot colors like bubblegum, mercurochrome orange and chartreuse attract bass and stimulate a reaction bite. Hot colors pull curious bass out of flooded bushes and other shallow cover in clear water. Some worms are available in bright, yet realistic colors resembling watersnakes and catalpa worms. These are especially effective when fished under overhanging trees.

FLOATING LIZARDS: These can be substituted for floating worms and work especially well when bass are on the beds. Use the same tackle, rigging and presentation techniques as with the floating worm.