Plastic Worms

The plastic worm was first marketed widely in the 50's and revolutionized bass fishing when it became popular in the 60's. Lure fads come and go, but today, anglers still depend on plastic worms for both limits of keeper size bass and the occasional lunker.

TYPES OF WORM RIGS: Varying both the amount of weight and the rigging method allows you to fish plastic worms under a wide array of conditions. 1. Rig the worm weightless with a light wire hook when sight fishing around shallow cover in clear water. 2. When bass are holding in or close to cover, use the Texas rig method. 3. When bass are on deep structure or in areas with relatively clean bottom, or when they're holding on the outer edges of or suspending above submerged grassbeds, try Carolina rigging the worm.

PLASTIC WORM TACKLE: Since plastic worm fishing demands a hard hook set, a stiff rod is recommended. Many pros use a 6 foot medium heavy to heavy action baitcasting rod with a fast taper for Texas rig worm fishing. Some prefer a rod with a pistol grip handle. Some pros use a 6 foot to 6 foot, 3 inch graphite heavy action spinning rod when casting a Texas rigged worm. A Texas rigged worm may also be pitched or flipped with the appropriated longer rod. Employ a baitcasting or spinning reel with a normal ( 5:1 ) gear ratio. Use only abrasion resistant lines when worming. Use 14 to 20 pound test mono or heavier high tech lines with baitcasting reels. On spinning reels, use 10 to12 pound test line, 8 pound test in very clear water. High tech lines work well on spinning reels when worming because they have no memory. When Carolina rigging, use 20 pound test mono or heavier high tech lines as the main line. Pro anglers differ in their preferences for leader lines. Some use lighter ( 12 to 14 pound test ) mono leaders; others use the same line on the leader that they use on the main line; still others use a heavier leader line. Keep in mind that using a lighter leader facilitates easier breakoffs below the swivel should the lure become hung, thereby allowing you to retrieve the sinker, bead, and swivel for rerigging.

SELECTING SINKER AND HOOK SIZE: It's important to balance both the hook and sinker to the worm as well as use the right weight for the situation at hand. Here are some tips: 1. A 1/3 oz. sinker is most commonly used for worming. 2. The denser the cover your fishing, the heavier the sinker you should use. Pros routinely use worm sinkers as heavy as 1/2 oz. when worming in matted vegetation. 3. Conversely, when fishing outside cover, your sinker should be lighter. Many anglers use 1/8 and 1/16 oz. weights in cold water when bass are holding around logs, rocks, or other easily traversed cover. 4. Bass will vary from place to place, and even from one hour to the next, as to the rate of fall that will trigger them into striking. Normally in cold water, they want a slow fall, and a fast fall in hot water. If you aren't getting strikes, vary the worm weight up or down until you find what the fish are looking for. 5. When determining hook size, remember that the length of a worm hook is not as important as the worm's diameter. For a 6 inch worm of average thickness, use a 2/0 worm hook. For a fat 6 inch worm, use a 3/0. Likewise, use 3/0 and 4/0 hooks on 7 inch worms, 5/0 and 6/0 on 9 inch worms.

WORM STYLES: Plastic worms come in various styles. 1. Worms with twist or ribbontails are primarily used when Texas and Carolina rigging. These are highly effective in submerged vegetation, murky water and anytime bass need an extra visual trigger. 2. Straight tail worms are most commonly used for weightless riggings ( floating ). 3. Spear and paddletail worms are normally used around cover and are effective when fished on top of matted vegetation. 4. Short finesse worms are used in clear and/or deep water and when bass are shy to bite. 5. Short, blunt ( French Fry ) or ( Do Nothing ) worms are popular on Carolina rigs. 6. Judge the proper worm thickness by weighing water clarity and density of cover. In clear water with submerged vegetation, a slender worm appears more realistic and slides through grass more readily. But in murky water with stumps and logs, a fatter worm may be more visible.

WORM COLORS: You don't need every worm color under the sun to catch bass under most conditions. Here are some guidelines: 1. For years, the most popular worm colors were purple, blue, and black. These colors still work and should be included in any worm selection. 2. In clear water, use lighter and more translucent colors. Blue, strawberry, and melon green are favorites. Flake colors are also more effective in clear water. 3. In murky water, use darker and less translucent colors, such as black or purple. 4. Pumpkin is favored by many pro anglers in the spring. 5. Many worms are available with the body one color and the tail another. Where visibility is low, a worm with hot color tail ( chartreuse, orange ) will often trigger strikes.

SCENTS AND RATTLES : Scents. Many pro anglers use lure scents with worms, or scent impregnated worms, believing these may trigger finicky bass to bite and hang on longer. Experiment with these products to determine their utility to your personal fishing style. Liquid scent additives also help grease a worm and make it slide through dense cover more easily. Worm Rattles. They are tiny metal beads inside glass or plastic cylinders. These can be inserted into the worm body and emit a clicking sound when the worm moves, not unlike the sounds made by a foraging crawfish. Worm rattles are favored by many pro anglers in murky or weedy conditions.